The power of partnership is on full display in all the P4R Initiatives and programming of the Partnership for Resilience. The P4R Parent Mentor Program is an example of how district partnerships make their most direct impact on communities. They do this by creating connections between every participant along the educational spectrum of students’ lives.

Parent Mentor Programs (PMP) have a long history in our national education system. P4R partners with school districts within the broad range of programs within the Parent Engagement Institute. Where they exist and thrive, these programs have diverse focal areas based on the needs of their communities. What distinguishes P4R’s Parent Mentor Program is an emphasis on creating safe, trauma responsive environments for student learning between the ages 5 and 17. P4R partners with districts to add the essential training and support infrastructure that cultivates culturally responsive, and trauma mitigating schools. The result has been an improvement of academic and social/emotional performance in districts where the program is maintained.

The Dividends of Partnership in Parent Mentor Programs

The primary stakeholders of the program are students, parents, teachers, and administrators. However, all program support stakeholders benefit from PMP. Participating parents gain greater insight into instructional and day-to-day classroom activities. In exchange, teachers get classroom support and individualized capacity building through parental commitment. In P4R Parent Mentor programs, all activities carry the awareness of the realities of trauma, and the barriers they impose on student achievement.

PMP is an ISBE grant-funded program. State funding, augmented by organizational funding. A partnership established between Partnership for Resilience and Parent Engagement Institute (PEI) provides training and additional program support through parent mentor managers.

Supported Teachers Are Able to Thrive

Parent Mentors provide extra eyes, ears, and hands in the classroom. In addition, Parent Mentors can help connect the school to the community by drawing on the strengths of neighborhood families.

PMP Supported Students Are Equipped to Excel

Parent Mentors can give extra attention to students in need, particularly ELL students. Many of these children need extra support in grades K-3 because they are learning literacy in two languages. Trauma exposed students are identified earlier, and interventions can be made available. Social emotional awareness is cultivated to equip students to better cope and get help when needed.

Supported Parents Feel Empowered

Parent Mentors learn how the U.S. school system works, what SEL is and how it can be applied to cultivate healthy learning environments, and strengthen skills needed to support their children in school. In turn, Parent Mentors become community resources and share these skills with neighbors. The program also provides a pipeline to bilingual teaching and other careers.

Supported Families Build Strong Communities

Schools become vibrant centers of community as families begin to see the school as a place to access adult education classes and multiple services. Parents develop leadership skills necessary to create positive change in the school and community.

How P4R Parent Mentor Programs Shines in Our Initiatives

The goal of the Parent Mentor program is to help parents and school staff work together to support and improve learning, and social-emotional development of the children and parents they serve. The program supports parents, guardians and caretakers in their efforts to ensure every child has the opportunity to maximize their educational opportunities.

Every P4R Initiative offers the Parent Mentor Program as part of their core activities, each tailored to the needs and capacity of district partners.