AFTER SCHOOL CREDENTIAL

Competency G
Lizandra Rivera lrivera@ymcamke.org (910) 467 3503

Comp G.1 Program Strategies Involving Families

Instructions: What strategies has your program used to involve families? What has been the
most effective and why?
In my role, I have the opportunity to involve families using different strategies such as
parent panels, program scholarship fundraisers, family nights, parent open houses, parent
orientations, a camp ambassador program for day camp, family challenges/activities in our
program, special activities or events, and volunteer opportunities in our program. Among
the most effective strategies were program scholarship fundraisers, parent open houses,
and special activities or events. Each year, we have a friendly competition among the sites
to raise money for our annual campaign, which is a program scholarship design to help
financially our families in need. Each site has a goal and they work together with the
parents and students to reach their goal first. It has been very successful so far. Among the
activities done to raise money are penny wars, bake sales, raffles, spaghetti dinners,
pancake breakfasts, and silent auctions.
Our parent open house is another event in which family involvement has been great. I
set up the site for parents to see our site location, meet our staff, and get a glimpse of what
their childs day will look like. In addition, we have a lot of information given verbally and in
writing. Forms are available and most families take advantage and register on our open
house. In the past, we have parents volunteer and help us share their experience in our
program.
Special activities and events are very popular in my programs. Children like to help
plan these special events and they make sure their parents attend. Examples of these
special activities and events are talent shows, ice cream socials, kickball challenge, ultimate
dodgeball game, carnivals, and family nights. These activities and events involve the school
personnel and in many occasions they are open to our community to observe and or
participate.
In my opinion, these strategies have been effective because the students are
promoting and leading them. I let them help from the very beginning with suggestions of
what we will do, how we will do it, and the execution of the event. Students are involving
teachers, parents, and friends, making these events highly attended and successful.