SKI Charities

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Empowering the Indigenous Communities of Chile

SKILLS and the Indigenous People of Chile

There are ten distinct indigenous groups in Chile, and their people make up roughly 10% of the Chilean population. However, Chile is the only Latin American country that does not acknowledge or represent Indigenous people and their rights in its constitution. 

Art is an enormous part of life in many indigenous communities and cultures. But many indigenous artists—especially women—are under-recognized and underrepresented. Indigenous art is also often appropriated at the expense of the real thing. 

If you know SKI Charities, you know we’re passionate about empowering women artists, like our beneficiaries in Chile, who keep their indigenous heritage alive in their work. We’re proud to be part of keeping these vulnerable but essential traditions alive.

indigenous art of Chile

Mapuche

The Mapuche of the south-central part of the country is the largest indigenous group in Chile, making up approximately 85% of the country’s indigenous population.

Historically, the Mapuche people speak Mapudungun, meaning “land speak,” an extremely meaningful name considering the Mapuche people’s relationship to horticulture and nature.

They are renowned for their textile and silverwork, which we at SKI are proud to support and empower.

Silverwork, or rutran, as the Mapuche calls it, is used to make traditional jewelry. The practice came into existence in the late 18th century after the Spanish invaded Chile. The Mapuche would melt down silver Spanish coins (which today have become helpful in dating these objects) they acquired through trade and use them to create jewelry, which became a central aspect of the women’s attire. 

The appearance of the items varied widely across Chile because they were designed to reflect the diversity of the Mapuche and the specific identities of different families, communities, and geographies.

The Mapuche have struggled against colonial forces that threatened their indigenous identity and land for centuries. As such, the Mapuche have been locked in a struggle for indigenous rights in both Chile and Argentina. 

And though today the Mapuche make up only around 9% of Chile’s population, many Chileans have Mapuche in their blood—which makes it all the more important for the history of this resilient people to be shared through art, particularly through traditional artisan techniques that date back centuries.

Plus, many Mapuche artistic traditions are passed down from generation to generation—specifically from woman to woman.

Aymara

The Aymara used to occupy a much larger territory in Chile. But with the European expansion into South America, namely the Spanish, they gradually began to move north to avoid colonial pressures.

Today, the Aymara people live mainly in the northern part of the country along the Bolivian border. While the rights of the Aymara people are recognized to an extent in Bolivia, with the Aymara language an official language of Bolivia, their presence in Chile is acknowledged and respected.

The art that the Aymara typically create is functional while still vibrant and personal. The colors and patterns woven into their textiles have significance to different families and regions.

Diaguita

Evidence shows that the Diaguita people have been in Chile and Argentina since as early as 300 BCE. Despite that heritage and longevity, the Chilean state has only officially recognized them as an indigenous group since 2006.

The Diaguita have been so dispersed throughout the region that no recorded universal language exists. However, scholars debate that it was the dialect that was so diverse, not the language.

As an ancient people, their civilization suggests advanced and deeply intuitive application of early technology.

Historically, they’re known for their irrigation systems, metallurgy, and textile weaving. Their art is defined by distinctive and elaborate black, white, and red ceramic pottery.

Atacameño

Currently, the largest population of Atacameño people in South America lives in Chile.

The ancient traditional art of the Atacameño people can be split into three distinct periods. 

The earliest is defined by pinkish anthropomorphic ceramic pottery. In the second period, they introduced black glaze to their ceramics, and religious iconography influenced the intricacies more readily.

As the Inca civilization grew into Atacameño land, their third artistic period began. The influence of the Inca people on the Atacameño people is evident in their material preference, moving away from ceramics and towards stonework instead.

All throughout these periods, the Atacameño people prolifically created metalwork, specifically copper and gold.

indigenous art of Chile

Further

While these are the largest Indigenous groups of Chile, there are many more indigenous communities throughout the country and the region, each with its own rich history and culture that make Chile what it is today: Kolla, Yaghan, Rapa Nui, Kawaskhar, Cacahue, Chango, Picunche, Chono, Tehuelche, Cunco, Selknam, and Quechua to name a few.

