Parent Leadership Training Institute
Empowering Families, Shaping Communities
We believe that a community’s well-being depends critically upon its residents’ active engagement in civic life. In particular, we understand that parents possess critical knowledge of their children’s needs and have special insights into the resources needed to solve community problems.
Transforming Communities Through Parent Leadership
Founded over 30 years ago in Connecticut, the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) is a transformative national initiative that offers a free 20-week training program. It equips parents and caregivers with the tools to become effective advocates for children and agents of positive change in their communities. Successfully implemented in over 80 communities across the U.S. and one city in Australia, PLTI has been a pioneer in fostering parent leadership.
One Parent Can Make A Difference
A Legacy of Innovation
Founded by Elaine Zimmerman in 1992, PLTI was intentionally built to provide a different approach to engaging parents in civic life to improve outcomes for children and families. With the mantra “Nothing About Us, Without Us,” PLTI has refined the prototype for increasing parent leaders’ knowledge, skills, and actions into a gold standard.
The PLTI Curriculum
PLTI learners engage in a comprehensive curriculum covering topics such as group dynamics, problem-solving, community workings, public policy, and understanding laws and budgets. The training is designed to foster personal growth and confidence, encouraging the development of community projects that address neighborhood, school, or family needs.
Two-Generation Strategy
The PLTI curriculum offers a two-generation strategy for the children of the parents in training, using interactive learning, playtime, and children’s literature to teach parallel content. This full family civics approach bolsters parental involvement while promoting the lifelong health, safety, and learning of children.
Continuous Growth
PLTI is not just a training; it's a transformative initiative. The leadership path continues after the training, with parent leaders making changes in their neighborhoods, schools, and communities. A supportive and extensive nationwide alumni network and continuous education opportunities after graduation enable parents to effectively engage in civic discourse and influence policymaking.
