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Mat-Su Early Parent Support Alaska Cohort
July 21, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm AKDT
OUR VISION
We want every new parent to have the community support needed to raise healthy, strong families during a challenging transition in their lives.
HOW IT WORKS
Small groups of new parents meet weekly, in person, for 10-12 weeks after their babies are born. Each weekly meeting includes a sharing time, developmental activity (e.g., songs and games for babies), and discussion of a relevant parenting topic such as sleeping, anxiety disorders, and balancing work and family. EPSA facilitators are nonjudgmental supporters and know that there is no one right way to be a good parent. (One more time: There is no one right way to be a good parent.)
EPSA is modeled on the Seattle-based Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS), a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization which has helped parents connect and grow as they begin their journeys into parenthood since 1982. PEPS parent support programs educate, inform and create community.
Community Driven
Small groups meet weekly for 10-12 weeks in the homes of group members or community centers, with a trained group facilitator who leads the group through conversations and the Strengthening Families curriculum, as well as sharing local resources for group members.
Research shows that being a part of a parenting group like those created through EPSA:
– increases parenting skills, knowledge, and confidence
– provides emotional nourishment, guidance, access to resources, and role modeling
– enhances the parenting couple’s relationship and decreases parent stress, anxiety and isolation
– normalizes the early parenting experience
– improves a child’s readiness to learn upon entering school
EPSA Values
Building connections: We believe in providing a positive, inclusive and safe environment for all participants
Equity: We welcome all individuals, regardless of culture, gender, marital status, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disabilities, and religion.
Collaboration: Working with community partners, volunteers, and program participants to create a network of strong, informed parents. Recognizing strengths within the community, knowing it takes more than just one or two people
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