The DCI Pipeline

DCI’s cradle-to-career pipeline is designed using a holistic model – we not only focus on our students, but the entire family as well. To help parents succeed as the number one teachers of their young people, we offer two-generation supports. These supports can take the form of employment and vocational supports, family stability interventions and support, parents support and education, and technology support.  

Each child, youth, and family’s journey with DCI is different, with individuals entering the DCI pipeline at different points. A Spanish-speaking mother with a two-year-old might attend DCI Story Hour and sign up for English classes that help her apply for jobs or assist her older children with homework. Parents with a newborn might receive a home visit from Family Connects Durham, a DCI partner, and be referred to a DCI Early Years Family Advocate for additional support. A father attending DCI Summer Lunch with his family might sign up for career development workshops to further his professional prospects or attend DCI Parent Cafés to better understand school enrollment options. Regardless of where a family enters the pipeline, DCI is committed to connecting them with the most innovative and high-quality interventions possible to empower them on their unique journey.  

Families who enter the pipeline during the stage of early childhood are offered interventions such as kindergarten readiness preparation, parent education and support, and access to childcare. During early childhood, DCI’s support is geared toward parents, as parents are the primary teachers of their children during this stage. As a family moves further along the pipeline, they will have access to interventions such as after-school learning and enrichment, literacy and academic achievement supports, and summer learning opportunities. Here, the focus on the individual student becomes greater and continues to grow as the student moves into their middle school, high school, and post-secondary journey. As the student grows and the focus on the entire family lessens, students have the opportunity to be engaged in further academic support, paid internships, and college and career support. To see a full list of our partners and their unique offerings to the DCI pipeline, please take a look at our partnership page.

If you are interested in becoming a DCI family, please contact DurhamChildrensInitiative@dci-nc.org to be connected with a family advocate!