Sharing the Journey: Voices from the Field
What is Sharing the Journey: Voices from the Field?
Sharing the Journey: Voices from the Field is a collection of stories that include audio, video, and animated stories created and shared by parent leaders and practitioners nationwide. The series is divided into three categories: Voices of Parent Leaders, Parent Stories on Preventing Child Neglect, and Voice of Parents and Practitioners.
Each selection is told in the authentic voice of the author. Click on the tabs below to view the full list of stories within each category or visit the media library and use the search engine to identify stories by topic, protective factor, or keyword.
Voices of Parent Leaders was created by the parent leaders of the FRIENDS National Center Parent Advisory Council (PAC) who work in their communities and nationally to help family support and child abuse prevention practitioners and organizations.
The resources include the 2022 collection of fourteen audio stories, including one in Spanish, and the 2017 collection of twenty audio stories including two in Spanish, and three animated/illustrated videos. Spoken with his/her authentic voice, each parent shares a unique story of how their lived experiences or parent leadership journey has positively impacted their personal growth and the well-being of their children, families, and community. These vignettes may be used to increase public awareness or as tools to support training for staff, network members, partners, parents, and other key prevention stakeholders about the value of meaningful parent engagement and involvement.
A story about asking for help by Vadonna Williams. To download the audio version of this story, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/just-ask-utilizing-resources-can-make-a-difference
A story about resilience and empowering other parents by Eileen Graham. To download the audio version of this story, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/unstoppable
A story about a parent’s journey with a child with special healthcare needs by Heather Stenson. To download the audio version of this story, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/a-brigther-future-for-all-children
A story of advocating for yourself as a non-custodial parent by Elizabeth Reddick To download the audio version of this story, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/showing-up-as-a-noncustodial-parent
A story about loving yourself through trauma by Marcela Henao. To download the audio version of this story, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/self-love-heights-is-possible
A story about kinship caregiving and not being afraid to ask for help by Valerie Lebanion. To download the audio version of this story, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/asking-for-help
A story about resilience and empowering other parents by Eileen Graham. To download the audio version of this story, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/unstoppable
A story about the acknowledgement of the importance of healing by Joanne Hodgeman. To download the audio version of this story, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/healing-to-lead
A story about co-parenting by Melissa Zimmerman. To download the audio version of this story, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/co-parenting-gave-me-hope
A story about fatherhood and accessing services by David Armstrong. To download the audio version of this story, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/making-the-invisible-visible
A story about asking for help by Vadonna Williams. To download the audio version of this story, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/just-ask-utilizing-resources-can-make-a-difference
A story about adoption and working with the foster care system by Anntoinette Johnson. To download the audio version of this story visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/god-has-a-sense-of-humor
A story about the importance of fathers by Michael Cupeles. To download the audio version of this story, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/the-importance-of-a-father-as-a-protective-factor
Una historia sobre la importancia de un padre como factor de protección.
A story about working with practitioners as a support and partnership by Sam. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/working-with-practitioners
An illustrated story about parents and grandparents working together to parent children by Dawn. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/grandparent-co-parent-story
A story about parents and grandparents working together to parent children by Dawn. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/grandparent-co-parent-story
A story about neglect and its impact by Dawn. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/story-of-neglect
A story about the cycle of abuse and prevention by Jill. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/stopping-cycle-abuse
A story about primary prevention by Eliza. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/primary-prevention
A story about how parents can advocate for themselves and others by Jill. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/parent-voices-make-difference
A story about the journey of a parent leader by Beth. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/parent-leadership-journey-beth
A story about mentoring Parent Leaders by Eliza. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/parent-leadership-by-eliza
Una historia sobre los hijos en español de Fátima. Para descargar la versión en audio de esta historia, visite https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/my-son-spanish
A story about sons by Fatima. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/my-son-english
A story about parent leader mentorship by Eliza. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/mentoring-parent-leaders
A story about the role grandmother’s can play by Sam. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/grandmothers
A story about the journey to parent leadership by Eliza. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/leadership-journey
A story about taking care of family by Bruce. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/kinship
A story about her personal journey by Jessica. To download the audio version of this story, visit https://soundcloud.com/user-616990317/friends-jessicadial-story
Parent Stories on Preventing Child Neglect was created by the FRIENDS National Center in collaboration with the Children’s Trust Fund Alliance to gather parents’ perspectives and expertise from across the country on child neglect and the impact preventing it can have on families and communities.
This series is a selection of twelve video recordings presented by parents from the FRIENDS Parent Advisory Council (PAC) and the Birth Parent National Network (BPNN) discussing topics such as the protective factors, fatherhood, and parenting. These stories are an effective tool for increasing public awareness or as tools to support training, introducing CBCAP resources, and engaging parents, service providers, lawmakers, and other community members in a dialogue on child neglect prevention.
A story about becoming a father and its impact on neglect in a family by Edwin.
A story about utilizing resources to prevent Neglect by Karen.
A story about parent support groups by Eliza.
A story about services to help families by Corey.
Using support groups to prevent neglect by Heather.
Working with service providers to prevent neglect by China.
A story about how protective factors can impact neglect by Janae.
A story about service providers supporting fathers.
Voices of Parents and Practitioners was created by the FRIENDS National Center Parent Advisory Council members and CBCAP State Lead Agency staff and partners to share their perspectives and expertise on building parent/practitioner collaboration and the impact that these partnerships have on prevention services. The discussions represent authentic reflections and experiences impacting Community Based Child Abuse Prevention efforts and are told in the words and voices of the parent leaders and practitioners.
These conversations are an effective tool to support training for staff, network members, partners, parents, and other key prevention stakeholders about the value of meaningful parent engagement and collaboration.
Part of the Sharing the Journey Voices of Parents and Practitioners series. A roundtable conversation between parents and practitioners who share the strategies, challenges, and benefits of taking on leadership roles and collaborating together to prevent child maltreatment and strengthen communities.
Part of the Sharing the Journey Voices of Parents and Practitioners series. A conversation between two parent leaders who share how they utilized their lived experience and expertise and partnered with practitioners to strengthen their families, communities, and programs.
Part of the Sharing the Journey Voices of Parents and Practitioners series. A conversation between two practitioners who discuss how collaborating with parent leaders makes a difference in state and local child abuse and neglect prevention efforts.