Family Wellness Project Components
5936 W. Lake Street Chicago, Illinois 60644
Enhancing the Development of Youth, Their Families and
Communities,
Through Education, Prevention and Health Promotion Programs
A Partnership for Healthy Head Start Families
"The Wellness Project has helped our parents examine their own attitudes and behavior as role models for their children. It has successfully provided a means by which parents can exchange valuable information and experiences that support and strengthen their parenting efforts."
Prevention SpecialistThe Family Wellness Project (FWP) began in 1991 as a collaboration between the Prevention Partnership, Inc., a Chicago community-based prevention and health promotion agency, and two Head Start agencies: the Action Head Start of Muncie, Indiana and the Community Economic Development Association (CEDA), Head Start serving Cook County, Illinois.
The program's systemic focus weaves several strategies together including collaboration, skill enhancement and program development. The mechanism for implementing activities is with teams representing Head Start Centers, consisting of staff, parents, community leaders and social service providers. The project brings them together in a training program designed to organize, develop, and plan a family wellness project.
The purpose is to increase the capacity of Head Start Programs by training and maintaining a team of committed individuals who address health related issues especially the epidemic of alcohol and other drugs by developing an action plan for implementing a family wellness project. External evaluator, Dr. Jack Kavanagh of Loyola University, reports that teams implement their action plans and function for two years after their initial training.
Data also shows that with technical assistance and additional training, some teams will operate for five years. Team training includes large group sessions such as:
 | Prevention: A Systems Approach; |
| Violence in the Individual, Family and Community; |
| Pharmacology and Addiction; |
| Family Wellness and Prevention. |
| Resilient Protective Factors. |
Small group workshops include:
| Policy and Procedures for Directors; |
| Identification and Referrals-The Interview Process; |
| Parent Networking; |
| Motivating and Managing Volunteers; |
| Male Involvement in Head Start. |
Participants are also involved in team building activities and action planning. Additionally, team leaders participate in sessions for developing their leadership and team management skills.
Along with the Team Training, the project can include a Parent Peer Health Educators Program as well as Intervention Training. An essential activity in each component is an evaluation.
This program has two purposes. The first is to integrate the Family Wellness Program in Head Start centers as well as develop self-sufficient parents. Head Start parents participate in a training of trainers that emphasizes their skill development as Preventionists. This training is compatible with the certification requirements for the state targeting the five prevention strategies for alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse prevention and includes working with a Certified Preventionist. The Prevention Partnership has trained eight parents, with two now employed and another one starting a travel and consultant business. All but one remain active in the program.
Parent Peer Health Educators:
| Serve as liaisons between staff and parents; |
| Attend a five-day training; |
| Deliver three workshops per year; |
| Work towards becoming a Certified Preventionist. |
The Prevention Partnership developed this program for Head Start staff out of a need in their work for addressing various problems such as substance abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, and health problems. Front-line staff participate in a three-day training program designed to enhance their intervention skills, particularly concerning substance abuse. This training also allows then an opportunity to share concerns and problems regarding social issues that affect families.
The Prevention Partnership can conduct this program independent of the Family Wellness Project.
All Family Wellness Project activities include an evaluation component. This helps to guarantee quality training as well as give each team information on their effectiveness, thereby allowing them an opportunity to make revisions in their action plan. During the team training, an evaluator is on-site to observe and collect data.
Jack Kavanagh, Ph.D. the principal evaluator, has worked with the project since its beginning.
The evaluation facilitates teams and staff answering the following questions:
| Did we do what we said we were going to do? |
| Did we implement our action plan? |
| What were obstacles that prevented the team from implementing their plan? |
| What additional training needs are there? |
The evaluation also aids the Prevention Partnership, Head Start Centers and teams to garner resources to continue the program at all levels.
The Family Wellness Project purpose is to enhance families by increasing their capacity to be self-sufficient. This mission is the underlying theme of all activities. This includes:
| Developing Self-Esteem |
| Enhancing Communications Skills |
| Problem Solutions |
| Expanding Leadership Skills |
| Providing Refusal Skills |
| Conflict Resolution & Mediation |
The Prevention Partnership conducts all trainings in a safe environment maintaining confidentiality while encouraging participants.
For More Information Contact:
Cheravon West, Program Manager
Albert Orsello
Chief Executive Officer