Partnering with local organisations across the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector is crucial for the success of our Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities (SFSC) programme and its extension, the SFSC: Stronger Relationships programme. Local organisations have an unparalleled understanding of their communities, making them key for delivering parenting courses that often face resistance, especially when attendance can be mandated by the council. These collaborations serve as a bridge especially in instances when buy-in from parents who might initially be reluctant to participate is necessary for the best outcomes.
To celebrate the conclusion of an SFSC programme in Manchester earlier this summer, we spoke with first-time facilitators Oluwasola O’Adesulu and Sandy Koujou from the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN). CAHN is a Black-led organisation that addresses health inequalities and the broader social factors that indirectly affect health. Since many societal issues stem from the family unit, parenting is pivotal to creating healthier communities.
Statutory Requirements
CAHN understands that better parenting directly contributes to improved health and wellbeing. Part of their work involves influencing [public] policy to ensure community members are heard. Facilitating SFSC programmes provides a platform for understanding their community experiences and advocating more effectively on their behalf.
They are an ideal partner for our SFSC and Reducing Parental Conflict programmes, particularly because they run a truly effective community engagement/representation operation, also reaching diaspora parents who may not fully grasp the UK’s statutory requirements.
Sandy explains:
“Parenting is the core foundation of social life. We want to influence the social determinants of health and address the family unit with culturally appropriate approaches. Our support extends beyond providing a parenting course; we offer a non-judgemental voice to those who feel let down by the system.”
For instance, Sandy highlights a final session that explores the topic of smacking. Many parents believe smacking is an effective disciplinary tool, often rooted in their own experiences of being smacked as children. The sessions provide an opportunity to discuss and understand the statutory laws regarding smacking alongside power and control. Through enabling parents to understand the essence of their parent-child relationship being more equal and violence free, many parents by the end reconsidered or changed their views.
Building Trust
Building trust was crucial to the programme’s success. Oluwasola and Sandy initially faced scepticism from parents referred by social workers. Creating a safe space where participants felt comfortable was essential. They used trial and error, trying different approaches, but ultimately focused on meeting people where they were.
“Participants were used to being spoken at, but we aimed to act as counsellors, friends, and facilitators all at once,” Oluwasola shared.
Despite initial difficulties, the facilitators’ genuine intentions helped participants relax and engage. Trust was further reinforced through shared meals and providing materials in another language where English was not their mother tongue.
Conflict Resolution
Participants often began the programme focused on their partners’ faults rather than introspecting. One parent mentioned their frustration with their child partner, highlighting a common tendency to voice complaints rather than explore solutions. Our role was to encourage them to try new approaches, creating an environment conducive to learning and collaboration. Over time, parents became more receptive, returning each week more willing to try new strategies and share their progress.
Local organisations at the heart of the community
When it came to recruitment, CAHN leveraged their network of VCSE organisations across Manchester and found a high demand for the programmes. CAHN always put the parents first excelling in the people-centred elements of the programme by developing a website, alongside key questions to ensure that people could easily find the information they needed.
When it came to recruitment, Oluwasola and Sandy found that child care challenges were often a recurring concern for some participants. However, this was addressed by providing a child care facility in the building. This ensured that parents could attend sessions without hindrance.
Message to community organisations
Oluwasola Message:
“The SFSC programme is a useful way to bring community members together for a value-added offering, where solutions to family conflict issues can be explored. It teaches life-long relational skills and empowers parents to be community focused and action driven. Fundamentally, it creates a safe space for parents who might be going through challenging children services procedures and the 13 weeks course builds camaraderie and friendships among participants usually lasting beyond the course.”
Sandy’s Message:
“As parents, we often think we know it all until challenges arise. This programme helps you manage conflict and children’s expectations. I highly recommend it.”
For us at the Race Equality Foundation, it is a pleasure for us to work with organisations who are so entrenched in the community and are striving to make improvements. We look forward to working again in the future.
