In Maine, several John T. Gorman Foundation partners have valuable insights to share on centering parent voice. Across the state, these 2Gen leaders are working alongside parents to build programs that are making a difference for families and strengthening whole communities. We profile three of these efforts – Community Caring Collaborative, Moving Families Forward, and Zero to School Starting Strong – to highlight how they have shaped and evolved their programs around parent voice and the lessons they are learning.

Over the past decade, national 2Gen leader Ascend at the Aspen Institute has helped organizations across the country elevate the voices of parents and caregivers – using lessons learned from the families who have guided its own work. In this interview, we discuss best practices with Ascend Senior Program Associate Danielle Christenson, who works with a national cohort of parent advisors to the organization’s Postsecondary Success for Parents Initiative.