PROGRAMS

Community Conversations

COMMUNITY FORUMS

Nothing for you – without you. We are committed to listening and lifting parent voices as we advance effective public policy for children. That’s why we always have opportunities for parents to weigh in on critical decisions affecting kids.

EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS

The experience and knowledge of parents creates the change our children need. We offer education around all things: Early Childhood Education, K-12 Education, Health, Foster Care, and Juvenile Justice.

CURRENT EVENT SERIES

We remain vigilant to the day-to-day happenings that impact kids, keep our community informed, and act through events-based programming!

INFORMATION SESSIONS

We are committed to making complicated policy talk simple and interesting. We come together in community and share what we know. Our ask? Share what you know with us and your community – widely!

Parent & Kinship Action Lab

The Parent & Kinship Action Lab trains all those raising children to effectively advocate for change in local and state systems, policies, and practices to promote thriving families and communities. Join us to learn (1) The Makings of Effective Advocacy, (2) How to Organize for Change, and (3) How to Build Support to Win.

Curriculum Scope and Sequence

Part I: The Makings of Effective Advocacy

Advocacy 101
Problem Identification & Agenda Planning
Power mapping
Storytelling

Part II: Organizing for Change

Building a Base: Collective Empowerment for Collective Action
Building a Campaign: Meetings to Movements
Clarifying Campaign Goals
Strategy & Tactics

Part III: Building Support to Win

Leveraging the Press
Influencing Legislators
Social Environments and its Influence on Public Policy
Pitch Perfect

Benefits:

Stipend
Certificate of completion for Parent & Kinship Action Lab
Participate in the Parent & Kinship Action Lab graduation ceremony
Eligible to be a part of Inaugural Community Advisory Council at Children First

Time Commitment: 20 hours

Apply: The Parent & Kinship Action Lab 2025 application will be available soon.

Empowerment Fellowship

The Empowerment & Justice Fellowship educates, energizes, and empowers parents to be advocates and organizers on behalf of issues impacting children and the communities in which they live! The fellowship is anchored in the advanced topics of advocacy, social impact, and movement building.

Curriculum Scope and Sequence

Communications 101
Budget & Finance
Political Landscape
Advocating for Change
Creating Movement Infrastructure Locally
Leading for Change & 21st Century Challenges of Organizing

Time Commitment:

50 hours over 7 Months
Orientation: 2 hours
Synchronous Instruction: 21 hours
Asynchronous Assignments: 10 hours
Community Project: 10 hours
Advocacy in Action: 7 hours

Time Commitment in Context:

3.5 hours per session/per month
1.67 Hours of Pre-Work/per month
1.67 Hours of Community Project/ per month
7 Hours for Advocacy in Action

Apply: The Parent & Kinship Action Lab 2025 application will be available soon.