Bring PSP to Your School and Become a Trainer
MALDEF currently offers PSP programs in the greater Los Angeles area in California and in several cities in Illinois, including Chicago, Elgin, and Waukegan.
If your school or community organizations meet outside these areas, please see the details on the “training of trainers” program below.
There is no fee for the program within the areas mentioned above, but we do require the following:
- A signed agreement to implement the program at your school or organization;
- Assistance promoting the program at your school or community site;
- A classroom-like facility for all of the workshops;
- A minimum of 25 participants to begin the program;
- A secured time and location for the classes;
- Child care on and refreshments throughout the duration of program, if needed;
- A liaison to coordinate program logistics with MALDEF staff as needed (e.g., secure guest speakers, obtain transportation to program activities, assist with graduation); and
- Notification of any changes regarding the activity such as cancellation, room change, etc.
Once classes begin, we meet with parents once a week for two hours. As part of some classes, we invite guest speakers, such as teachers, a principal, a board member, a high school counselor, an elected official, or a reporter. Other classes may involve fieldtrips to a local university, the library and/or a school board meeting. Throughout the program, parents also work on a group project to identify an area of improvement within their school or community, and then create an action plan to improve it.
Becoming A Trainer
A formal PSP program presentation conducted by PSP staff is a required prerequisite to a “training of trainers” program. MALDEF’s PSP team will gather extensive research highlighting your community’s infrastructure and working demographics. This will enable MALDEF staff to assess the needs in the schools and the community and make recommendations for a trainers program. In addition, this serves as an opportunity to meet community members and determine the feasibility of delivering the program to your community.
Program costs are nominal the include the following:
- The training fee of $500.00;
- A material fee to duplicate the curriculum ( $20 per binder); and
- Travel and lodging accommodation costs for both the presentation and training visits conducted by MALDEF trainers.
Once the date and time of training has been determined, the hosting organization will concentrate its efforts in recruiting participants. An average training class should consist of 5-30 participants and should reflect your school’s community. MALDEF recommends enlisting parent participants that exhibit leadership in schools and parent liaisons who are the ones likely to replicate the program. Participants should also include teachers, school administrators, university personnel, community organizers, and business leaders. Even if they do not become trainers, key stakeholders need to learn about the program and how they can support it.
The Parent School Partnership would like to thank the following sponsors:
Bank of America,
JP Morgan (formerly WaMu),
Marguerite Casey Foundation,
BP,
United Way of Greater LA,
Sempra Energy,
Comcast,
Sodexo,
Polk Bros Foundation,
Toyota,
Kroger, and the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.