Family Support Groups

During these uniquely challenging times, Club professionals have gotten creative with how they are supporting caregivers.

Teams at our Southwest and Federal Way Clubs created family support groups. These groups have been meeting on a weekly basis as a way to connect, troubleshoot issues, and get Club updates.

Federal Way’s Operations Director Duwayne Le’i  enjoys facilitating because he loves giving all the families a platform to connect with one another and just hang out. Ordinarily, these same interactions take place during pick-up and drop- off. There have been moments where Duwayne sees relief on caregiver’s faces, when they hear others with similar questions about Club programming and happenings.

“I love that this gives families an opportunity to know me” – Duwayne

In addition to general sessions, there are segmented groups for members who have special needs or Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Families are encountering similar issues accessing services though their school districts. The calls offer them a platform to share specific tips about how to maneuver, with the hope that other families will be successful, too.

According to Duwayne, an additional benefit of these groups is it gives families an opportunity to share more information about their kids, which allows Club teams to be more intentional with individual youth.

This past year has been tough, but creating a platform for caregivers to navigate it together is beneficial for all. The saying “it takes a village” rings true here. When families and Club professionals work together as a team, it enables Club staff to best support youth to help them grow and thrive.

We have plans to expand these parent support groups across the county.