House
Republican Press Release
January 10,
2009
Press
Office: 860-240-8700
Congratulates Parents
taking Part in 20-week Program, Urges them to Complete Training
State
Representative Selim Noujaim today congratulated 26 Greater Waterbury area
parents on their decision to participate in the Parent Leadership Training
Institute, a 20-week program that will sharpen their leadership and civics
skills and enhance their ability to make positive changes for children in their
communities.
The parents,
who hail from Waterbury, Naugatuck, Bristol, Oxford and Torrington, were
attending a kick-off retreat at Waterbury Hospital designed to promote group
cohesion within the group.
“I know 20
weeks is a long time, but once you complete your training, you will have
acquired valuable skills that will help you be more effective advocates for
your children, your neighborhoods and your towns,” said Representative Noujaim,
R-Waterbury. “Knowing where to go and which city and state officials you need
to contact is essential to the success of your projects and proposals. If you
are not a voter, I would strongly urge you to register, vote and play as active
a role as you can in your communities.”
The program, which is offered by
the Connecticut Commission on Children, is open to all parents, grandparents,
step-parents or foster parents regardless of race, class, culture or economic
status.
There is no
charge for the training, which takes place on weekday evenings. Child-care is
available for those who need it. The class also provides a family meal each
evening before the class starts.
There are
three components to the PLTI course. The first is the full day retreat.
The second is
the first 10 weeks of the class, which is led by two facilitators. It focuses
on perceptions of leadership and includes subjects such as assessing and
defining problems, utilizing the media and public speaking.
The second
ten weeks are led by a single facilitator and include topics such as budgets,
systems, and how city, state and federal laws work.
The PLTI
assists parents in navigating the public system. One way they acquire the
skills is by choosing a civic project they complete utilizing the skills they
have been taught.
Community
projects completed by previous Waterbury classes include the development of a
boundless playground for special needs children; an after-school program
focused on manners and non-violence; a candlelight vigil for Shaken Baby
Syndrome; and the installation of a stop sign on a busy corner in a residential
area.
At the end of the 20-week course, there is a local
graduation as well as a state graduation at the state capitol. Every graduate
receives an official citation from the governor for having completed the
training. An Alumni Association provides continued training and leadership
opportunities for graduates.
State Representative Selim Noujaim, right, addresses 26
Greater Waterbury parents attending a Parent Leadership Training Institute
retreat at Waterbury Hospital Saturday as event Coordinator Trish Spofford,
left, looks on. The parents hailed from Waterbury, Naugatuck, Bristol, Oxford and Torrington, including a few from Rep. Noujaim’s Waterbury district.
Representative Noujaim speaks with Hope Yusuf of
Waterbury, during a break at a Parent Leadership Training Institute seminar at Waterbury Hospital Saturday, January 10, 2009. Ms. Yusuf, one of Rep. Noujaim’s
constituents, was participating in the seminar, which was designed to promote
group cohesion among the 26 Greater Waterbury area parents enrolled in a
20-week PLTI program that will sharpen their leadership and civics skills and
enhance their ability to make positive changes for children in their communities.
