Help me name a program for children with disabled parents.
December 2, 2007 5:57 PM Subscribe
Help me name a program for children with developmentally disabled parents.
I do volunteer with with an organization that works with developmentally disabled adults and their children. We are looking for a name for a new program that I will discuss below. It should be an acronym that incorporates the spirit of the program, and is simple and non-threatening.
Here are some excerpts from a VERY early program design draft I am working on:
"Given this situation and the tremendous need, [ORGANIZATION] has established a pilot program aimed to educate children between the ages 6-17 residing within the home of a developmentally disabled client designated as a head of household. This criteria promotes the multigenerational approach that our pilot program is designed to utilize. Approximately 20% of [ORGANIZATION] clients identify themselves as grandparents. Over the next ten years, we project that 50% of current [ORGANIZATION] clients’ children will be young adults or teens at risk of becoming parents to unplanned children, regardless of their readiness to be a parent. Considering these statistics, the pilot program’s main objective will be to impart the philosophy that each child is capable of taking responsibility for their own actions, and through nurturing and support, they can choose to make important life decisions that will better their lives and the lives of those around them. This philosophy is takes into account that young adults can make educated and informed decisions that will positively impact their lives.
The pilot program will utilize three early-intervention tools: a face-to-face interactive group-oriented educational outreach program; regularly scheduled positive reinforcement counseling sessions; and a scholarship fund which will provide educational assistance for enrollees through the purchasing of educational savings bonds. The interactive educational outreach program will be divided into four ten-week modules, with each module teaching the students critical skills necessary to have the courage and fortitude to make difficult yet beneficial life decisions. Incorporating the philosophy of instilling in children the courage to make “empowered choices”, each module will have interactive lessons, guest speakers and end-of-module reinforcement sessions. The modules are designed to teach children how to utilize certain critical life skills such as the power of self-reliance, the importance of forming healthy relationships, how educational goals impact lifetime earning potential and giving children the tools and information they will need to make important life decisions. Each face-to-face group session will help children to cultivate within themselves the ability to express their feelings in a healthy way and how to get the information that they need about their lives by asking questions and interacting with their parents and other adults. Students that successfully complete all four modules will graduate from the program, and participate in a graduation ceremony that will hopefully set them on a path that will lead to a life full of healthy relationships and educational opportunities that they not have had otherwise."
Basically folks, kids in a household with one or more parents who are suffering from borderline/mild mental retardation are at an incredibly high risk of of having children very early, getting thrown into the juvenile justice system or otherwise ending up all f'ed up. It's the rule, more than the exception.
Anyways, thanks folks. I'm usually good at coming up with witty names, but my brain is fried after a weekend of non-stop work.
I do volunteer with with an organization that works with developmentally disabled adults and their children. We are looking for a name for a new program that I will discuss below. It should be an acronym that incorporates the spirit of the program, and is simple and non-threatening.
Here are some excerpts from a VERY early program design draft I am working on:
"Given this situation and the tremendous need, [ORGANIZATION] has established a pilot program aimed to educate children between the ages 6-17 residing within the home of a developmentally disabled client designated as a head of household. This criteria promotes the multigenerational approach that our pilot program is designed to utilize. Approximately 20% of [ORGANIZATION] clients identify themselves as grandparents. Over the next ten years, we project that 50% of current [ORGANIZATION] clients’ children will be young adults or teens at risk of becoming parents to unplanned children, regardless of their readiness to be a parent. Considering these statistics, the pilot program’s main objective will be to impart the philosophy that each child is capable of taking responsibility for their own actions, and through nurturing and support, they can choose to make important life decisions that will better their lives and the lives of those around them. This philosophy is takes into account that young adults can make educated and informed decisions that will positively impact their lives.
The pilot program will utilize three early-intervention tools: a face-to-face interactive group-oriented educational outreach program; regularly scheduled positive reinforcement counseling sessions; and a scholarship fund which will provide educational assistance for enrollees through the purchasing of educational savings bonds. The interactive educational outreach program will be divided into four ten-week modules, with each module teaching the students critical skills necessary to have the courage and fortitude to make difficult yet beneficial life decisions. Incorporating the philosophy of instilling in children the courage to make “empowered choices”, each module will have interactive lessons, guest speakers and end-of-module reinforcement sessions. The modules are designed to teach children how to utilize certain critical life skills such as the power of self-reliance, the importance of forming healthy relationships, how educational goals impact lifetime earning potential and giving children the tools and information they will need to make important life decisions. Each face-to-face group session will help children to cultivate within themselves the ability to express their feelings in a healthy way and how to get the information that they need about their lives by asking questions and interacting with their parents and other adults. Students that successfully complete all four modules will graduate from the program, and participate in a graduation ceremony that will hopefully set them on a path that will lead to a life full of healthy relationships and educational opportunities that they not have had otherwise."
Basically folks, kids in a household with one or more parents who are suffering from borderline/mild mental retardation are at an incredibly high risk of of having children very early, getting thrown into the juvenile justice system or otherwise ending up all f'ed up. It's the rule, more than the exception.
Anyways, thanks folks. I'm usually good at coming up with witty names, but my brain is fried after a weekend of non-stop work.
Taking Control.
There's nothing quite as simple and non-threatening as a taco.
