Transcript Document
Parents and Practitioners: How
Tennessee is Engaging Parents
as Experts and Partners in
Prevention Initiatives
Presented by
Jennifer Vaida and Melissa Perry
Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee
Overview
Recruit and Identify
Engagement
Overcoming Barriers
Nurturing Parent Leadership
Feedback
Where We Are
Recruitment/Identify
Inquires about services or programming
offered by the organization
Shows interest in leadership activities
Shares information with others
You see potential in them
Self-nominate
ASK!
I See Something In You
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bbz2boNSeL0
How Should We Think About
Parents?
What we used
to think:
How we should
think:
THEY ARE IN NEED OF
FIXING AND WE NEED
TO FIX THEM.
THEY ARE THE
NURTURED CENTER OF
SOCIETY.
THEY ARE ASSETS TO
BE VALUED AND
SUPPORTED.
FRIENDS National Resource Center for Community Based Child Abuse Prevention
A Service of the Children’s Bureau
Engagement
Parent agrees to receive service or take part
in a program that the organization offers
Overcoming Barriers
Barriers/Assumptions
Creating a culture of mutual respect
Parent stereotypes
Practitioner stereotypes
Steps to change those feelings
How to Nurture Parent
Leadership
Involve parents in all planning, scheduling,
participation, and follow-up of activities
Provide a mentor
Help overcome barriers to participation
Hold meeting at a convenient time
Form a relationship based on mutual trust
Be available to listen when they talk
Feedback
Feedback -- Ask parents for feedback about
the agency’s performance
Parent participation becomes reciprocal in
that the parent gets something and also gives
back to the organization
WHERE WE ARE
My Parent Leadership Journey
Parent
Leader
Mentor
Practitioner
I. Beginning the Adventure:
Parent Involvement Involved with the Children’s
Advocacy Center and Prevent Child Abuse
Tennessee
Parent Engagement PCAT Director saw leadership
potential in me and invited me to be on Parent
Leadership Team
Parent Leadership- Melissa Joined Parent
Leadership Team in 2009
II. Creating Avenues for Parent
Involvement and Participation:
Focus Groups
Valued Activities and Program Enhancement
o Family Outings - Zoo Day, Family Day at the Science Center
o Workshops - TAEYC, Community Cafes’, Parent Leadership,
PLAT, PLAT T3, CCJC,
o Trainings- PLAT, PLAT T3, Stewards of Children, CCJC,
SOC, Community Cafés
o Community Services- March of Dimes and Susan G. Komen
volunteers, Pinwheels for Prevention activities each year,
sexual assault center online campaign, Say No to Bullying
Service Project
III. Parent Leadership Activities Leading to
the Road of Success:
Support Groups
Examples of activities parents/kin can be involved in- Pinwheels for Prevention, Snowflake 5k,
Christmas with Santa, Easter Egg hunts, Zoo Day
Create opportunities for success- I went from a volunteer to part time to full time with PCAT
Mentor- Parent Leadership Mentor for the PLT
Program opportunities to participate in
Advisory council- CBCAP Advisory Board, PLT Advisory Board, BPNN,
Program volunteer positions Hands on Nashville, PCAT booth volunteer, Pinwheels for Prevention
Newsletter articles- I have written several newsletter articles highlighting different agencies
Mentor other families in the program-Yes
Website Maintenance- Developed the Parentleadershiptn.org website and the PLT maintains the
whole website, Facebook and Twitter groups
Policy committees-Birth Parent National Network Policy Advisory Committee and BPNN Committee
Member, ANPPC, TNCBCAP, SOC planning committee 2011
Agency materials development teams- I developed a new section of the Parent Leadership Training
Guide. Specifically, a section on engaging special populations, plan development, policy development,
training development
Fundraising events- Delta Kappa in Memphis, Prevent Child Abuse Fundraising Event
III. Parent Leadership Activities
Leading to the Road of Success cont’d.:
Community, State and National Advisory Councils
and Task Forces- BPNN, TNCBCAP, ECCS, MCCY,
ANPPC, TNYCWC
State and National Conferences- Participated in
multiple state and national conferences as a copresenter and a presenter. TAEYC, National
Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, TN State
of the Child, PCAA, Strengthening Families National
Conference, ANPPC Leadership
Legislative and Advocacy Opportunities- Birth
Parent National Network Advisory Committee,
Children’s Advocacy Days, Alliance National Parent
Partnership Council
IV. Laying the Foundation for the Road
to Success:
Effective Communication
Problem Solving
Decision Making
Self-Management
V. Maintaining Organizational Parent
Leadership Policies – The Map to
Success
Agency’s and/or program’s responsibility to define roles and opportunities for parent
leaders in your organization. – These are listed in our guidelines for parent leaders
Agency and/or program should provide and reflect the responsibilities and benefits to
the parent leaders –We have a set of guidelines for our parent leaders
Agency and/or program should have a high priority to provide for special needs of parent
leaders such as stipends, assistance with transportation, child care and how are parent
leaders apprised of this is a respectful way –We provide a stipend
Agency and/or program should provide Internal and external resources to help parent
leaders develop and maintain their skills; should be offered at the local, state and
national level . –They have provided multiple opportunities to attend trainings and I (along
with two other parent leaders) are currently pursuing a Nonprofit Leadership
certification through the Center for Nonprofit Management.
Agency and/or program should implement mentoring and shadowing opportunities for
parent leaders along with a strong well trained staff to support and supervise the parent
leaders. –PCAT has provided a mentor and multiple shadowing opportunities for me for as
long as I have been involved.
VI. Practicing and Encouraging Shared
Leadership – the Bolts of Staying on the Road
to Success
Agency’s and/or program’s mission and commitment to the mission on shared
leadership and parent leadership should be known throughout the organization
and the state
Opportunities for everyone in the organization, including parent leaders, to
facilitate, guide, and coach others to adopt practices that reflect the goals of
your mission
The agency and/or program staff should all be committed and working
together to outline and implement opportunities for parent leadership to occur
The agency empowers parent leaders to help shape the direction of your
activities
The agency and/or program should encourage consensus building on new ideas
and/or solutions on a regular basis which include both staff, community
partners and parent leaders