The document outlines several strategies for engaging parents in youth programs, including supporting parents to improve their skills through topic-specific forums, parenting classes, and peer support groups. It also discusses engaging parents through consistent communication, involving parents as volunteers in activities like special events and facility maintenance. A further strategy involves engaging parents to create learning environments at home through parent education classes on topics like GED, ESL, and cooking. The final strategy is to engage parents as decision-makers, such as including them as paid staff, on committees and boards, and seeking their input on program and policy design.

1. Strategy: Support Parents in Improving Parenting Skills<br />Topic specific forums <br />Such as cybersafety, bullying prevention, CPR/First Aid, etc.<br />Our ideas for forums<br />Family night activities<br />Family nights offer families an opportunity to eat dinner together, play games, and share experiences. <br />Our ideas for family night activities<br />Parenting classes<br />Parenting classes are specifically designed to build parent's skills in communicating with, disciplining, and supporting their children. <br />Our ideas for parenting classes<br />Peer-to-peer parenting support groups<br />Such as parent-to-parent peer groups for first-time parents, single parents, dads, gay and lesbian parents, or grandparents who are parenting.<br />Our ideas for parent support groups<br />Strategy: Engage Parents through Communication & Relationship Building<br />Programs employing this strategy seek to engage parents through consistent lines of communication centered around the needs of their children. <br />Interacting with youth and families outside of the program<br />Such as visiting families in their homes<br />Our ideas for interaction outside the program<br />Frequent personal contact with parents<br />Such as weekly phone calls<br />Our ideas for frequent personal contact<br />Communication with parents through written or other means of communication<br />Such as newsletters or take-home packets<br />Our ideas for communication with parents<br />Activities that span the program and the home<br />Such as a cooking class where kids bring home the food to share with the family or families send in recipes for youth to cook in the program<br />Our ideas for activities that span the program and home<br />Strategy: Engage Parents as Volunteers<br />Programs employing this strategy seek to engage parents as volunteers to work in the program and as participants in special events, which feature their children. <br />Coordinating and working at special events<br />Such as “open houses”<br />Our ideas for special events<br />Helping maintain facilities <br />Such as building cabinets or painting a room <br />Our ideas for maintaining facilities<br />Helping develop resources or programs <br />Such as organizing a book drive for the program’s education center<br />Our ideas for developing resources or programs<br />Leading programs and activities<br />Such as leading a weekly book club for parents or youth<br />Our ideas for leading programs and activities<br />Helping organize fundraising events or campaigns<br />Such as planning a bake sale or auction<br />Our ideas for organizing fundraising events<br />Participating in special events featuring their children<br />Such as bringing food for a youth performance at the program<br />Our ideas for participation in special events<br />Doing office work<br />Such as answering phones, filing, creating bulletin boards, writing the newsletter, etc.<br />Our ideas for doing office work<br />Strategy: Engage Parents to Create Learning Environments<br />Programs employing this strategy seek to engage parents by providing them with the skills they need to be successful individually and to create a positive learning environment at home. <br />Parent education classes<br />Such as GED classes or computer classes<br />Our ideas for parent education classes<br />Classes for immigrant families<br />Such as citizenship classes or ESL classes<br />Our ideas for classes for immigrant families<br />Classes for both parents & youth<br />Such as cooking classes<br />Our ideas for parent & youth classes<br />Classes that focus on children’s learning<br />Such as ‘Helping Your Child with Homework’<br />Our ideas for classes that focus on children’s learning<br />Strategy: Engage Parents as Decision-Makers<br />Parents as paid staff<br />Such as the membership clerk<br />Our ideas for including parents as staff<br />Parent-led committees<br />Such as a fundraising committee<br />Our ideas for parent-led committees<br />Parents as members of boards or formal advisory bodies<br />Such as a parent advisory board<br />Our ideas for parents’ roles on boards or other types of advisory boards<br />Seeking parent input for program and policy design<br />Such as through surveys<br />Our ideas for ways to seek parent input<br />