The number of indigenous people subjected to living in poverty in Chile is almost double that of the non-indigenous population. Araucanía, where the country’s largest concentration of indigenous people resides, is also the poorest region. 

How SKILLS Can Help

SKI Charities empowers artists to share their histories and connect storytellers in isolated regions to our globalized world. SKIC commissions provided indigenous women in Chile with microloans to grow their own artistic businesses.

Through SKILLS (SKI Local Life Survey), we empower local artists to share their history and culture through works across the creative spectrum.

Why Buying Local Really Does Pay

We often see signs in our communities imploring us to “buy local.” And we all can agree that it’s generally a good thing to support the local businesses in our towns and cities. But what are the real benefits of buying local versus buying from big chains—especially since local goods tend to come at a higher price?

Zimbabwe shop to buy local

Beneficiaries in Zimbabwe in front of their store.

As an organization focused on empowering women entrepreneurs through microloans, this is an issue that’s extremely close to our hearts. We’ve seen firsthand the positive spillover effects that local businesses can have, as well as the unique products that can result from vendors who are steeped in their own communities—as we see in both Zimbabwe and Chile where we work.

Buying local has a whole sleuth of benefits—from financial to environmental to cultural:

It keeps money in the community.

According to CustomMade, local businesses generate 70% more economic activity than chain retailers, and money spent at local businesses generates 3.5x more wealth for the local economy than money spent at chain retailers. Particularly in Zimbabwe, which is going through an economic crisis, it’s doubly important to put money back in the community and support the local businesswomen whose hard work has spillover benefits for everyone. Plus, local businessowners are far more invested in the future of their communities than corporate giants, and tend to give more to charities and fundraisers than large chains.

It’s better for the environment.

In some ways it’s obvious: Chain retailers tend to transport items from further away than local vendors, creating transportation waste and often excess processing and packaging waste. But according to CustomMade, local vendors also tend to be more environmentally-conscious overall, being more likely to reuse materials than chain retailers.

Local beneficiaries in Chile with their handmade blankets

Two of our beneficiaries in Chile with their handmade blankets.

It keeps local communities unique.

Local vendors often reflect the unique spirit and culture of the community in which they’re working. This is not the case for chain stores, which tend to be the same everywhere. We see this firsthand through our work in Chile, where local artisans create one-of-a-kind jewelry, blankets and other crafts that help keep their Mapuche heritage alive and provide their customers with a memorable product.

It gives consumers more choices.

Local vendors cater to the unique needs of their customers, unlike big chains that might be looking at more national or global consumer trends. This leaves locals not only with more choices, but choices that are more specifically catered to their lives.

Better customer service.

Since local businesses tend to be small and often even family-run, businessowners can have more intimate relationships with their customers. And since they’re members of the community, too, they’re more accountable to their customers about the way they run their business.

Better quality products.

Products sold by local vendors are often handmade or made ethically in small batches, unlike products from chains which may be mass-produced through questionable labor practices. So when you buy local, you have a better chance of knowing exactly what you’re getting, and buying a product that is free of defects or contamination.

What is Microfinance, and Why Do We Use It?

At the heart of our SKImfi program—where we provide women entrepreneurs in Chile and Zimbabwe with small loans to start or grow their businesses—is microfinance.

Microfinance, “is basically a bank for people who have very little to no income, probably no collateral, definitely not a formal job, maybe not even an informal job,” explains our founder, Shyam K. Iyer. 

A woman with short dark hair wearing a white t-shirt stands behind a large freezer. The freezer is open and has bags of seafood stacked. She is in a bright kitchen with wooden floors and walls.

Our beneficiary Bella used her microloan to purchase a freezer, which she uses to store the fresh seafood she sells in Lebu, Chile.

We’ve found microloans to be a powerful tool to leverage the power of finance for deserving but overlooked talent, who use this opportunity to not only empower themselves and their businesses, but their communities. Here, we break down how microfinance works and why we use it. 

