Work Groups

Members of our influential Learning Community have formed seven Work Groups. These small thinktanks encourage Learning Community members to connect, listen, learn and share ideas about specific topics of family success on a more intimate level, and bring the perspective of practitioners, parents and families into policy development.

Each Work Group develops policy recommendations and creates strategies and actions that will positively impact New Jersey families. These recommendations are brought to the Learning Community for discussion and enaction.

To learn more about our work groups, or to connect with a group’s convenor to share an idea or information, click on the names below.

Early Childhood Success

The Early Childhood Success Work Group authored a powerful position paper that has resulted in local action and state consideration.

Work Group Facilitators:

Gloria Aftanski

President & Chief Professional Officer, United Way of Central Jersey & Board Member, The Family Success Institute

Carolyn McCombs

Executive Director, New Destiny Family Success Center & Board Member, The Family Success Institute

Positive Youth Development and Strong Transitions to Adulthood

The Positive Youth Development Work Group authored a position paper with policy recommendations for supporting the development of all New Jersey school-age children 9 through 18 years old and ensuring the conditions for all New Jersey youth to live in a permanent home, achieve in school, and connect to their families and communities.

Work Group Facilitators:

Retha Onitiri

Executive Director, New Destiny Family Success Center & Board Member, The Family Success Institute

Erica Harris DeValve

Director of Strategic Initiatives, The Family Success Institute

Legislation

This Work Group has developed a Bill of Rights and strategies for state- and community-level holistic service networks that are now introduced as bills in the legislature.

Work Group Facilitators:

James Horne

President & CEO, United Way of Greater Union County

Charlie Venti

Board Member, The Family Success Institute

Racial and Ethnic Equity Leadership Team

This team takes on the vitally important work of ensuring issues are examined through the lens of racial and ethnic equity, and hosts sessions for the entire Learning Community to understand and grow.

Convener:

Carolyn McCombs

Executive Director, New Destiny Family Success Center & Board Member, The Family Success Institute

Financial Security

The Financial Security Work Group developed a holistic policy framework to transform government programs and resources to enable children and their families to succeed in life.

Work Group Facilitators:

Charlie Venti

Board Member, The Family Success Institute

Timothy Carden

Executive Director & Board Member, The Family Success Institute

Jorge Cruz

Executive Director, LISC – NJ

Parent Leadership & Community Voice

Understanding that parents have much to offer, this Work Group starts from a strength-based place for parents and invites them to define parent leadership.

Work Group Facilitators:

Kathy Roe

Executive Director, Parents Inc. & Board Member, The Family Success Institute

Diana Cooper-Vanderlip

President/CEO, Community Planning & Advocacy Council

Fathers And Families

Fathers, either biological or those adults that play the “father” role to their children and families, are crucial to the fulfillment of the family success vision. The Fathers & Families Work Group gathers to find ways to empower fathers and convey that vital importance of fathers to family success.

Work Group Facilitators:

Karen Andrade-Mims

Executive Director, The Father Center of New Jersey

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