Welcome to a new column in the Tribuna that will focus on parents and other community members who are demonstrating their leadership skills in our community. We are very lucky to have several leadership programs for parents and families here in Danbury. One of the longest-running is the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI).

PLTI is a family civics initiative created by the Connecticut Commission on Children in 1992 to expand the capacity of parents (and other adults) as change agents for children, families and communities, through a curriculum that inspires personal leadership and civic engagement. Since its beginning in Connecticut, PLTI has been replicated all across the country, and even internationally. It is currently in over 80 communities across the United States and one city in Australia.

PLTI is free to attend and equips parents and caregivers with the tools to become effective advocates for children and agents of positive change in their communities. During the 20-week course. PLTI learners engage in a comprehensive curriculum covering topics such as group dynamics, problem-solving, community workings, public policy, and understanding laws and budgets. The training is designed to foster personal growth and confidence, encouraging the development of community projects that address neighborhood, school, or family needs.

PLTI has been in the Danbury community since 1998, and since then, has graduated over 470 parent leaders! This number is soon to increase as the PLTI class of 2025 is set to graduate next month. As part of the graduation requirements, each participant creates an individual written community project that reflects a topic or area of importance to them. The projects are as unique and impactful as the participants who created them, Over the past 26 years, Danbury PLTI projects have included local policy changes, resource fairs, support groups, community gardens, little libraries, cultural events, as well as programs, trainings, and workshops on topics such as special education, financial literacy, and bullying.

PLTI doesn’t stop with graduation, however! Our alumni participate in community and neighborhood meetings and join other statewide advocacy efforts. Many alumni have become parent facilitators in our public schools, campaigned for elected public office, created nonprofit organizations, volunteered in the community, and served on boards of organizations. Alumni stay involved with PLTI by serving on our Civic Design Team, attending alumni events, and providing community project support and mentoring for new cohorts of PLTI.

Parents, children, and communities all benefit from having parent leadership programs like PLTI in their community. Parents gain self-confidence using their skills as change agents within communities. Children benefit when parents participate more in their lives as advocates and decision makers. Communities benefit as parents use their civic skills to create better outcomes for children and families.

If you would like to learn more about PLTI, you can visit our website at www.fnwc.org/plti.

Karen Muller, Psy.D. is the Parent Leadership Coordinator at Families Network of Western CT, Inc. She can be reached by email at danburyplti@fnwc.org.