The relationship between conditions of poverty and the quality of children’s development is now known; the need to intervene early and intensively as well. The Community Initiative 1,2,3 GO! (aimed at empowering communities and their members) is based on a model of hierarchical organisation of the child’s development and on the ecologically transactional model. It has three complementary objectives: promote the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of young people; providing support to parents and stakeholders; support community care efforts to provide parents and young people with a stimulating, benevolent and warm environment. This article aims to publicise the 1,2,3 GO! initiative. It describes the process of its establishment, sets out its theoretical foundations and leads to the description of concrete examples of activities carried out with children and families since its inception.