Grantee Profile: The Center for Non-Violent Parenting Gives New Meaning to Taking a Walk in the ParkSeptember 17, 2007 |
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| A nanny for seven years, Edith Macauluso had developed a routine of walking in L.A.'s Bellevue Park with the children she cared for and meeting up with other neighborhood nannies, caregivers, and kids to play and chat. "We like to learn from each other," Edith said. So when Glenda Linares from the Center for Nonviolent Parenting (CNVEP) introduced herself to the group two months ago looking for participants to enroll in the First 5 LA-funded Families, Friends, and Neighbors (FFN) caregiver training program, she found ready and willing participants in Edith and her neighborhood friends. "We love Glenda and her group. We have all learned so much," Edith said. "They wanted us to bring the class to the park since they were there already," said Glenda, who is the project manager for the FFN program. "So we did! The training program is fairly intense, and the park classes give the caregivers a nice opportunity to feel comfortable with us and with the curriculum before they start the formal training," said Glenda, who, along with a few others, has been conducting the "teaser" classes in L.A.'s Bellevue and Silverlake parks for caregivers that frequently congregate there. The one-hour park classes are held once a week. They start with a song, typically incorporating each child's name, and then move to an activity, usually a craft. Then comes reading time, where caregivers read books that Glenda and her team supply to the children. The class closes with another song, and the caregivers are encouraged to repeat the activities at home with the children. The more formal training is scheduled to begin this week. The training curriculum was developed by CNVEP's Director Ruth Beagelhole for a First 5 LA-funded School Readiness Program and has been adapted for the 20-week park course. To learn more about the program contact Glenda at (213) 484-6676 or glenda@cnvep.org. |
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