So exactly who is behind the iParentnetwork?
A question came in through our anonymous question tool asking if the steering committee members behind iParentnetwork were volunteering their time.
iParentnetwork was the brainchild of a contingent of volunteer parents, community members and professionals in our tri town area. When we learned about how our kids were participating in risky behaviors, such as underage drinking, at substantially higher rates than kids in other parts of the state, we wanted to figure out a way to impact that outcome and create lasting change in the community. iParentnetwork was borne out of the Tri Town Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking. It is our most visible, but certainly not our only initiative. The web site is meant to provide a tool to connect parents with kids of ALL AGES and in all stages of parenting to foster communication about all things parenting. Parents who are connected to one another and who are able to give and get support in this tough job, tend to be more engaged in the process. These are the parents who are more likely to raise kids who mature in safe and healthy young adults.
In this rural quiet corner, it's even more important to have easy access to information and more importantly to other parents!
All steering committee members are volunteers, with the exception of one who provided consultation relating to the website development and the project has one paid coordinator at the moment. All paid staff are being paid out of a grant from the CT Department of Alcohol and Addiction Services. Once our grant runs out, iParentnetwork will only live on if parents take it over and sustain it with their participation. The way the site has been built requires little maintenance. The most important way to ensure sustainability is for parents to participate in conversations continuing to create new topics and content.
Keep those questions coming!
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