The basics

Microfinance is based on the idea that while people with credit and a steady job can walk into a bank and get a loan, there are many in the world who don’t have such an opportunity—but still have the same potential, says Shyam. Through a microfinance lender, like SKI Charities, people without access to traditional finance can receive small loans, “and they are expected to pay it back, just like you or I would have to go to a bank to pay it back,” says Shyam.

Two Black women are in a small store surrounded by lots of colorful goods. One woman is sitting and laughing, the other stands and leans to the side.

Prudence (right) uses her microloan to help run her shop, where she sells electronics and other items.

How it works

At SKI Charities, potential beneficiaries apply to our microfinance program with a business plan and references, and are chosen based on their potential to deliver on their proposal and add value to their community. Like at a bank, beneficiaries have a term to pay back their loan with a small interest rate. “We’re not in the business of providing aid, we’re providing people with access to finance,” Shyam says. “So we treat them on an equal level, just like you or I going into a bank. Our default rate is very low, which tells us that we’re doing it right for the environment that we’re in.”

Why it’s right for our mission

“At the end of the day, the purpose of SKI Charities is to bring people closer to independence and respect for themselves and what they do,” Shyam says. “Treating our beneficiaries as banking customers who have a responsibility to pay back their microloans means they are treated like everybody else in the financial system. So we think it’s worked out great, especially with people achieving that self-affirming respect. It’s key to everything we do.”

Two Chilean women sit at a kitchen table, working on some paperwork.

A beneficiary works with our program manager on her loan agreement.

The biggest misconception about microfinance

“It’s about trade, not aid,” says Shyam. “That’s not a slogan I came up with—I wish I did. But it’s just about getting more people involved in a system where they can feel confident through employment, through creating wealth. Any time I’ve been given something, I’ve never treated it very dearly. But when I worked for something, just as these women are working with their loans and having to pay them back, that’s the great thing about microfinance—they feel equal and they treat the whole process with more responsibility.”

The power of microfinance

When you’re doing microfinance at such a local level, it’s not just about these women creating their own wealth and creating their own businesses,” says Shyam. “What about the spillover effects? They start off paying their kids’ school fees with some of the money they make, which is great in a social sense. But it’s also providing encouragement for schools to run better. These women may hire some of their friends or sisters to work for their business. That’s another spillover effect. Of course they are now buying from other suppliers, so even though that supplier isn’t necessarily a part of our program, in a sense they are now. It stimulates the whole community, and as we grow, we’ll stimulate more and more communities.”

Our Founder on the Importance of Teamwork, Leaving Your Comfort Zone and Making an Impact

What does it take to be a leader? To run an impactful charity organization? What are the challenges that comes with the entrepreneurial life?

These are questions that our founder, Shyam K. Iyer, has grappled with firsthand—and recently, he’s shared his experience with a number of publications and media outlets.

We’ve rounded up all the recent coverage of Shyam and SKI Charities, and it’s full of solid advice and tidbits of wisdom for entrepreneurs and charity leaders of all kinds:

On the importance of being a leader, not a manager:

“While an entrepreneur may drive early success, I have found successful entrepreneurship to be far more “bottom-up” as local level ownership and buy-in will determine the success of any project or enterprise.”

Read more on the Growth Institute blog. 

On getting out of your comfort zone:

“Without having some knowledge of your temporary limits, there is always a chance of pushing yourself too far too fast. The entrepreneurial path is full of challenges and at its core is about a person’s appetite for remaining outside the comfort zone. To leave the stability of a day job, you must be ready with a professional network and financial situation where two or three years of limited income and fitful progress are the norm. But the most important factor is a very personal one: There comes a time when you are ready to take responsibility for making your ideas into a reality.”

Read more on Success.com. 

On letting go of control as an entrepreneur:

“When I kicked off SKI Charities, I was met with much skepticism from both donors and local contacts. I decided that a high level of oversight and control would be necessary, and while this allowed the project to commence, I quickly learned this was not sustainable. I could not shift my life to our locations in Zimbabwe or Chile. And with so many staff members and beneficiaries depending on me to get this balance right, I had no choice but to embrace this type of management.”

Read more on the proto.io blog. 

