Starting up the conversation
Local parents hold Community Cafés to strengthen families
A group of local parents, educators and family care resource providers have been meeting once a month just to chat. But snacks and parent-talk aside, the group's goal is simple - to strengthen Juneau families.
"During this autumn season of change - and rain - we look forward to a discussion focused on how we pull together, connect with each other and tap into resources within the community to keep families happy and healthy," said organizer Mandy Mallott, a mother of three.
"Remember, all are welcome; bring a neighbor, friend or colleague. This is a great way to add to our group and impact within our community."
About a dozen community members, from organizations such as AEYC, Head Start and Catholic Community Services, attended the latest café on Thursday. Former Alaska Representative Andrea Doll attended as part of her role in helping Juneau Partnerships for Families and Children conduct a survey about raising young children in Juneau.
"I often find leaders of our community are very involved in questions like, 'Do we have transportation or energy?' You know, there are certain kinds of areas they are always focusing on," Doll said. "But they seldom, if ever, look at how we are taking care of our families. Is there enough childcare? Are businesses going out of their way to be family friendly? What are we doing to keep our community safe for our children? This is just really important to bring this to the attention of the community as a whole."
Apparently Alaska Children's Trust agrees. The trust implemented the state's first Community Café at its Nov. 3, 2008, Prevention Summit.
"It's important to give credit to Alaska Children's Trust for taking the approach of cafés as a way to engage and give voice and strength to our families, rather than present an approach in a traditional document form," Mallott said.
Community Cafés were initiated locally in January by pediatrician Dr. George Brown, with help from residents Mallott, October Moynahan and Kacy Lockhart. The series of guided conversations has one main vision - "by the year 2030, Alaska will be the safest state for a child to be born and raised and that each child will be healthy, safe and nurtured."
"As a parent, making connections with others and sharing parenting experiences is something that benefits and strengthens all families - and ultimately our kids," Mallott said.
Moynahan agrees. In the past five years, she and her family of four - including one due in February - have moved to several different communities, including Missoula and Helena, Mont., Grand Junction, Colo., and finally Juneau in 2007. She said she understands the difficulty in raising a family when you're new in town.
"I know how powerful receiving support in stressful times can be and how critical it can be to offer support to others," she said. "There are many talented, dedicated social service professionals helping kids in Juneau, and in our café discussions they have emphasized the need for more emphasis on actions that prevent child abuse and neglect early in parenting."
The principles of the cafés are based on the World Café technique: Clarify the context, create comfortable space, explore questions that matter, encourage each person's contribution, cross-pollinate and connect diverse perspectives, listen together for patterns, insights and deeper questions, and harvest and share collective discoveries.
"Parenting is a wonderful and tough job, and parents need certain basic resources to do it well, such as emotional support, knowledge of parenting, and help meeting basic needs," Moynahan said. "I really believe that this fairly simple approach of strengthening families by supporting parents can result in more safe and nurtured kids."
The next Community Café will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the Juneau Family Health & Birth Center. All are welcome, and childcare and snacks are provided. For more information, e-mail juneaucommunitycafe@gmail.com.
• Contact Neighbors editor Kim Andree at kim.andree@juneauempire.com.