Parents Team Teach as Part of Great Beginnings
A new model for parent education is emerging since the Horizons Study Circles. When a grant for Community Partnership for Protecting Children was written to Prevent Child Abuse Iowa, several key questions from Study Circles were considered. How are parents involved in the decision-making and program implementation? What barriers need to be addressed so parents can participate?
The Great Beginnings curriculum, a 5-session program, was selected to receive a grant of approximately $3000. Parents were invited to participate in the facilitator training. There was a special effort to engage low-resource parents. Child care was provided so they could attend the training. As a result, ISU Extension Families Specialist and the Growing Strong Families parent educator have teamed up with two different parents to offer the series twice within the community. Both the parents and the parent educator are paid for their facilitation services from grant funds. The grant also provided funds for child care at each session and a light meal. Several organizations also provided resources to the program including FACT Empowerment and Family Rewards.
Recently one of the parents serving as a facilitator shared her personal story with the State Empowerment Board. She talked about moving to the community, working to blend families, and meeting the parent educator at a WIC clinic. It was obvious how her confidence had grown and how empowering it was for her to be asked to become involved as a facilitator. Since she got involved in a leadership role, she has also accepted employment at a local business and already has received a promotion.
Getting professionals to think about assets of families and involving the people they serve in leadership roles can have a huge impact on both individuals and the community. This is just an example of how thinking differently about how to deliver a service can have a big pay-off.