Title: National%20Parent%20Leadership%20Development%20Project%20for%20ICCs%20and%20the%20A.P.P.L.E.%20Project
1National Parent Leadership Development Project
for ICCs and the A.P.P.L.E. Project
- Models of Parent Leadership Development
22005 OSEP National Early Childhood
ConferenceFebruary 6, 2005, Washington, DC
- Presented by
- Richard Robison and
- Barbara Popper
- Project Co-Directors at the
- Federation for Children with Special Needs,
Boston, MA
3Purpose of ICC Project
- Provide leadership support for parents serving on
state Interagency Coordinating Councils - Develop a cadre of parents prepared for
involvement with professionals at the program and
policy levels
4Goal One
- Prepare parents for effective participation at
the program and policy levels - 14 state teams participated in Leadership
Institutes during the first project (2000 to
2002) - 4 states participated in 2003 Georgia, North
Carolina, Tennessee and Iowa - 6 states participated in 2004 Florida, Idaho,
Indiana, Kansas, Rhode Island and Vermont -
5Institute Modules
- The Leadership Institute incorporates three
training modules - True Colors (Cassie Johnston)
- Reciprocal Outreach and Conflict Resolution
(Roberto Chene) - Facilitated Conversation Method (Kathleen Osta)
6Additional Features of the Leadership Institute
- Facilitators add context of history of the parent
movement and offer techniques for parents to pace
their involvement - Participants share family stories to provide
personal context for leadership training - Families explore how to appropriately become
involved in policy level discussions
7Goal Two
- Ensure and support the replication of the
leadership training and the implementation of the
state teams action plans through technical
assistance - Replication is determined by state teams and
their early intervention programs based on need,
resources, and ingenuity. - Outcomes publicized by the project.
- Turnover in state parent involvement means
constant recruiting and nurturing of new parents.
8Goal Three
- Establish collaborative relationships to support
Leadership Institutes and replication efforts - Attend meetings, conferences, FICC meetings
- Remain available to Part C Directors
- Promote Leadership Institutes to parents directly
- Use all forums to keep parent issues on the
agenda
9Goal Four
- Facilitate networking and linkages among ICC
parents nationally. - Listserv (ICCParent)
- Website (www.iccparent.org)
- Leadership Notes, our project newsletter (English
and Spanish versions) - Resource database
- Survey of programs regarding parent involvement
and leadership, parent issues, stipends, career
development, etc.
10Project Results and Evaluation
- Evaluations indicate that the Institute has met
the needs and expectations of the participants. - In 2003 and 2004, 90 of participants rated the
Institute as either very good or excellent in
terms of its usefulness to state ICC planning and
to personal leadership development.
11Project Results and Evaluation
- Pre- and Post-Assessments of how well teams
worked together - 2003
Rating Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment
Very Well 21.4 52.4
Well 28.5 33.3
Not Well 50.0 14.3
12Project Results and Evaluation
- Pre- and Post-Assessments of how well teams
worked together (cont.) - 2004
Rating Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment
Very Well 21 73
Well 50 27
Not Well 14 0
13Project Results and Evaluation
- Significant accomplishments
- Our team has created a powerful vehicle which
will provide a forum for accomplishing tasks
weve identified to strengthen services to
families. - This event brought our state team togetherWe
are much more focused and have taken
responsibility for our ICC. - Our team developed a parent involvement
strategy. - I learned more about myself.
14Project Results and Evaluation
- Focused Conversation Method
- Participants in 2003 listed 62 ways in which they
could use the method in their personal and
professional lives, for facilitation or conflict
mediation. - In 2004, participants listed 73 ways.
15Project Results and Evaluation
- True Colors
- 2003 90 of participants report enhanced ability
to identify different leadership styles 100
felt that True Colors would improve their
communication style - 2004 100 of participants report they are better
able to identify their own and others leadership
styles, and that True Colors will improve their
communication style.
16Project Results and Evaluation
- Reciprocal Outreach
- 2003 and 2004 90 of participants indicated an
improved understanding of how differences are
socially structured - Participants committed to
- Reaching out to unknown groups
- Becoming more thoughtful, open, and analytical
- Sharing the burdens and responsibilities of
conflict resolution
17Project Results and Evaluation
- Over 90 of participants in 2003 and 2004
indicated that the Institute would be useful in
their - Outreach efforts
- Leadership roles
- Family life
- Community life
18Developing the A.P.P.L.E. Project
- Responding to the request for a research project
on increasing parent/professional collaboration - Using lessons learned and a workable model
- Applying the model to a new population
19A.P.P.L.E. Project Features
- Targeting public school parent advisory councils
(mandatory in Massachusetts School Districts) in
our state - Applying ICC model, recognizing the challenges
- Working with a research partner at the University
of Massachusetts
20A.P.P.L.E. Project Features
- Current faculty participating with usno change
in staffing - Modifying content for the new population of
families, children in public school programs - Expect to have more direct contact after
Institute with teams
21Parents as Allies
- Parents as potential partnerstraining together,
working together, setting the agenda - Parents as policy advocates, helping determine
the future of early intervention
22Parents as Allies
- Parents can help forge partnerships with programs
- Parents can participate in discussions about who
provides services, what is needed, gaps, and
service coordination - Outreach can be done by parents
23 Parents as Allies
- Parent Leadership Developmenta process involving
state commitment and family interest. - Support Parent Leaders as they learn their roles,
develop their strengths, and receive support for
their efforts - Strengthen the efforts of state teams to
accomplish their state goals for parent
leadership development.
24What Can Parent Leaders Accomplish?
- Keep the focus on kids and families
- Seek input from all families served
- Represent Early Intervention to the public
- Tell their stories to make EI real to others
- Keep it real for those not directly involved with
childrens needs
25 Issues Parents Face
- What does it mean to be visible?
- What are the risks personally?
- What are the possible positive outcomes?
- When is the right time, or wrong time to be
active? - How do you plan to measure success?
26 Involve Families In Policy
- Include families in all aspects of plans
developed - Provide feedback to families on impact they have
had - Promote input into other state programs and
agencies (often required) - Track satisfaction