Parents & Caregivers
Parents and caregivers are a child’s first, and most important teacher. We’ve been empowering student leaders since 1982. Let’s work together to help raise the next generation of healthy, confident leaders and have a good time while doing it. We know you are tired and don’t need a lecture. When you attend one of our trainings, you can expect it to be interactive and fun. Our programs and trainings are evaluated by High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, internationally known experts in youth development. We are on SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices. View our upcoming trainings, check out our popular trainings below, or contact us to create one that meets the needs of your group. Most trainings can be delivered in person, hybrid, or virtual.
Open Door Policy
Sometimes parents need help opening the door to communication on tough topics with their children. The Open Door Policy workshop is designed for middle school students and their parents. It focuses on communication skills within a family, identifying pressures/stressors that can lead to self-harming behavior, and techniques on how to say ‘no’ in uncomfortable situations. This workshop is interactive through group processing and role plays.
Health, Safety, Drug and Parenting Education: Need-Based Topics
Parenting is hard. We can help make it easier. We offer a wide variety of health and safety-related workshops and can design one based on your group’s specific needs. Topics include drug education and awareness, safe driving, alcohol, tobacco, how to set boundaries/rules, how to talk about difficult topics, creating a validating environment, and helping your child through loss and disappointment. Length of training depends on learning goals.
Guiding Good Choices
Guiding Good Choices is for parents of children in grades 4-8 who want to strengthen family bonds and reduce the risk factors associated with teenage drug use. Sessions teach participants how to prevent drug use, say “no”, and develop clear family guidelines. In addition, we discuss how to manage family conflict, and create a parent support network. The program is generally delivered in 5, 2-hour sessions. It is a great compliment to whole child programming at the upper elementary and middle school level or as part of family support programs in your church or community organization.
Strengthening Families
This evidence-based, nationally recognized program is for parents/caregivers and youth ages 10-14. It is designed to help increase protective factors and reduce the risk factors that lead to both substance abuse and youth depression. Participants work together with their children to learn and practice skills that support their children and how to effectively discipline and guide them. Then, participants learn skills for dealing with stress and peer pressure. The program is generally delivered in 7, 2.5 hour sessions and is a great compliment to school, church, or community family programming.
Prime for Life
Prime for Life is an evidence-based alcohol and drug education program for students and/or adults ages 13 and older that challenges common beliefs and attitudes that contribute to high-risk substance use. It provides a judgment-free way of understanding how alcohol and drug-related problems develop, what we can do to prevent them, and why sometimes we need help. It also provides research-based information in an easy-to-understand format and teaches how we can apply that information in our own lives. The program is 8 hours with a flexible delivery structure.
