An upcoming workshop will support Lynchburg organizations in helping families build stronger relationships, with the long-term goal of reducing poverty.
The free workshop will be held on Tuesday, March 24, and Wednesday, March 25, at Diamond Hill Baptist Church. It will train participants to use the Keep Connected Family Program, which uses a research-based framework to strengthen relationships that help young people thrive. The program was developed by the Search Institute, a nonprofit organization that works to increase children’s success in schools and communities. The training is designed for representatives of faith-based groups, churches, parent-teacher organizations, and community nonprofits.
The workshop is sponsored by the University of Lynchburg’s Center for Education and Leadership, the Lynchburg Education Taskforce, and the City of Lynchburg’s Bridges to Progress initiative.
“We know through research that poverty is not about a lack of money. It’s more about a lack of resources,” Dr. Owen C. Cardwell, the University of Lynchburg’s Rosel Schewel Chair in Education, said. “Part of the issue around a lack of resources is creating positive relationships within the family. Organizations that receive this training will increase their ability to help families address relationship issues. That can show them the pathway out of poverty.”
The workshop has room for 20 organizations to send two representatives each. The representatives will learn how to use the Keep Connected program to teach parents to show care, challenge growth, provide support, share power, and expand responsibilities for children — pillars of the Search Institute’s model for strengthening relationships.
In exchange for the training, participating organizations will be asked to agree to use the Keep Connected curriculum with at least 15 families, reaching a total of 300 families.
Organizations that want to participate need to email Cardwell at cardwell_oc@lynchburg.edu by March 15.
