Please join Rise to celebrate Parent Advocates’ completion of the CORE Training Program!
Rise’s Winter 2022 CORE cohort ran from February through May 2022 and provided training for impacted parents working as Parent Advocates in NYC foster agencies.
During the graduation, you’ll hear from Jeanette Vega Brown, Rise Co-Executive Director, and Teresa Marrero, Rise Parent Advocate Training Coordinator, about the CORE training elements, the value of Parent Advocates and the goals of the Parents Empowering Parents Initiative. You will also hear from graduates about their experiences and takeaways from Rise’s CORE training.
Graduation will be held via Zoom.
CORE Graduates Winter / Spring 2022
Congratulations, CORE graduates!
- Daphne Brown, Families Together in New York State
- Jessica Cooper, New Alternatives for Children
- Yulanda Cain, Seamen’s Society for Children and Families
- Jasmin Thomas, Rising Ground
About the CORE Training Program
Rise’s CORE Program provides training to parents impacted by the system who are working as Parent Advocates. The training prepares Parent Advocates to support families with achieving faster family reunification by equipping Parent Advocates with information, tools and resources to share with parents.
As Rise works toward our vision, we recognize that there are parents coming into the system or involved with the system right now who value the information and support provided by trained Parent Advocates. The Rise CORE Program prepares Parent Advocates working in NYC foster agencies to support parents with:
- navigating the system to reunify more quickly
- navigating the trauma and emotions of their case
- strengthening self-advocacy skills
- building a support network and connections to safe, accessible resources—so that, once parents reunify with their children, they do not re-enter the system
The training series covers the following topics:
- Rise visiting and service planning TIPS
- Rise 90-day model to support reunification
- Power of parent advocates and the history of the parent advocacy movement
- History of child welfare
- Parents’ legal rights
- Community organizing
- Legislative advocacy
- Trauma, toxic stress and self-care
- Introduction to restorative justice circle keeping practice
Advocates are trained to use Rise TIPS as a tool to build relationships with parents and hold difficult conversations, as well as to train parents to negotiate and advocate for themselves.
The CORE Program also includes writing and public speaking workshops. In this series, Parent Advocates developed letters to introduce themselves to parents and practiced effective communication skills to navigate difficult situations at work.
CORE Presenters and Facilitators
Rise extends deep gratitude to everyone who facilitated knowledge-building workshops for the CORE Program on a variety of topics:
- Felicia Alleyne-Davis, Parent Advocate, NAC and Rise Board Member
- Michael Arsham, Executive Director of Advocacy, ACS
- Jovonna Frieson, Parent Advocate, The Children’s Village
- Wanjiro Gethaiga, Social Work Supervisor / Co-Director of Manhattan Family Defense Practice, Center for Family Representation
- Teyora Graves, Sr. Parent Advocate, Center for Family Representation
- Sabra Jackson, Parent Engagement Specialist, ACS
- Maura Keating, Director of Litigation, Center for Family Representation
- Hope Newton, Center for Family Representation Parent Advocate and Rise Board Chair
- Dr. Tricia Stephens, Professor, Silberman School of Social Work
- Robbyne Wiley, Sr. Parent Leader, Rise
Additional training workshops were also available to Parent Advocates through Rise’s first series of community training opportunities, which are open to the public.
Rise CORE Program Staff
- Teresa Marrero, Parent Advocate Training Coordinator
- Imani Worthy, Public Speaking Workshop Facilitator
- Keyna Franklin, Writing Workshop Facilitator
Interested in becoming a Parent Advocate? Save the date for the Rise Parent Advocate Open House, June 22nd, 1:00-2:00 pm ET, to learn about Parent Advocate job opportunities in NYC.