Collaborative Corner on the Move

By Jeannie Pederson, Pope County Initiative Coordinator

Pope County Family Collaborative Coordinator

How many times have you heard a parent share that they don’t live near family or have anyone to support them when it is most needed?

When a family is in a crisis, Safe Families for Children (SFFC) makes sure they are not alone. Their volunteer community can help support families as they reach their goals during a temporary crisis or difficult season.

As we come upon the month that signifies love, consider helping a family stay together and thrive.

There are many ways to serve that may fit with your family and personal strengths. You will be joining a growing group of dedicated volunteers and start making a difference in the lives of local families through SFFC.

Besides volunteering, there are many ways to help support the work locally by donating, helping spread awareness, sponsoring events, providing resources or learning ways your church congregation could be of help.

Safe Families for Children is hosting their new volunteer training on February 17 from 10:00-4:00 at First Lutheran Church in Alexandria. Please see their website for information regarding the different volunteer roles and training details. Register on the website at: safefamiliesmn.org or call 218-671-3224.

I had the opportunity to share an online Building Resilient Schools and Homes Conscious Discipline training, thanks to West Central Initiative.

Participants learn to:

• Examine traditional discipline, reflecting on how we’ve disciplined in the past and why we have continued this pattern.

• Discover one value system that integrates the way we feel on the inside with the way we behave on the outside.

• Explore the mindset shift necessary to help remain conscious, even in the most challenging moments.

The Seven Skills of Conscious Discipline are Composure, Encouragement, Assertiveness, Choices, Empathy, Positive Intent and Consequences.

The presenter is excellent and the skills and tools can be applied immediately. The training is for parents, child advocates, educators, administrators, mental health professionals and social workers.

If you are interested in the training, please send an email to famcolab@icloud.com or call 320-634-3909 to learn more about the next training opportunity.