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Parent activities are an integral part of the
model. As a parallel family model, we cannot optimally serve
young people without including their parents, families and other
community members. Parent activities are offered at each site,
and offered to all adults in the community, not only parents
of participating teens, because the community as a whole is
a major influence in the lives of these young people.
The parent Family Life/Sex Education (FLSE)
component has been successful throughout the
history of the Carrera program. The FLSE specialists
schedule weekly sessions during each program
cycle, after the teen's program is finished.
Snacks, babysitting, car fare and other incentives
are offered to increase the likelihood of participation
and address common barriers of parent participation.
The FLSE specialists are trained to go at a
pace that is non-threatening to the participants.
Ongoing assessment and evaluation are important
for optimal learning. Awards dinners and other
forms of celebration and acknowledgement are
also used to reinforce participation.
Regular parent meetings, in addition to regularly scheduled
parent programs like FLSE, are also scheduled to discuss
program activities with parents and to allow for feedback.
Assessments are then made regarding parent needs to allow
for adequate parental programming. Some common needs are
computer training, resume writing, ESL, job placement assistance,
parenting classes, health education, and advocating
with public services.
In addition to current program services, social activities are scheduled on an
ongoing basis to allow for parent socialization and interaction
with staff. When planning parent activities, babysitting,
transportation and gifts from time to time are included
to increase participation.
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