On when he knew it was time to quit his day job:

“Before I founded my charity, I was facing the question of what professional legacy I would leave behind. Fifty years from now when I looked back on my life, would I have harnessed my skill set towards making a unique social impact? I asked myself this question over and over. When I finally decided on the idea of social entrepreneurship through SKI Charities, I quit my day job and my breakthrough was achieved. Nine years later my team and I are empowering hundreds of females and their families in the most isolated parts of our world through microfinance and scholarships.”

Read more on the Seek Capital blog.

On the difference between being a boss and being a leader:

“A boss delegates and manages those who seek approval of their superior. A true leader collaborates, motivates, and inspires. The key to setting oneself apart as a leader is to focus on your employees and partners investing in an organization’s vision, and then working hand in hand on implementing and enhancing that vision. Once this alignment is created, ownership grows by allowing true employee autonomy with the understanding that success will be predominantly driven by participants closest to the market.”

Read more in Authority Magazine. 

On the woman who influenced his career:

“The specific value of team empowerment shared with me by my mother has been invaluable to my success. As a small business owner of a medical practice, she modeled and communicated to me the importance of thoughtful management and delegation to staff.”

Read more on BisVue. 

8 New Year’s Resolutions for Entrepreneurs

Here at SKI Charities, we empower women in Chile and Zimbabwe with the tools they need to be successful entrepreneurs. This isn’t just the microloans we provide, it’s also extensive training and guidance on things like budgeting, inventory management and more. 

Being an entrepreneur means continually learning and growing. Here are some resolutions for entrepreneurs to keep growing their businesses into the new year:

SKIC beneficiaries at an entrepreneurship training.

1. Prioritize your physical and mental health.

When your business is you, it’s all the more important that you’re healthy both physically and mentally. Assess your lifestyle and working habits and ensure you’re making time for sleep, exercise and relaxation and that you’re not in danger of burnout. If these means working a few less hours a week, it’ll be well worth it.

2. Keep learning.

Odds are there’s a class you’ve always wanted to take, a skill you’ve always wanted to learn, or a book you’ve always wanted to read. Make 2022 the year you do it, and your business will grow with you. 

3. Assess your vision, mission and values.

Don’t have vision, mission and values statements for your business? Make a goal to write them by the end of the year. Already have them? Sit down and assess if your business’ direction continues to be in line with these statements, and what you wanted to achieve when you started on this journey. If your direction has changed, it’s time for an update to your vision, mission and values statements (and possibly your overall branding).

4. Rethink how you hire.

Hiring the right people is crucial to the success of your business. Having a formalized process for how you recruit and hire can ensure you’re finding people who have the skills you need and are a cultural fit for your organization. The new year is also a good time to reflect on what kinds of voices are currently missing from your team, and to take steps to rectify that.

SKIC beneficiaries at an entrepreneurship training.

 5. Delegate more.

Our founder often talks about how one of the keys to SKI Charities’ success is delegation. Once you have the right team in place, letting go of control and giving team members ownership of the work they are doing not only takes tasks off your plate, but will make your team more satisfied and connected to their jobs—and likely make your ship run smoother.

6. Devote time to your business’ culture.

Even if you’re a solopreneur who works with a few part-time contractors, your business has a culture, and it deserves some thought and intention. A healthy culture helps with morale, staff retention, and quality of work—plus, don’t we all want to feel happy and supported at our jobs?

7. See where you’re spending your budget.

Take a look at last year’s books, and notice where your business’ money is going. Is your small business supporting other small businesses, or do you mostly work with big corporations? Are any of your contractors Black- or woman-owned businesses? Your dollars are powerful, so make sure the way you’re spending them is in alignment with your business’ values. (Which doesn’t have to mean spending any more money!)

8. Give back.

If you ended the year in the green, consider donating a portion of your revenue to a cause that you believe in. Even if the budget is tight, there are ways for your business to make a difference—whether that’s instituting a quarterly volunteering day, or using your platforms to uplift important issues.

How to Keep Students Engaged Over the Holiday Break

At SKI Charities, we believe that education doesn’t stop when students leave school—that’s why when selecting our scholarship recipients, we take into consideration the support that these scholars will receive from their families at home.

