What we offer

• i. Host a programme delivered by one of our volunteer coaches

  We can match you with one of our fantastic network of volunteer coaches to deliver the Parent Gym programme in your school or centre.

  Parent Gym has been delivered to more than 10000 parents since 2010 - it consists of six, weekly, two-hour sessions facilitated by your Parent Gym coach. Sessions are practical and interactive, with a different parenting theme each week. They’re filled with evidence-based tools and techniques that parents can easily apply at home. The sessions are supported by high-quality, specially-designed magazines. Each week parents choose a ‘mission’ to try out at home and report back to the group on successes and trials.

  Our volunteer coaches are:

  • All parents themselves
  • Carefully selected, trained and assessed by Parent Gym
  • Quality assured by parent feedback and ongoing monitoring and observation
  • DBS checked

   

  The benefits of the programme for schools and centres include: increased parental self-efficacy and mental well-being; improvements to home routines; children showing improvements in behaviour, attendance and ‘school readiness’. Many parents have told us that a key benefit of attending Parent Gym is the formation of a parent community – the final Parent Gym session equips parents to continue running their own support group, which can even become the foundation for a first Parent Teacher Association. Schools and children’s centres often use the feedback reports from Parent Gym programmes to support with School Improvement Plans or Ofsted inspections.

   

  Read on below for more information on the support we provide to schools and centres, and how to bring Parent Gym to your organisation.

• ii. Train a member of staff to deliver the programme in-house

  Parent Gym is delighted to offer free training to staff wishing to deliver the programme in their school or centre.

  We provide high-quality facilitation training, all the materials you need to run Parent Gym programmes, and ongoing support and mentoring – all at no cost to the school or children’s centre.

   

  Who is eligible to train as a coach? Staff members considering training with us need to be confident, warm, full of infectious energy and passionate about supporting parents.

  Training with us is a selective process. We only accredit coaches who can demonstrate their ability to coach using our model.

  In order to train you need to be a Mum or Dad with kids over three years old.

  Most of our coaches also have:

  • The ability to relate well to people from a range of different backgrounds
  • Confidence to lead groups
  • Some teaching, coaching or group facilitation experience

   

  Training process 

  1. Screening call with Parent Gym to discuss the role and ensure there is a good fit with the school/centre and staff member. Give us a call now – 02073685698
  2. Half-day Try Out – including a chance to deliver ten minutes of a Parent Gym session.
  3. Three-day Training Academy - master the skills of coaching, learn more about the science of facilitation and deliver chunks of Parent Gym content with constructive feedback.

  If the final assessment shows a strong fit with our style of coaching, the coach is certified and ready to deliver Parent Gym in their school or centre.

  Click here for a printable leaflet outlining our in-house training offer.