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Originally presented on June 10 & 11, 2021

 

If you are interested in joining a waitlist for this training, please contact info@caltrin.org.

 

Developing and Sustaining Successful Parent Advisory Committees

 

A Parent Advisory Committee is leadership group comprised of Program participants who provide input, guidance, and feedback on a regular basis. An active Parent Advisory Committee can effectively support meaningful parent engagement and Program success, as well as develop parent leadership skills, yet many Programs struggle with managing this type of committee. Funders often expect Programs to have a Parent Advisory Committee, yet less frequently ensure Programs have training and implementation support. Further, parents serving on these committees sometimes feel their participation and contributions are not useful or valued. Whether Programs seek to establish a new Parent Advisory Committee or to strengthen an existing one, this two-day NFSN training will address common challenges and provide staff with the strategies and tools necessary for success.

Objectives:

  1. Identify the benefits and challenges of parent leadership development
  2. Learn the key steps and timeline to create and sustain a Parent Advisory Committee
  3. Begin action planning for developing or strengthening a Parent Advisory Committee

Who should attend:

Managers and direct service staff who work with, or would like to develop, a Parent Advisory Committee. Key leadership of the Program should participate in order to be able to implement the model effectively. Participating organizations will be asked to register two staff: 1 in a leadership role and 1 a direct service role. 

Supplemental materials:

Training content and discussion will be closely aligned with the Standards of Quality for Family Strengthening and Support. Participation in this training prepares programs to meet the following High Quality indicators:

  • Family Centeredness 1.1: Program’s design supports partnering with families to have an active role in the development and implementation of the Program.
  • Community Strengthening 2.2: Program implements a formal structure to partner with families to develop their leadership skills, and to facilitate opportunities for using those skills in the community.

To prepare for Developing and Sustaining Parent Advisory Committees:

Julie Day

Parent Leader

Julie Day’s passion for this work grew out of her own experience as a parent seeking resources and opportunities at a Family Resource Center. She went on to serve in parent leadership roles at the local program, state, and national levels, including as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds.

In her past role as the Strengthening Families Director at New Hampshire Children’s Trust, she trained over 1200 professionals in Bringing the Protective Factors to Life in Your Work. She also created the My Voice Matters training, a parent advocacy training offered throughout the state for more than 400 parents and community members.

Andrew Russo

Co-founder & Director,
National Family Support Network

Andrew Russo co-founded the National Family Support Network in 2011 and served as its co-chair until 2015 when he was hired as its Director.  He has worked and volunteered in the nonprofit social service sector at the direct service, management, and network levels for more than 25 years in Boston, New York, Chicago, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Taiwan. In those roles, he co-authored landmark documents in the Family Support field including the San Francisco Family Support Standards, the San Francisco Family Support Network Policy Platform on Family Economic Success, and the nationally-adopted Standards of Quality for Family Strengthening & Support.