Family Engagement -- Amping Up Service in Kid Programs

By Katie Riley

How can we help parents who are busy be more involved with their kids?  This was the most difficult question on the minds of child care and after school program attendees at the Workshop on Family Engagement presented by Washington County Kids (WCK) on a recent Saturday morning at the Cedar Hills THPRD (Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District).  After a welcome from WCK Chair, Katie Riley, attendees from across the county  and serving all age groups and segments of the community listened to panelists from the various perspectives:  parents (Sadie McIntyre, President of the Westview Parent Teacher Organization and longtime volunteer), an afterschool and summer program (Rachel Parker , Executive Director of the Hillsboro Inukai Family Boys and Girls Club), and a culturally specific program for all ages (Cristina Delgado, Career Development Coordinator, and Dora Lopez, Community Wellness Coordinator, from Centro Cultural).  Guided by questions from moderator, Beth Unverzagt, Director of Oregon ASK (After School Kids), they noted the importance of reaching out positively and personally to parents when they come in, providing information on what kids have been doing, and being culturally aware and sensitive.  

The second part of the workshop was facilitated by Susan Hamann, Master Trainer from Oregon ASK, and Lisa Kensel, President of the Portland PTA Council.  They focused on identifying barriers to involvement and then positively using tips and techniques to address them including using social media, providing structure to the program and training for staff, and looking creatively at barriers to engagement.  Handouts covered reasons why parents don’t engage with programs, a tool to self assess their own and their organization’s performance, and tools to plan family events.  Participants brainstormed barriers to engagement and then discussed possible underlying causes and how they could be addressed.  For example, that supposedly insurmountable problem of parents working so hard and having so little time that they can only dash in and grab their child might be addressed by having children ready to go and posting a notice of activities that happened during that day so a conversation could be started in the car on the way home.  Knowing names of family members and their likes can help to engage in conversations to include them in the “family” of the program.  Participants also acknowledged that offering food was a good way to promote involvement.  Providing programs that engage kids and youth helps relieve parental stress and families are more willing to engage with their children in the program.  Attendees appreciated the good ideas from the workshop and the opportunity to meet and network with attendees from other programs.

Some resources Susan has found helpful in learning about meaningful family engagement are linked below.

Family Engagement tools from National PTA

A book to read and share called Beyond the Bake Sale.

Tools and Resources from The Harvard Family Research Project

Staff professional development tools from You for Youth

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Westside Cultural Alliance helping kids in Washington County

By Cindy Dauer

At-risk kids in Washington County are getting the opportunity to engage in art experiences thanks to a program hosted by the Westside Cultural Alliance in partnership with the Washington County Juvenile Department.

The “Artist in Residence” program started in 2016 and offered youth housed at Harkins House, a short-term residential shelter, the opportunity to engage in visual arts lessons and an art show. This year the program will expand, adding a theatre arts program in addition to visual arts.

The goal of the Artist in Residence program is to help youth participants develop creative thinking skills that will allow them to be more resilient and successful in their lives, reducing recidivism rates, creating productive individuals and building arts champions.

Research shows that all youth, but especially underserved populations, can benefit greatly from art experiences, having a positive impact on education and achievement.

The Westside Cultural Alliance - a leading countywide advocate for the arts in Washington County - has a goal of engaging underserved populations in the arts. In addition to the Artist in Residence program, the WCA is interested in making connections between organizations that serve diverse populations in Washington County communities and local artists and arts organizations.

Please reach out to us if you are interested in learning more about our work. Contact Cindy Dauer, cindy@westsideculturalalliance.org.