Strengthening Multi-Ethnic Families and Communities

The Strengthening Multi-Ethnic Families and Communities Program is a strength-based prevention-intervention program for parents with children between 3 and 18 years of age. The curriculum is structured into an Orientation Session and twelve weekly 3-hour sessions and promotes parent and child self-esteem, self-discipline, and social competency skills. Facilitators are required to participate in an intensive Five-Day Facilitator Training Workshop (English Language or Spanish Language).
The program goal is to reduce drug/alcohol use, teen suicide, juvenile delinquency, gang involvement, child abuse and domestic violence. Short term objectives are to increase parent sense of competence, positive family/parent/child interactions, positive parent/child relationships, child self-esteem and self-discipline, child social competency skills and increased parental involvement in community activities. Parent training classes have been held at a variety of locations: churches, schools, community agencies and other locations. The program consists of twelve 3-hour sessions taught in consecutive weeks. The curriculum includes five major components: Cultural/Spiritual Focus, Rites of Passage, Positive Discipline, Enhancing Relationships, and Community Involvement. Information is presented within a "cultural framework" to promote parent and child self-esteem, self-discipline and social competence. The program utilizes a number of different teaching strategies, including a facilitative-discussion model to raise parent level of consciousness by encouraging parent discussion. Information is presented in five component topic areas: Cultural-Spiritual, Enhancing Relationships, Positive Discipline, Ten Rites of Passage, and Community Involvement.