Implementing the Parent Program

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Implementing the Parent Program
Implementing the Parent Program
Chapter 8 Parent Program Training
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Tips for a Successful Parent Program
Tips for a Successful Parent Program

• Tips to help you with
• Facilitation
• Scheduling
• Recruitment
• Partnership

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Facilitation Tips
Chapter 8 Implementing the Program
Facilitation Tips
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Choosing a Facilitator

• Excellent listening skills
• Skilled at engaging parents in discussion
• Empathetic, caring
• Supportive, encouraging, nonjudgmental

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We Can! Tip straight from the community
Tap College Students to Lead Programs Engage
college students from relevant departments to
lead programs as a class project or a field
study Martin County Health Department (Stuart,
FL) We Can! General Community Site
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Podemos! Using Spanish Resources
Podemos! Using Spanish Resources

• Facilitation needs to be culturally relevant
• We Can! Parent tip sheets
• Parent Handbook
• PowerPoint slides
• Visit the We Can!
• Recursos
• en Español.

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We Can! Tip straight from the community
Keep an Eye Out for Future Leaders among
Participants Consider past participants as
potential facilitators or parent mentors for
future programs University of San Diego (San
Diego, CA) We Can! General Community Site
Participants in Caguas, Puerto Rico, hold a We
Can! event, adding new people to their network
and cadre of potential facilitators.
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Engaging Parents

• Empower parents to
• Solve problems
• Think creatively
• Access resources on healthy eating physical
  activity
• Create opportunities for parents to support each
  other

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What Parents Do Really Matters

• Parents are KEY role models to their children
• Create a healthy supportive environment
• Move towards healthy eating physical activity
  one step at a time

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We Can! Tip straight from the community

• Honor the Belly Flops
• Remember, We Can!
• is not about parents being perfect
• Its about parents being real
• Tweens Fitness Coalition
• (Lexington, KY)
• We Can! General Community Site

Participants in the Boston Public Health
Commissions Parent Program discuss their
challenges and successes.
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Scheduling Tips
Chapter 8 Implementing the Program
Chapter 8 Implementing the Program
Scheduling Tips
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Scheduling the Parent Program

• Select the location
• Schedule the days times of sessions
• Determine the length of sessions
• Address childcare needs

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Selecting a Location

• Select a place where parents naturally convene
• Confirm the space is available when you need it
• Make sure the space is easily accessible
• No particular type of room or on-site kitchen is
  required

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Assessing Your Facilities

• Assess your facilities
• Is the space large enough?
• Can you create a comfortable environment
  (atmosphere, noise, lighting, temperature)?
• Can you arrange furniture AV equipment to
  maximize interaction and participation?

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Determining Session Length

• Recommended session length is 90 minutes
• Be prepared to adjust according to group size
  mix
• Be flexible with topics, activities, time to
  best serve the needs of the group

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Finding Convenient Dates and Times

• Conflicting commitments
• Religious/cultural reasons
• Availability of facilities
• Lunch learns
• Build in time to survey parents

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We Can! Tip straight from the community
Parent Program as a Lunch Learn Bring the
program to working parents at their offices
Invite guest speakers and provide healthy
snacks or meals for added appeal South Bend
Parks and Recreation (South Bend, IN) We Can!
City
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We Can! Tip straight from the community
Try Alternate Schedules Formats Try
scheduling all 4 sessions as 1 longer event on a
weekend or evening Include brief
physical activities and/or door prizes during
breaks New Beginning Ministries (Memphis,
TN) We Can! Intensive Site
Program facilitators at the Martin County Health
Department in Florida shake up the sessions with
a quick lesson on Polynesian dance.
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Addressing Childcare Needs

• Offer childcare to reduce a barrier to
  participation
• Build in activities or snack breaks that include
  both parents and children

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We Can! Tip straight from the community
Take a Family Snack Break During the sessions,
if you are hosting youth and parent activities
at the same time, build in a family snack break
using snacks prepared by parents during the
sessions Lane Coalition for Healthy Active
Youth (Eugene, OR) We Can! Founding Intensive
Site
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Recruitment Tips
Chapter 8 Implementing the Program
Recruitment Tips
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Attracting Parents to the Program

• Increase awareness around the importance
• of maintaining a healthy weight

Attracting Parents to the Program
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We Can! Tip straight from the community
Get the Word Out at Community Events Introduce
your program and recruit parents at community
events like this health festival, held just
before the launch of their Parent Program Fort
Wayne Parkview Hospital (Fort Wayne, IN) We Can!
General Community Site
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Recruitment Strategies

• Reach parents through the places they regularly
  go to, such as
• Schools
• Community centers
• Faith-based organizations
• Health centers
• Places where they pick up their children
• Promote via Web- phone-based channels

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We Can! Tip straight from the community
Plug Your Program Online Feature your We Can!
events, programs, and tips in an existing
monthly online newsletter or bulletin, like this
eZine distributed to parents and youth We
Can! in Carson (Carson City, NV) We Can! City
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Use Ambassadors to Promote Your Program

• Engage community leaders or local celebrities
• Encourage past participants to serve as We Can!
  Ambassadors

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Promoting Your Program

• Create promotional
• materials with program
• information that attracts
• parents attention, such
• as flyers, e-mails, and
• Web pages

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Working with Local Media

• Get your message to local media
• Use parent testimonials
• The We Can! Web site and Energize Our Community
  Toolkit for Action offer pre-written articles,
  scripts for radio TV, print ads, and more.
• Download the Toolkit.

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Incentives Are a Nice Touch

• Decide whether incentives will help retention
• Note retention rate halfway through your sessions

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Choosing Incentives

• Incentives should reflect the values of the
  program
• Healthy meal
• Access to recreational facilities
• Cooking lessons
• Household items
• Items appealing to children and parents

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Partnership Tips
Chapter 8 Implementing the Program
Partnership Tips
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The Value of Partnerships

• Think about forming partnerships
• Partners can offer support on many levels
• Partners are powerful extensions of your network
• Place partners graphics/logos on promotional
  materials

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Identifying Potential Partners

• Identify needs potential partners
• Find partners with similar values

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Considering Potential Partnerships

• Reach out to a variety of potential partners
• Public departments agencies
• Health-related organizations
• Nonprofit agencies
• Faith-based organizations
• Private sector groups
• Neighborhood groups
• Local media

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We Can! Tip straight from the community
Take Your Show on the Road Start your partner
search with organizations that share your
mission and motivate potential partners with
the opportunity for creating and
publicizing your shared efforts and impact
South Bend Parks and Recreation (South Bend,
IN) We Can! City
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How Partnerships Can Help

• Access to specific parent groups
• Co-sponsor sessions
• Offer staff support, expertise, resources
• Logistical support (e.g., facilities, snacks, and
  incentives)

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We Can! Tip straight from the community
Provide Fun, Healthy Activities for
Children Ask partners from local sports
facilities to provide free swimming or other
physical activities that double as childcare
while parents attend We Can! classes Lane
Coalition for Healthy Active Youth (Eugene,
OR) We Can! Founding Intensive Site
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More Information on Partnerships
Learn about We Can! national corporate
partners, local affiliates, supporting
organizations.
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Partnership Plans

• Create a partnership plan that includes
• Overall purpose
• Major activities
• Desired outcomes
• Specifics of the project
• Roles and responsibilities
• We Can! Energize Our Community Toolkit for
  Action contains ideas and templates for
  implementing the program.
• Download the Toolkit.

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An Added Bonus Being a Leader Is Good for You!

• After leading the Parent Program, you may find
  that you
• Eat better
• Move more
• Communicate better
• Parent better
• Feel better overall