Parent Voices Matter: Cultivating Resilient Parent Advisory Committees

How can an active Parent Advisory Committee enhance a program’s engagement with families and communities?
What steps are needed to create and strengthen an effective Parent Advisory Committee?
Why should programs share decision-making with program participants?

Parent Advisory Committees (PACs) are essential leadership groups that provide insight, feedback, and guidance to programs, fostering meaningful parent engagement, amplifying diverse voices, and driving program success. By developing parent leadership skills and promoting shared decision-making, PACs enhance equity and help programs adapt to the needs of their communities.

Despite their potential, many programs struggle to establish or sustain PACs effectively. Programs often face barriers such as unclear goals, limited resources, or challenges in ensuring parents feel valued in their roles. This comprehensive training from the National Family Support Network (NFSN) provides the knowledge, strategies, and tools program staff need to overcome these obstacles and ensure PACs thrive.

Grounded in the nationally adopted Standards of Quality for Family Strengthening & Support and the Principles of Family Support Practice, this training offers a proven framework for establishing and strengthening PACs in diverse contexts. Participants will explore the transformative potential of PACs, learn key strategies, and gain practical tools to foster immediate and long-term success.

Key training highlights include:

● Understanding PAC fundamentals, including who should be involved and why.

● Exploring three adaptable PAC models to meet the unique needs of various programs and demographics.

● Learning actionable strategies for creating or enhancing PACs.

● Engaging directly with an experienced parent leader for insights into leadership challenges and rewards.

The training is co-facilitated by two experts with extensive experience in PAC development—one of whom offers the unique perspective of a parent participant who continues to serve in that role today in Texas. Their collaboration underscores the value of shared leadership and the power of staff-parent partnerships.

This updated training integrates three distinct PAC models from Georgia, Texas, and Wisconsin, ensuring its relevance across a variety of demographics and program contexts. Participants consistently praise the training’s effectiveness, with 96% reporting that it enhanced their knowledge and skills, providing them with the tools needed to achieve measurable success in developing and sustaining PACs.

Recommended participants:
This training is designed for program managers and direct service staff who work with or aim to develop a PAC. To ensure successful implementation, we strongly encourage teams that include Executive Directors, Managers, and Coordinators to participate together, as their collaboration is essential for a thriving Parent Advisory Committee. While this training is not intended for parents or program participants, leadership involvement is highly recommended.

training is intended for all management and direct service staff. However, we strongly encourage teams consisting of Executive Directors, Managers, and Coordinators to participate together, as each role is crucial for the successful implementation of the Parent Advisory Committee.

Participants will:

● Identify the benefits and challenges of parent leadership development.

● Learn the steps and timeline to create and sustain a PAC.

● Begin action planning for developing or strengthening a PAC.

Schedule:
Each day: 11:30 am–5:00 pm ET / 10:30 am–4:00 pm CT / 9:30 am–3:00 pm MT / 8:30 am–2:00 pm PT

Training Payment Methods

Credit Card: Through Eventbrite

Check: If you would like to pay by check, please contact Michael at michael@nationalfamilysupportnetwork.org. He can also provide an invoice, if needed. Registration is not confirmed until payment is received.

Click here for a copy of NFSNʻs W9 form.

Refund/Cancellation Policy

We understand that unexpected circumstances may arise, and have developed policies that balance those with the costs of providing trainings:

Cancelation Policy: Registration may be canceled until 5pmET on February 10th for a refund minus a $50.00 processing fee. Cancelation requests should be emailed to NFSN at training@nationalfamilysupportnetwork.org. There are no refunds after February 10th.

Transfer Policy: Registration may be transferred to one of the next three available trainings for a $50.00 processing fee, up and until 24 hours before the scheduled start of the training. Transfer requests should be emailed to NFSN at training@nationalfamilysupportnetwork.org.

Questions

Contact training@nationalfamilysupportnetwork.org

Recording Disclaimer:

Please note that this training session will be recorded for NFSN’s internal purposes only. The recording will not be shared externally. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this, please feel free to reach out to us at training@nationalfamilysupportnetwork.org.

Accommodations:

We are committed to ensuring that all participants can fully engage in our virtual trainings. If you require any accommodations to participate, please let us know no later than one week prior to the event. We will do our best to meet your needs and ensure an inclusive experience.

Please contact training@nationalfamilysupportnetwork.org with any specific requests or questions.