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.