And while the end-of-year holiday school break should be a time where kids can have fun, spend time with family and rest, that doesn’t have to mean that they can’t keep learning during those weeks when they’re off from school—in fact, keeping kids engaged with their studies at home (in fun ways!) can set them up for success in the new year.

Here are some ideas for busy parents to bring learning into the holiday season at home:

A SKI Charities scholar with her parents.

Play an educational game.

Family game night doesn’t have to be all about the competition. There are many board games for kids of all ages that incorporate addition and subtraction, matching, trivia and much more. Even if a brand new board game isn’t in the budget, a simple deck of cards can be used for countless games, such as the classic Go Fish.

Bring math into the kitchen.

Have favorite family holiday recipes? Let your kids in on the action, and use it as an opportunity to teach some math skills. Younger children might enjoy counting the number of cups of water or scoops of flour, while older ones can practice conversions and fractions.

Encourage reading for fun. 

The holiday break is a great time to dive into a book, whether one that was a recent gift or one that’s long been neglected on the bookshelf. Let children decide what to read to help encourage a love of reading. 

Get into nature.

Use the extra unstructured time around the holidays to take a walk or hike, and talk about what you see. It could be a biology lesson, talking about which trees still have leaves or identifying birds, or even a counting exercise, keeping track of how many big rocks you pass.

Introduce a craft project.

No matter what holiday you celebrate, the internet is full of ideas for age-appropriate holiday crafts. Getting children crafting can spark creativity, teach important cutting and glueing skills, and give them an opportunity to practice following directions. 

Don’t forget about homework.

Kids may have homework assigned over the holidays, or prep work for the new semester to complete before school starts again. Help them stay organized and accountable so they don’t leave all their work until New Year’s Day.

How SKIC Finds Talent

“Everyone has talent, but not everyone is given the opportunity to take advantage of it,” says SKIC founder, Shyam K. Iyer.

Though SKIC chooses participants selectively, beneficiaries end up being role models for their friends, families and communities at large.

We caught up with Shyam to hear about how important talent is to SKIC, and how the gifted individuals who make up the program affect their greater community.

How do you define talent at SKIC?

Well, that’s a great question and it’s actually the foundational question of why we run the charity. The way we see talent is really about potential, and how to help people reach their potential, make the most of their lives, and take control of their lives. It’s about finding people with potential, with unique skills, and giving them the opportunity to take control of their lives through their talents. And everyone has talent, but not everyone is given the opportunity to take advantage of it, and it’s really that unique value they can add, that we define as talent. 

So what specifically does the charity look for in its participants?

Well we look for anybody who can add value to the local community, that’s how we define talent. Now whether they’ve added that value before or been given the opportunity, we need to provide that chance for them. That’s really the kind of people we look for, and it’s really the goal of our charity to find people who have not been identified, but who can be as valuable members of the community as anyone else. 

Even though you’re looking for talent specifically for the SKIC program, how does finding that talent extend beyond the program itself?

When we find talent it’s not just good for our charity, but it also gives other people a role model. So there are many people out there who aren’t as confident to act, and to tell us, ‘This is what I can do, this is how I can add value to my community.’ But when they see that a group like SKIC is looking for talent, and is focused on empowering that talent, they themselves will look at what they do to be role models, like those that are seen as part of our project.

Even though you have to be selective with the SKIC program, it’s comforting to know that the reach extends beyond the program itself. 

One of the great things about identifying talent is that they become role models for the rest of the community, so there are many people there that know they’re talented, but what about those who aren’t so confident? Well when they see that their sisters, that their daughters, that their cousins, are participating in SKI charities, they themselves will look deeper, and where they can add value. And that’s a way we can add to the community without just focusing on our beneficiaries. 

You can also listen to this interview on Soundcloud.

Why It’s Important for Women to Build Resilience—and How We’re Helping

In the midst of a global pandemic and the resulting economic crisis, it is more important than ever to support economically disenfranchised women and empower them to build resilience.