I'm totally serious.
posted by mindsound at 6:34 PM on December 2, 2007
There's nothing quite as simple and non-threatening as a taco.
I'm totally serious.
posted by mindsound at 6:34 PM on December 2, 2007
Best answer: RISE
Responsibility
?
Self
Empowerment
Can't think of a good "I" word. If anyone else thinks of one, please post!
posted by yogurtisgenocide at 6:36 PM on December 2, 2007
Responsibility
?
Self
Empowerment
Can't think of a good "I" word. If anyone else thinks of one, please post!
posted by yogurtisgenocide at 6:36 PM on December 2, 2007
Mr_Crazyhorse: I guess in trying to come up with an acronym I'm trying to second-guess from your description (which sounds very grant application-y or press release-y) what one word or couple of words would best describe your enterprise in a nutshell, and your description is so verbose I don't get a truly focused sense of your core competency. We do acronyms a lot at work for projects and I guess I usually go with a Jumble of [core competency] [generic word] [generic word] [article or preposition] where [core competency] is the word I really believe in and the generic words are the buzzwordy ones of which your description is mostly composed. That usually gives a couple of consonants, couple of vowels, and boom! you're off.
Don't pass up meaningless but rememberable acronyms — ABN AMRO and MBNA come to mind.
HTH and good luck!
posted by mindsound at 6:47 PM on December 2, 2007
Don't pass up meaningless but rememberable acronyms — ABN AMRO and MBNA come to mind.
HTH and good luck!
posted by mindsound at 6:47 PM on December 2, 2007
an I for RISE: Independence?
posted by LobsterMitten at 7:08 PM on December 2, 2007
posted by LobsterMitten at 7:08 PM on December 2, 2007
hmmm....tough one.
Suggestions:
- You could name it after the first person you helped. Like it could be "Gary's Place" or "Amy's Place" or "Gary and Amy's", then it sounds like a place where the coordinators and families are a family working together for the common good.
- MLife. Steal this one from AT&T and don't let it mean anything. When you do your first 60 Minutes interview, say "I was looking for 'mobility' and 'my life' and 'mentoring' and 'meaning' but I didn't want to call it MMMMMLife because I thought people would think we were a cooking school." Steve Croft's laughter follows.
- IN EM OUT: for INteractive EMpowerment OUTreach . It typifies the ideal that the program allows children to continue living with their families and the organization encourages family cohesiveness on every level. It's also fun to say, because people will correct themselves and others and that will grow the brand within the community. It's like, it's OK, you're not making a mistake...
posted by parmanparman at 7:24 PM on December 2, 2007
Suggestions:
- You could name it after the first person you helped. Like it could be "Gary's Place" or "Amy's Place" or "Gary and Amy's", then it sounds like a place where the coordinators and families are a family working together for the common good.
- MLife. Steal this one from AT&T and don't let it mean anything. When you do your first 60 Minutes interview, say "I was looking for 'mobility' and 'my life' and 'mentoring' and 'meaning' but I didn't want to call it MMMMMLife because I thought people would think we were a cooking school." Steve Croft's laughter follows.
- IN EM OUT: for INteractive EMpowerment OUTreach . It typifies the ideal that the program allows children to continue living with their families and the organization encourages family cohesiveness on every level. It's also fun to say, because people will correct themselves and others and that will grow the brand within the community. It's like, it's OK, you're not making a mistake...
posted by parmanparman at 7:24 PM on December 2, 2007
RISE is great.
Here's an excellent story on this very point that you may or may not have read, but in either case may find an extremely useful resource: "On loving and hating my mentally retarded mother", by Carol Rambo Ronai.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 7:34 PM on December 2, 2007 [1 favorite]
Here's an excellent story on this very point that you may or may not have read, but in either case may find an extremely useful resource: "On loving and hating my mentally retarded mother", by Carol Rambo Ronai.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 7:34 PM on December 2, 2007 [1 favorite]
RELATE - Responsibility and Empowerment Learning for At-risk TEens.
posted by Abiezer at 7:57 PM on December 2, 2007
posted by Abiezer at 7:57 PM on December 2, 2007
Response by poster: @aeschenkarnos
thanks for the article, found it for free on Carol Rambo's website.
posted by Mr_Crazyhorse at 8:34 PM on December 2, 2007
thanks for the article, found it for free on Carol Rambo's website.
posted by Mr_Crazyhorse at 8:34 PM on December 2, 2007
Response by poster: @amtho
ok fine it doesn't have to be an acronym. unfortunately these nonprofit people think in terms of acronyms.
posted by Mr_Crazyhorse at 9:10 PM on December 2, 2007
ok fine it doesn't have to be an acronym. unfortunately these nonprofit people think in terms of acronyms.
posted by Mr_Crazyhorse at 9:10 PM on December 2, 2007
Mod note: few comments removed, please save the TARD acronyms and "call it frank" jokes for another website entirely.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:41 AM on December 3, 2007
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:41 AM on December 3, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
Stand Up (or Stand Alone, Stand Together, etc)
Good Choices
Do you teach them using some enduring metaphor? Like a "decision triangle" or anything like that? If so you could use that as the name of the program - Triangle.
posted by LobsterMitten at 6:09 PM on December 2, 2007