Programs for

Children & Families

Nest Programs

What is a Nest?

Nests, our early childhood programs, are safe and engaging classrooms where young children and their families can learn and heal through play. For children who have been separated from their home or who experience daily hardship, the opportunity to be autonomous, make decisions, and play freely within a safe and supportive social environment is a significant, restorative experience.

Nests are created through close collaborations with local partners, ensuring that each program is responsive to the unique needs and strengths of its community.

Our Role
  • Space design and renovation
  • Staff recruitment
  • Initial and ongoing pedagogical training and mentorship
  • Operational support
  • Ongoing funding through our institutional partners

Nests are community-based and child-centered. Each Nest is designed to encourage children to think critically, explore creatively, and work collaboratively.

Current Nest Locations

Families are thriving at Nest Global’s early childhood and parent education programs around the world.

Nest Tijuana

A school for migrant children sheltering at the US-Mexico border

Mobile Nest Tijuana

A mobile program for migrant families hosted in a retrofitted school bus

Nest Norte

An education space for children at the US-Mexico border

Nest Los Angeles

A flexible childcare program for recently arrived migrant families

Nest Congo

A preschool program for children experiencing poverty and food insecurity

Nest Zimbabwe

A preschool program for children experiencing poverty and food insecurity

Parenting Programs

Mental health and social support for parents is key to helping young children thrive in difficult contexts. Our parenting programs are informed by best practices in trauma healing, emotional regulation techniques, and nonviolence communication and aim to bolster the mental and physical health of Nest caregivers.

Current & Pilot Parenting Programs

Nest Tijuana Parenting Program

Our first program for parents has served over 1,000 caregivers sheltering at the US-Mexico border since launching in 2020.

Nest Los Angeles Parenting Program

Piloted successfully in 2023, this program provides a healing-centered context for recently-arrived migrant families to build community and hone parenting strategies.

Support the Nest Los Angeles Parenting Program

Legacy Programs

Situations change. So do our programs. We maximize impact by creating flexible programs that respond to immediate on-the-ground needs.

Nest Greece

From 2018-2023, Nest Global operated a series of Nest programs for the thousands of refugee families fleeing Syria, Afghanistan, and other areas of the Middle East affected by war. As Greek authorities moved refugees from the Aegean islands to the mainland capital of Athens, the Nest moved along with it, providing critical education to over 5,700 young children 
and families.

  • Nest Lesvos- Lesvos, Greece (2018-2019)
  • Nest Samos – Samos, Greece (2019-2021)
  • Nest Athens – Athens, Greece (2021-2023)

Collaborative Teacher Project

The Collaborative Teacher Project (CTP) was created in 2015 to address the inequity in early education in Los Angeles. Over 4 years, CTP partnered with nine Title I LAUSD schools to transform classrooms and train teachers in child-centered pedagogies that nurture curiosity, flexibility, creative thinking, and democratic values. Through the program, CTP mentors worked side-by-side with LAUSD teachers in their classrooms – mentoring, modeling and inspiring deeply reflective teaching practices. Weekly mentoring visits provided intensive support for teachers to assist them in recognizing the competencies of children and the vital role teachers play in fostering critical, collaborative, and creative thinking.

Research & Educator Training