The PowerPoint from a presentation on engaging families and the local community at The University of Newcastle's Teachers' Visit Day . "Research shows that strong partnerships between schools, parents, businesses and the local community organisations can make a significant difference to educational and social outcomes for students. Community engagement is a two way process that involves more active participation than simply inviting parents to the school. Drawing on the work of the Family Action Centre and the experience of participants, this interactive workshop will explore practical strategies for engaging families and the local community in your school. We will investigate some of the challenges and potential benefits of active community engagement, ways of identifying and mobilising family and community resources, as well as examples of successful community partnerships and potential funding sources." I've also written a blog post on making parents welcome at school available from http://sustainingcommunity.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/welcoming-parents-in-schools/.

1. Engaging families
and the local community
Graeme Stuart

2. Introductions
 Name
 School and role
 Why you are here

3. Why engage
families?

4. Outcomes for students
 Improved school readiness
 Higher retention and graduation rates
 Enhanced cognitive development and
academic achievement
 Higher motivation and greater ability to
self-regulate behaviour
 Better social and relationship skills.
(Jennings & Bosch, 2011)

5. Increasing emphasis in policy
Australian governments commit to working
with all school sectors to ensure that schools
engage young Australians, parents, carers,
families, other education and training
providers, business and the broader
community to support students’ progress
through schooling, and to provide them with
rich learning, personal development and
citizenship opportunities.
(Ministerial Council on Education, 2008)

6. Building strong communities
Schools play an important role in
 Providing resources
 Providing leadership (e.g., Connected
Communities)
 Bringing communities together
 Building social capital

7. What is family engagement?
Family engagement is a shared
responsibility of families, schools, and
communities for student learning and
achievement; it is continuous from birth to
young adulthood; and it occurs across
multiple settings where children learn
(Weiss, Lopez & Rosenberg, 2010, p.3)

8. Key Dimensions of
family-school partnerships
1. Communicating
2. Connecting learning at home & at school
3. Building community and identity
4. Recognising the role of the family
5. Consultative decision-making
6. Collaborating beyond the school
7. Participating.
(DEEWR, 2008)

9. Family engagement
 Systemic: purposefully designed as a core
component of educational goals such as school
readiness and student achievement
 Integrated: embedded into structures and
processes designed to meet these goals
 Sustainable: adequate resources to ensure
meaningful and effective strategies that have the
power to impact student learning and
achievement
(Weiss, Lopez & Rosenberg, 2010, p.3)

10. Checklist
to see if your school’s engagement with
parents and the community
is in good shape
http://www.familyschool.org.au/pdf/TalkTools_checklist.pdf

11. Vertical community engagement

12. Horizontal community
engagement

13. (Conn, 2011)

14. World Café

15. World café etiquette
 Focus on what matters
 Contribute your thinking
 Listen with an open mind
 Link and connect ideas
 Listen together for insights and ideas
 Write, doodle and draw
 Have fun!
(For more on World Café see http://bit.ly/MXT82c )

16. World Café
 Share some stories of successful parent or
community engagement
 What helped make them a success?
 How were challenges address?

17. Read more
 For more see my blog post
Making parents feel welcome in schools
http://sustainingcommunity.wordpress.com
/2013/04/05/welcoming-parents-in-
schools/

18. Some useful resources
 Schools First Awards
www.schoolsfirst.edu.au/
 Partners for learning
www.partners4learning.edu.au/
 Family-School & Community Partnerships
Bureau www.familyschool.org.au/
 Strengthening family and community
engagement in student learning resource
(DEEWR, 2011)

19. Come study with us!!
 Graduate Certificate or Masters in
Educational Studies
• Specialisation in engaging families and
communities
• Specialisation in educating boys
 Master of Family Studies
http://www.gradschool.com.au/

20. Conn, E. (2011). Community engagement in the social eco-system dance. Birmingham:
Third Sector Research Centre. Available from
http://www.tsrc.ac.uk/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=K8%2BrbdUTghQ%3D&tabid=827.
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (2008). Family-School
Partnerships Framework: A guide for schools and families. Canberra: Department of
Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Available from
http://www.familyschool.org.au/pdf/framework.pdf.
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (2011). Strengthening
family and community engagement in student learning resource. Available from
http://www.partners4learning.edu.au
Jennings, K., & Bosch, C. (2011). Parent engagement in children's education. Western
Creek, ACT: Family-School & Community Partnerships Bureau. Available from
http://www.familyschool.org.au/pdf/parent-engagement-in-childrens-education.pdf.
Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training & Youth Affairs (2008).
Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Melbourne:
Curriculum Corporation. Available from http://www.mceecdya.edu.au
Weiss, H., Lopez, M. E., & Rosenberg, H. (2010). Beyond random acts: Family, school
and community engagement as an integral part of education reform: National Policy
Forum for Family, School and Community Engagement. Available from
http://www.nyspirc.org/info/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Beyond-Random-Acts-
HFRP.pdf.

21. Graeme Stuart
Family Action Centre
Ph: 4921 7241
Graeme.stuart@newcastle.edu.au
Family Action Centre webpage
www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/fac/
Personal blog
http://sustainingcommunity.wordpress.com/