We know that access to child care is critical for all parents and caregivers in order for children, families and communities to thrive. So it was fairly easy to recognize the need for a mobile child care classroom to serve Colorado families when they need it the most. Figuring out how to make it a reality was a little more complicated.
Through a lot of hard work and with the help of some incredible partners, that reality is finally here. We’re so excited to introduce Honey.
As a foundational part of Illuminating Child Care, Honey is the first of its kind anywhere in the country.
But none of this would be possible without our partners on this project. One of those partners is Proctor Productions, a full-scale design and fabrication firm with a team of passionate designers, fabricators, and storytellers who are dedicated to building any experience, large or small.
Honey would not exist today without the creativity, dedication and hard work of Proctor. We recently sat down with the firm to reflect on the experience of working together to create Honey.
Illuminate Colorado: Why did you decide to take on this project?
Proctor Productions: Building and modifying vehicles for clients is very familiar territory for us, but this was something truly special. We initially met with Jade and Joan about their needs and quickly realized the meaning behind what they were trying to do, and instantly knew this was something we could get behind and believe in as well. We have children and families too, so upon hearing their idea of creating this program to take child care to the people who may need it the most to help and heal, we were in. We’re passionate about all the projects we do, but we’re especially proud of the work we’ve done with Illuminate Colorado.
Illuminate: What was your favorite part about working on Honey?
Proctor: That’s a tough question to answer because we really do love every aspect of the work we do; problem solving, custom solutions, artwork, fabrication, all of it. Each member of our teams are specialists on at least one thing, so there are details and elements throughout Honey that of course are favorites, but we honestly have to say that the relationship we have built with Illuminate may be our favorite part of it all and the best example of the project effort. The high level of collaboration we began with continues to be a fundamental of the work to this day.
Illuminate: What part of the renovation are you most proud of?
Proctor: As we said, we have teams of specialists that all bring value to our projects, but one part of the renovation effort we are most proud of is definitely all the custom woodworking, cabinetry, and interior vehicle elements our fabrication team completed inside Honey. The aesthetic is so complete with such accuracy and specificity that most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the original vehicle portions and anything new we added to complete the interior functions needed. The finishes and build quality are just so spot-on, Honey’s interior looks like it has always only ever been the wonderful mobile child care classroom it is now. Again, we love it all, but are very proud of that team and the end results.
Illuminate: What was the hardest obstacle you had to overcome?
Proctor: We don’t see obstacles, only opportunities for solutions, whatever they may ultimately be. Fortunately, Illuminate sourced a relatively newer RV motor coach in excellent condition as a great point from which to start the project. But there are always unknowns when working with an existing vehicle or mobile platform and those unknowns can definitely be the most challenging to address once you get into the bones of what you’ll really be working with. Honey was already a well-built vehicle with existing hydraulic, pneumatic, gas, electrical, and plumbing systems to design around and integrate with, so considering all those factors was the biggest challenge in accomplishing everything we wanted to in the project. Everything is achievable, it just takes the appropriate amount of time and effort to do it the right way.
Illuminate: Is there anything you learned when it came to how trauma-informed care can impact design?
Proctor: Yes, definitely. We always begin our process with design thinking and asking the right questions to ultimately address the real needs that may be present, but designing for both adult teachers and little kiddos in the classrooms heavily influenced our thinking and final intent. Among many of the things we learned throughout this process, with guidance from Illuminate, we educated ourselves on, and implemented the guiding principles of safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness and empowerment in the classroom wherever we could. Where this influence is most visible is in the forms, shapes, sizes, and placement of elements inside the vehicle. Everything needed to be appropriate and useful to the adults operating the program as drivers, activation staff, and most importantly as teachers. Moreover, it needed to be appropriate for, and compliant with the developmental needs of the infants and toddlers that will be receiving care in the classrooms. Everything from access to toys, books, safe sleeping areas, to colors, artwork, and lighting were considered when designing and creating the interior environment of Honey.
Illuminate: Anything else you’d like to add?
Proctor: Absolutely. It was very important to the entire team from the beginning that this program be accessible to as many families who need help as possible, and one of the ways we could facilitate that access was through the look and feel of the program branding, and especially how the vehicle appears from the exterior and inside as well. We wanted to achieve a balance of Illuminate Colorado’s branding and recognition, but also add some personality and character to this fleet of mobile child care classrooms. We created a look with all the artwork that contains familiar Colorado elements but also some fun and whimsical elements for the kids. And to do that we’ve got a group of bears bringing that personality to life on this vehicle, which it’s named HONEY. HONEY is truly unique in leading the way of how families will experience mobile child care, and our bears are symbolically versatile and can be whatever anyone imagines: a teacher and children, a parent interacting with kids, or parents just hanging out with kiddos. We want to extend educational opportunities to children and make all families feel welcomed, so HONEY represents these family voices in our state of Colorado through it’s bears and mountains.
We are so grateful for Proctor’s partnership on this project. To learn more about Proctor Productions, visit their website at proctorproductions.com.
