Young Parents Network
Impacting Families. Empowering Generations.

This unique program provides interactive activities for both youth and adults that engage participants in recognizing the realities and responsibilities of early parenting, developing life skills and making informed decisions.  Another facet of the youth development program is the Achievement Academy which is housed at the Four Oaks Dummermuth Intergenerational Center (also known as the Four Oaks Bridge). The Bridge is a neighborhood center where people of all generations, races and economical backgrounds can come together to learn from one another & contribute to the community. It strives to empower youth to reach their full potential academically, socially, and as part of the community.

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The Family Support/Early Childhood Education Programs are comprised of Group Meetings and Home Visitations.

Group Meetings:

• Group meetings provide education and support to parents, ages 12-29, who are experiencing a pregnancy or parenting a child, birth to entry into kindergarten.

• Weekly groups provide information that increases knowledge and behaviors to help insure a healthy pregnancy, increase parenting confidence and competence, and build the life skills of communication, goal setting, decisions making and personal accountability.

• Each meeting provides a light meal or snack, parent/child activities, child care and discussion groups on a variety of parenting topics.

• Transportation may be arranged as necessary.

• Quarterly activity nights provide families with a variety of parent/child activities to enhance positive family relationships and build successful families.

• Community-wide parenting education groups provide information and support to parents of children birth to kindergarten entry. Groups vary in presentation content and length (from 1 night to 6 nights) but all provide a light meal or snack, parent/child activity and parenting topic.

• Groups are provided in varying amounts and format for families in Benton, Dubuque, Iowa, Johnson, Jones and Linn Counties.

Home Visitation Program:

• Families receive personal in-home visits from a certified parent educator/family support worker who is trained in child development, family support and educated in the latest brain research on early learning.

• Parents are provided information on child development, age-appropriate expectations, managing challenging behaviors, accessing community resources and other topics to increase their confidence and competence in parenting.

• Programs are available in Benton, Delaware, Dubuque, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington Counties.

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SITES