Parent Café Training

Two training sequences prepare people to plan, facilitate, and host Love Is Not Enough Parent Cafés:

1. Parent Café Training Institute (PCTI)

PCTI is a two-day experiential training that prepares parents to bring the Parent Café process to their own communities. Institute participants are parents or staff who have participated in the Love is Not Enough Parent Café. During the Institute, the team builds their knowledge and skills——from a deeper understanding of the role of the protective factors to the interpersonal skills necessary to plan, organize, and serve as hosts and/or facilitators for Parent Cafés.

• Purpose: To build teams of trained parent leaders, staff and community partners to sponsor, plan and conduct Parent Cafés.
• Prerequisites: Parents or staff must have participated in at least one Love is Not Enough Parent Café.  However, it is highly recommended that they attend the full series of Love Is Not Enough Parent Cafés and Awaken To Your Potential training. All participants must complete a PCTI application form and submit it at least two weeks prior to the Institute. Staff members must have participated in at least one SFI Parent Café and be accompanied by parent leaders. Participants must complete both days of training to receive a certificate. Minimum of 12 participants, maximum of 24.
• Structure: Two-day training in large group, small groups, one-to-one, experiential learning, and parent café simulations. Each team member will have an opportunity to plan and practice various roles in a Parent Café.
• Learning Objectives:
• Master the knowledge and skills needed to plan, organize, conduct and lead parent cafes in communities
• Deepen knowledge of the Strengthening Families protective factors approach and how this relates to family services and child protection
• Understand the purpose and design of the parent cafes in building protective factors in families
• Review and practice the skills needed to effectively facilitate large group discussions and adult learning processes
• Become familiar with the Live Is Not Enough Trainer/Facilitator manual and the Parent Cafe manual; practice Parent Café roles with individual coaching

2. Parent Café Hosting Training

This is a one-day training for parents, program participants, and staff who have participated in at least one Love Is Not Enough Parent Café. The goal for attendees is to become confident and competent as a Love Is Not Enough Parent Café Host.

• Prerequisites: Prior participation in SFI Love Is Not Enough Partner or Parent Cafés.
• Structure: One-day experiential training including instruction, one-to-one, small group conversations, fishbowl, journaling, large group conversations and debriefings, and mock cafe practice with coaching and stop-action.
• Learning Objectives:
• Become familiar with 6 protective factors and Love Is Not Enough language
• Understand the purpose and structure of Love Is Not Enough Parent Cafés
• Understand the role of café host and what it takes to be a good one
• Be familiar with café questions and understand personal responses to them
• Understand diverse responses to Love Is Not Enough Parent Café questions
• Understand the purpose of and how to maintain café agreements
• Develop skills to keep conversations going and take them deeper
• Practice hosting Love Is Not Enough Parent Café conversations
• Practice active listening