FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For further information: Jo-Anne Liburd, 416-595-9230
ext. 225;
jo-anneli@familyservicetoronto.org
Giving Mom and Dad the Tools to Fight Violence
Toronto, March 9, 2006 – School is back in session and in some of Toronto’s toughest neighbourhoods parents are filling the seats. Family Service Association of Toronto is launching new sessions of the Community Parent Education Program (COPE), a unique course that helps parents improve their parenting skills while their young children or teens receive simultaneous support on how to relate to and communicate with their parents.
As the city looks for effective strategies to combat a surge in violence on our streets, a recent study of 22,500 children and youth points to parents as a critical component in preventing youth crime. “Violence holds a symbolic quality for adolescents. They associate violence with power, and power with adulthood. Parents then become intimidated and don’t know how to engage the young person or provide the appropriate supports,” says COPE counsellor Chris Chmielewski. “Adolescents crave independence but also want and need guidance. Finding that balance can leave parents feeling alone, lost and frustrated.”
The COPE program offers attendees a safe and open environment for communication and uses a flexible format, recognizing that each family and group has distinct issues. The six weekly sessions, which are available to all families and are free of charge, tackle issues such as, understanding children’s developmental stages and related needs, limiting conflict through improved communication, finding solutions to problem behaviour, setting boundaries and achieving more quality time with children. “Parents are teachers”, is the underlying principle of this program.
The Canadian Longitudinal Study found a clear association between adolescent behaviour problems and ineffective discipline. Inappropriate parenting is 10 times more powerful in predicting behaviour problems than any of the usual culprits, such as single parenthood, poverty or larger families. “In COPE, not only do parents learn how to work with their children, they also get to look at and learn from left over issues from their own childhood, and how they were parented,” says Chmielewski. “It comes full circle for many of them”.
Additionally, effective parenting has the bonus of enabling children of all ages perform more successfully at school, resulting in positive benefits for self-esteem and for their futures socially. Encouraging supportive connections between parents and their child’s school is an important component of COPE.
COPE programs will be held in the evenings at four Toronto District schools. The counsellors will be working with parents and children aged 4 to 10, and some with parents and teens, aged 10 to 13. Locations and start dates of the programs are:
LAMP (Lakeshore Community Health Centre)
185 5 th Street, Etobicoke
Program for parents of teens 10-13
Wednesday’s starting
March 29; 6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Marsha (416) 252-6471 x 301 or Carolyn
(416) 252-6471 x 300
Crescent Town ES
4 Massey Square, East York
Program for parents of children 4-10
6 weeks - Wednesday’s
starting April 5; 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Lisa (416) 694-1400 x 243 or
Chris Chmielewski 416-755-5565 x 436
North Kipling Junior Middle School
2 Rowntree Rd., Etobicoke
Program for parents of children 4-10
6 weeks - Wednesdays starting March 29; 6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Anna
(416) 744-6312 x 237 or Egle (416) 595-0307 x 279
Dallington Public School
18 Dallington Dr., North York
Farsi speaking program for parents of children 4-10
7 weeks -
Wednesday’s starting April 12; 6:30 p.m. – 8:15
p.m.
Mansureh (416) 595-0307 x 239
Family Service Association of Toronto
355 Church St., Toronto
Program for parents of children 4-10
6 weeks – Monday April
24 th, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Jeff (416) 595-0307 x 273 or Jose (416) 595 0307x
278
COPE program counsellors are available for comment and can be reached at:
Anna (416) 744-6312 x 237
Egle (416) 595-0307 x 279
Mansureh (416) 595-0307 x 239 (Farsi Speaking Counsellor)
Marsha
(416) 252-6471 x 301
Lisa (416) 694-1400 x 243
Jeff (416) 595-0307 x 273
Jose (416) 595 0307x 278
Chris Chmielewski 416-755-5565 x 436
About Family Service Association of Toronto
Family Service Association of Toronto (www.familyservicetoronto.org) is a non-profit, social service agency offering a wide range of multilingual counselling and support programs that reflect the needs of Toronto’s diverse communities. For 91 years, FSA has sought to end family violence, support inclusion of marginalized citizens, help children and families through difficult life transitions, support seniors and build strong, healthy, inclusive communities. FSA also works with government and other community organizations to advocate for social change to enhance the quality of life for all members of our community. FSA is a United Way member agency.
Editors: Please note the “Service” in Family Service Association of Toronto is singular.