COVID-19 has laid bare the global inequities that marginalized people face transnationally. And we know that on the whole, women tend to be disproportionately harmed and disadvantaged by these large scale crises like COVID-19, climate change, and economic precarity. 

One of our Chilean microfinance beneficiaries.

That’s why we remain committed to empowering economically disadvantaged women in Zimbabwe and Chile, and believe that resilience-building is an important part of that empowerment. But what is resilience, and how do you build it—especially in a world of crisis?

What is Resilience? 

Resilience can be defined as the process through which we adapt to hardship and learn to overcome adversities. But resilience is not necessarily an inherent skill—it is something that can be learned.

According to Susan Kobasa, there are three primary elements that are necessary to building resilience: challenge, commitment and personal control. Overcoming difficulty requires a change of mindset wherein roadblocks become challenges to best rather than barriers, facilitating a path towards goal commitment and empowerment. Focusing on changing what can be controlled rather than feeling helpless about what is uncontrollable can help prevent emotional drainage and loss of confidence in major projects. These three skills are essential in reimagining a future that is possible and achievable. 

Why It’s More Important Than Ever

One of our Zimbabwean beneficiaries.

Situations of global precarity, such as climate change, disproportionately affect already vulnerable individuals, such as the women in Chile and Zimbabwe who we work with. This insecurity has only been amplified by COVID-19 as the ability to work, engage with local communities, and access necessary resources have been significantly impacted. As such, skill and resilience building in rural women living in areas where the labor force and the acquisition of capital have been significantly influenced by these global crises is pressing.

How We’re Helping

Through our microfinance institute and scholarships, we at SKIC work to financially empower women and build self-sufficiency in economically unsupported communities. Our goal is to provide women with the tools they need to build resilience, promote growth locally and become financially independent. 

How SKI Charities Got Its Name

SKI CharitiesSince its beginnings in October 2010, SKI Charities has developed an impressive array of programs in two operating sites: Lebu, Chile and Mutare, Zimbabwe.

Despite facing uncertainties and criticism—both internal and external—the organization’s founder, Shyam K. Iyer, felt inspired to see his project to fruition.

Shyam sat down to talk with us about how the organization got its name, and how he defied many doubts to make his idea into the institution that it is today.

So what does SKI stand for?

Well, simply put, those are my initials, Shyam Krishna Iyer.

What was the impetus behind using your initials?

SKI Charities

Well, when we thought of naming the organization, we didn’t want it to be too focused on one particular community or culture. So even though we kicked off in Zimbabwe, we didn’t necessarily have to be a Zimbabwean name because we knew we’d be in Chile, and now that we’re in those countries we’re looking at others. So I thought, let’s make it broad, non-cultural, but also personality-driven. So when people see your name on something they know you own it, they know that you care about it, and they know you’re gonna attach yourself to it whether it goes up or down.

It also reminds me of where we started. You know, it’s been a lot of hard work getting this going. I put a lot of myself into it. People close to me who have allied themselves with me have also put a lot of pressure on themselves and effort into getting this done. So there’s a lot of people tied up in those initials SKI, and that’s why my initials are so important.

You talk about where you started. What was that time like?

There were a lot of challenges starting from scratch, with a good network but very little organizational structure and frankly a lot of doubts. A lot of people outside of my network who I approached at the beginning of 2010, they had a lot of questions. They questioned our motto of going to the most remote markets in places like Zimbabwe, which don’t have a lot of other people getting involved. People recommended we either put our money into their programs, or maybe going another route, so there was a lot of delay.

But one thing I did luck out with is that I happened to be in San Francisco at the time, and there’s a strong entrepreneurial spirit there. So people at least gave me the energy to start something on my own, to take a chance even though other NGOs like KIVA act as a conduit for donors and for microfinance institutes.

SKI CharitiesElaborate for me on how SKIC is distinct from an organization like KIVA.

We are both the donor base and the institute itself. We really keep it tight so we know exactly where the money is coming from and where it’s going. The people at KIVA were good to talk to. And really it’s just about me getting out there, pushing all these groups, pushing myself, and that’s why it comes back to my name. It really is my project and the project of the people I represent.

