Meaningful Parent Leadership vs. Token Involvement Kathleen Roe Executive Director Parents Anonymous of New Jersey, Inc. [email protected].

Effective Participation in Meetings

Meaningful Parent Leadership vs. Token Involvement

Kathleen RoeExecutive Director

Parents Anonymous of New Jersey, [email protected]

Workshop GoalsTo identify your style of leadership

To identify the supports needed for meaningful participation

To become familiar with the ladder of meaningful Parent participation

To become aware of the challenges of new leadership

To become aware of the 7 C’s of Communication

To learn strategies of meeting room seating

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Supports for Family Participation

Tangible (stipends, pay for child care, etc.)

Emotional (respect, understanding, validation, help through transitions/crises)

Environmental (training, full inclusion)

Meetings held at times when parents can attend

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Shared LeadershipAm I ready?

Are we ready?

Is the community ready?

Will our governmental entities and systems support shared leadership?

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Making Room for New Leadership

Tendency for “old” leaders to resist new leadership voices

May feel threatened by new voices

May see new voices as competition

May not appreciate the value of what new voices & leaders bring to the conversation

The Ladder of Participation

Non Participation

1.The aim of the process is to “cure”, fix or educate participants by the proposed plan without any input.

www.self-willed-land.org.uk

The Ladder of ParticipationDegrees of Tokenism

1. Informing – a one way flow of information with no feedback

2. Consultation – includes neighborhood meetings, attitude surveys, focus groups

3. Placation – Loading committees with handpicked people, but participants still have no power.

The Ladder of ParticipationDegrees of Parent Power

1. Partnership – Power is redistributed between power holders and citizens, planning and decision making is shared.

2. Delegated Power - Parents have a clear majority of seats on committees with delegated powers to make decisions

3. Parent Control - “Have Not’s” handle the entire job of planning, policy making and managing a program including funds.

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• Brainstorm:

Name one experience when you were unprepared

How did it feel?

How did you respond?

The 7 C’s of meeting communicationBe CLEARBe CONCISEBe CONCRETEBe CORRECTBe COHERENTBe COMPLETEBe COURTEOUS

The Power Position

The Other End1. Perfect Place to Disagree

with the Leader

2. If you are running the meeting, don’t put the chair there!

3. Next most powerful spot in the meeting

The Flanking Position

Sitting next to the chair gives you the ear of the chair.

Classically the seat to the right of the chair is the spot for the second in command.

The seat to the left of the chair is for the “up and comer”.

The Middle Few

Good Place to sit if you want to observe and size up the group.

This is the seat if you want to be forgotten or overlooked.

Circular Tables

Best tables for collaboration

The bigger the table the less collaborative.

To be most effective sit closest to the facilitator.

No End Chairs!

How do I gain power without an end chair?

Power Setting switches to the middle of the table.

Weakest position is on the end on the same side as the chair.