The Parent Leadership Training Institute of Kansas City wants to grow and inspire community leadership from among all of you who are raising our future generation.

The institute (PLTI) is offering a free 21-week training program that will build key leadership skills in everyday people who have a passion for advocating for children.

• To apply for the 2020-2021 classes, click here

• To nominate someone, click here.

Not just for parents,PLTI teaches grandparents, aunts and uncles, and mentors how to lead for change for the lifelong health, safety, and learning of children in all communities of Kansas City. Training begins on October 10th.

Vision

Parents are an active and included constituency on behalf of children, enhancing the civic fabric of Kansas City.

Mission Statement

The Parent Leadership Training Institute KC activates parents to become leading advocates for children.

Program and Purpose

The Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) KC believes that families, communities, and our democracy are strengthened when all parents have the leadership skills to maximize child outcomes at home, in the neighborhood, and in public policy. PLTI equips parents with the skills and access to not only be at the policy “table” for children, but also be an effective participant..

The program includes the following: a 21-week leadership and civics course and curriculum (childcare and meals provided) with nationally trained facilitators, a framework for parents to develop their own community leadership projects, and individualized coaching and community connections to advance parents' leadership goals during the program and after graduation.

Guiding Principles

• Empowered and armed with the right tools, parents can be powerfully engaged citizens to help solve problems in their communities, to the benefit of children and families.

• Parents have often been marginalized when it comes to making change for children and families, PLTI changes the narrative to one in which parents are co-creators of positive outcomes for children.

• PLTI encourages parents to work to create positive change for children across all sectors and does not delineate specific issue-area outcomes or promote any single special interest.

• When families are engaged in participatory democracy, child outcomes in health, safety and education will improve.

Parent Profile

Parent participants represent the demographic profile of Kansas City. They are selected to be racially, economically, culturally, and geographically diverse as well as diverse by age and by definition of "parent" (e.g., foster, adopted, grandparent, godparent). PLTI selects a yearly cohort of 20-25 parents.