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| Advocating for Change In a quest to educate and mobilize families in the Southside Neighborhood Association, Alliance member, Family Service of the Piedmont, Jamestown, NC, will host a series of advocacy training sessions for youth and adults prior to National Family Week. All training sessions will be conducted by the agency’s Fairview Family Resource Center in partnership with the Southside Neighborhood Association and the city of High Point Department of Housing and Community Development. Topics to be explored will include how public policies are made, how to identify and analyze public policy issues that impact youth and families, and how to be an effective advocate. “Our agency is excited about the opportunity to work with the Southside Neighborhood Association to provide advocacy training sessions that will empower residents of the Southside community,” said Thomas Bonney, president and CEO of Family Service of the Piedmont. “We envision that a minimum of 24 youth and adults will become strong family advocates for their entire community.” Once the training sessions conclude, Family Service of the Piedmont plans to hold an informational resource fair during National Family Week. Proposed exhibits for the informational resource fair include: The High Point Library Mobile Unit, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of the Piedmont, the Fairview Elementary School PTA, the High Point Police and Fire Departments, and other family serving agencies. Attendees will also enjoy a dinner, an interactive program and youth entertainment. The interactive program will feature presentations from youth and adult advocacy trainees, a report by the High Point Police Department’s overt drug market reduction strategy, and an update about the city of High Point revitalization efforts. As part of the program, area residents will be given opportunities to discuss community issues and identify potential solutions. Following the National Family Week event, Family Service of the Piedmont will provide three follow up community forums on issues identified by residents during the interactive program. The forums will allow residents more opportunities to advocate with policymakers on issues that impact their self-sufficiency and ability to access quality education, training, health care, and housing. “Family Service of the Piedmont should be commended for linking their year-round family-strengthening efforts to their National Family Week observance,” said Paula Purcell, director of special projects, Alliance for Children and Families. “It is very evident that the agency is committed to improving the overall opportunities and outlook of the Southside Neighborhood Association.” The agency is planning to culminate it efforts with a final report out summit in April 2008. To learn more about Family Service of the Piedmont, click here. |