FAQs

What is the time commitment to serve as a Parent Ally?

Parent Allies must be able to volunteer about 3 hours weekly. In some cases, Parent Allies meet with a parent every other week or monthly instead. Arrangement lengths vary, but usually Parent Allies are committing to walk alongside a parent for 1-3 months. You will know the situation in advance and what the details are of the support arrangement you are committing to.

What does a Parent Ally commit to?

In most cases, a Parent Ally will meet weekly with the parent who they are serving. The Parent Ally also commits to weekly supervision with a staff member (via Zoom/phone), is available for the parent to reach out to for troubleshooting in between meetings, and spends time searching out resources and helping the parent to access them. In some arrangement situations, Parent Allies meet monthly with a parent and have monthly supervision instead.

What is the process to become a Parent Ally?

Parent Allies complete an approval process that includes:

• an application with a character reference from your church leadership
• a short interview with our staff team
• a 3.5-hour Foundations training required for all roles (in-person)
• a 2.5-hour Parent Ally training (via Zoom)
• fingerprinting & background checks
• signing various forms including our statement of faith.

After completing training, Parent Ally volunteers shadow staff and are observed serving in their role before they serve on their own. You will have lots of ongoing support and equipping during weekly supervision with our staff team while serving.

When does Alongside Families pair a parent with a Parent Ally?

• When the parent's child is being hosted for longer than 2 weeks
• When a parent who had a very short hosting of their child expresses that they would like additional support to work on family goals
• When a parent whose children are not being hosting simply requests support in reaching their goals

What sort of characteristics are important for a Parent Ally?

• A teachable spirit and willingness to work as part of a team
• A good listener who can suspend judgement
• Willing to verbally and through actions share the Gospel of Jesus Christ
• An understanding of the impact of trauma and poverty or a willingness to grow in that area
• Willing to have difficult conversations and ask questions/dig deeper in a respectful way
• Reliable: Able to follow through without needing reminders
• Able to hold onto hope and see the bigger picture when things aren't going as planned
• Willing to put aside your own agenda, respect someone else's decisions, and leave the outcome to God
• Able to set healthy boundaries: Not serving in a codependent way

If you have additional questions about being a Parent Ally, please reach out to Mary Kay, our Volunteer Coordinator: marykay@alongsidefamilies.org