Participant Testimonials

The PLAN to LEAD Training of Trainers Program:

Builds trainer skills….

“I became a better trainer. I have a better connection with parents because I have the tools to facilitate meetings and find out what parents need. I have a lot more confidence and a better ability to read the room. I now feel like a leader.”

“The program gave me new tools to work with parents, and I also developed relationships with others doing the same work, and I’ve developed confidence in myself.”

“I have more patience to allow people to run with their ideas and figure things out for themselves. I’ve learned to discipline myself as a facilitator and be more empathetic. I use structures already in place instead of reinventing the wheel.”

"I am so glad that I had the opportunity to participate in the trainings. I have seldom felt so genuinely part of a community as I did with the TOT group. Everyone was so committed to the process and to their respective home communities. The PLAN to LEAD curriculum and the skill of all of you helped to provide me personally w/ a safe place to learn about the curriculum and explore ways to share it with Our Family Coalition's LGBT Parent School Support Network."

Empowers parents working to transform education….

“One woman’s body language has changed since her involvement with program. She participates more and has confidence and speaks up and holds her head up high.”

“The training empowered parents and they realized that their stories were important and that asking the right questions made a big difference. One parent in particular became very empowered as a result. She went from being very shy and reserved to speaking at a legislative visit.”

"I have already witnessed the positive impacts that the curriculum and philosophy can have on parent leaders. For example, one of the Network participants, a gay dad with 3 children, has been working closely with his children's school to ensure family diversity and inclusion. He has worked with several school administrators and SF School District officials and done some extraordinary work. He has been forthcoming with his appreciation for the Network, the technical support we have provided him and the community he has built with the other participating parents."

“When we offered the parent training to Spanish and Chinese-speaking parents, they were crying and hugging us at the end because they had never before had the opportunity to learn about their rights in education system.”

“The highlight for me was doing the History Wall. I could tell it was making an impact when an African American parent came up to me later and said, ‘I never knew how much we had in common with Latino people!’”

Builds the capacity of parent organizations….

“The program has enabled us to see parents’ needs and how to meet them where they are by adapting the curriculum to meet their needs.”

“PLAN to LEAD has given us ‘real’ workshops rather than informal discussions for parents.”

“Before, we focused on big-picture advocacy, legislative, media and staff-based activities. Now, we’ve shifted to focus to more individual parent advocacy. Families feel that we’re really there to help them. It is helping us build community amongst families.”

“The idea of a [training] series was new to us, but after giving parents the skills, we were able to tap into those skills quickly and as needed.”

"I know that Our Family Coalition's future plans include developing our work in elementary schools—both in terms of parent advocacy and parent leadership, but also in terms of cultural competency. The PLAN to LEAD curriculum will serve as a model for much of what we plan for our future."