Become a Peer Parent Group Leader
Use our Leader Guide and Start a Parenting Group
Parent leaders have used our Leader Guide to help them host parent groups all over the world. The Leader Guide distills thousands of parent group leadership experiences from over 25 years, into a free, self-paced resource to help you lead a successful group.
Most peer leaders start out to join or start a supportive community of families that are aligned with the Eight Principles of Parenting. Our Guide includes research-based Eight Principles of Parenting as the framework to address common parenting topics and challenges. Discussions with your group on these topics provide the material for mutual parenting support. The Guide also contains practical leadership support to help you start and lead a successful group.
What you'll gain from the Guide
- Ideas to use the Eight Principles of Parenting as a framework for understanding and supporting parents
- Preparation for sharing ideas and resources with other parents.
- Skillful communication techniques.
- Effective methods to overcome challenges with individuals and group dynamics.
- Ways to create a sense of belonging in your group that lowers stress, promotes positive knowledge sharing and helps parents build healthy family relationships.
Getting started with the Guide
The Guide is 50 pages you complete at your pace. It's presented in a workbook-style that prompts you to read assignments and answer related questions. There are no submission requirements. One- to two months should be sufficient to substantially complete the Guide, including these activities:
- Read three (3) core books as well as four (4) additional selections* and prepare brief reviews. The books and articles are short and easy to read and though there is no obligation to submit your responses, we encourage you to write them down.
- Work through a series of questions - again, we encourage written response with no obligation to submit anything to us
- Review videos and training documents provided.
- Plan your next steps to organize, advertise, and facilitate at least nine (9) free in-person meetings per year.
You'll also have access to these additional resources:
- Free publicity through a group listing on our website.
- A library of meeting ideas, research, news articles, and other materials including marketing and promotional templates.
- Membership in a network of global peer parent group leaders aligned with the Eight Principles of Parenting.
You'll have the resources you need to successfully:
- Organize and lead meetings
- Find meeting places
- Create meeting topics
- Publicize your group
- Connect and network with wider community leaders and resources
- Help parents and children flourish