It must be really gratifying to look back on all the progress you’ve made.

Well of course, we have a long way to go, but I will allow myself to accept that we have come a long way and that a lot of the initial doubts we have overcome. And look, even though there are more challenges ahead, the progress we have made in Zimbabwe and Chile through our microfinance program, our scholarships, and now our artist promotion program, they’re all irreversible. What we’ve done there will last, and we’ve changed hundreds of lives. So it’s really satisfying to think about it from that point of view, and it’s also encouraging that with the rest of the hard work to come, we can definitely continue to move forward and progress.

You can also listen to this interview on SoundCloud. 

5 Ways Schools Can Better Support Single Parents & Their Kids

Here at SKI Charities, we provide scholarships to young girls in Mutare, Zimbabwe, to ensure they can receive the education they deserve. Recently, we’ve shifted to focusing primarily on scholars from single-family homes, who face particular challenges when it comes to receiving a quality education.

Just like children depend on their parents to support their education at home, schools need to be sure that they are supporting single parents and their children. We rounded up five ways that schools can better act as a support system for single-parent homes:

1. Communicate with students and recognize their individual needs.

It’s important that teachers open up lines of communication with children coming from single family homes, and to not make assumptions, because every situation is different. Children of single parents, especially low-income ones, may have unique stressors placed on them. For example, they may be taking on additional responsibilities at home such as taking care of younger siblings, cleaning or running household errands. In addition, they may be experiencing isolation and loneliness if their parent is busy working and they frequently come home to an empty house after school. Be in communication with each child about their emotional needs, not just their academic needs. Having this additional support from a trustworthy adult can positively impact a child for a lifetime.

2. Send home a to-do list for homework and a schedule of events.

While every guardian has a lot on their plate, single parents can get especially overwhelmed with working to support a household all on their own. Homework and projects may fall by the wayside if information gets lost. Providing a concrete to-do list with homework activities and deadlines can make a huge difference for single-family homes. Teachers should make sure parents and students are aware of scheduled events and project deadlines well ahead of time. Last minute scheduling or late notice should be avoided whenever possible. This kind of effort on the teacher’s part can help things run more smoothly for single-parent families both in the classroom and at home.

3. Make space for teaching about non-traditional family structures.

As a society we are often subjected to negative stereotypes about single parents and cultural messages about the importance of two-family households. It is unfortunately commonplace for teachers to hold lessons or events that reinforce positive associations only with traditional family structures. For children from single parent or otherwise non-traditional families, this can
make them feel isolated, embarrassed or ashamed. Instead of holding activities that are specific to having a mom, a dad, or two parents present, teach students about different family structures and make sure everyone can participate fully. Teachers can do this in the form of reading books about different family structures, centering lessons around difference and creating a classroom culture in which students celebrate family diversity.

4. Help parents stay informed and connected to their school.

It’s important for schools to stay in touch with parents and make accommodations to help them remain connected and involved. At the beginning of each school year, teachers can call parents to form a relationship with them. They can continue to use phone calls not just to reach out when their child is in trouble, but also to share good news and celebrate accomplishments on behalf of the child.

When sending home written notices, teachers should make sure to use single-parent friendly language such as “Dear Guardian” rather than “Dear Mom and Dad.” If a parent is unable to meet in person for a PTA meeting, schools can provide jobs that single parents can do at home to stay involved, like making phone calls, stuffing envelopes, sending emails, creating newsletters or filing orders online. Taking these measures can help single parents feel more at ease and included while navigating school culture.

5. Be flexible.

When planning school functions, be considerate of single working parents who don’t have the support of a partner or family member. Be flexible with meeting times, and consider opening up times during non-work hours. If your school is able to, it is helpful to provide childcare at school functions for younger siblings so a parent doesn’t have to worry about getting a babysitter in order to  attend. In addition, schools can make children feel like they can participate in events without their parents by pairing up unattended children with teachers and staff so that everyone has an adult by their side to support them.

Overall, flexibility is key to accommodating single families and meeting individual family needs.