Upload
luis-sandoval
View
225
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
BSP Parent University Led by Parent
Citation preview
Parent Leader Lost –Time Report
July 12-August 10, 2010
Introduction and Goals
This summer, the Building Skills Partnership (BSP) is running its 3rd
Annual Parent Education
Workshops for the members of USWW-SEIU Local 1877 who are parents of school-aged children. The
workshops are geared toward informing members how they can become involved in their children’s
education with the goal of attaining higher education. The workshops cover basic information about
the Los Angeles school system with topics as basic as how to read a child’s report card to the class
requirements for entering a 4-year college or university.
As part of its Parent Education Program, the BSP hosted its first Parent-Leader Lost-Time position
from July 12 to August 10, 2010 with the contributions and collaboration of USWW-SEIU Local 1877
and its LTTF Fund.
The goal of the month-long position was to develop the organizing, speaking and leadership skills of a
member parent of USWW so that s/he may create awareness of the importance of parents’
involvement in their children’s education. The parent member would organize and deliver workshops
at various worksites across Los Angeles during members’ lunch breaks and on two Saturdays in
August where more complete information would be covered. Moreover, the Parent Leader Lost-
Timer would help create a parent committee so as to involve key leaders who could further develop
the Parent Education and Involvement Program for USWW- SEIU Local 1877 through the support of
BSP.
This year’s candidate, Pedro Cortez, was selected through an interview process with the support of
the staff from the Janitors’ Division at USWW, the UCLA Labor Center, and BSP.
Parent Leader Profile
Pedro Cortez has been an SEIU Local 1877 member since the early 1990’s. He currently works for
ABLE at the Cal Plaza 1 building located at 350 S. Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles. Pedro and
his wife Maria Cortez have five children, 3 of which have graduated from high school and who are
now enrolled in college. He has a youngest son who will begin high school this fall. Pedro and Maria
have been heavily involved in their children’s schools
from an early age, joining parent committees both on a
school and district level. They credit their children’s
success with their heavy involvement and engagement
in their children’s education.
�“I�believe�that�it�is�important�for�us�parents�to�be�involved�in�the�education�of�our�children.�That�way,�they�can�have�more�opportunities.”�Pedro�and�his�oldest�daughter�at�her�high�school�graduation��
Parent Leader Lost-Time Work
During his 4-week project, Pedro Cortez was introduced to the Parent University Program that the
BSP has developed and carried out over the last three years with the help of professors and student
volunteers from the UCLA Department of Education and the UCLA Labor Center.
Pedro Cortez met with BSP staff on a weekly basis to create a work plan that clearly listed the week’s
goals and methods of accomplishing them. He received continuous support from staff on developing
phone banking messages, preparing Steward Council announcements, speaking with parents about
the BSP, its educational programs and its parent education work for the summer, as well as creating
agendas and materials for the workshops.
Pedro outreached and mobilized for the first Parent Committee Meeting on July 27th
which brought
together 13 Members from the J4J Division and USC who were interested in steering the Parent
Educational Program work. This Parent Committee, like COPA and the Leadership Committee, will be
trained and supported to take basic information to hard to reach members throughout the Los
Angeles County. Additionally, they will become involved in educational campaigns and policy issues.
With the help and support of the Janitors’ Division staff, 11 worksite visits were coordinated where
Pedro and Maria spoke to parents during their lunch break about the importance of becoming
involved in their education as well as inviting parents to the August 7th
Parent University Workshop
where more extensive topics would be covered. Additionally, Pedro spoke to members about other
BSP programs such as the ESL, Computer, and Citizenship classes available at the USWW Union Hall.
Worksites visited:
� 777 S. Figueroa Interbuilding in DTLA
� Macy’s Plaza in DTLA
� 400 S. Hope Interbuilding (included members from 400 S. Hope, Wells Fargo Towers, BofA) in
DTLA
� Yahoo Center in Santa Monica
� Santa Monica Business Park in Santa Monica
� USC in DTLA
� Howard Hughes Office Park in El Segundo
� AT&T in DTLA
� Cal Plaza I and II in DTLA
� DreamWorks in Glendale
Number of Members and Children:
Total Number of USWW Members visited: 180
Total Number of Members phone banked from previous survey data: 240
Total Number of Stewards spoken to: 58
Total Number of Workers signed up for Parent Education workshops, ESL, Computer, and
Citizenship Classes: 97
Total Number of Parents who attended Parent Committee Meeting: 13
Total Number of Parents and Students who attended the August 7th
Workshop: 18
The first time I saw Pedro speak to a group of more
than 10 people at the start of his project he was
hesitant, visibly nervous and wasn’t sure about the
message being given. At the end of the month, when
he carried out a workshop at his own building for
more than 30 people, he was concise and clear about
his message and very comfortable speaking to the
group. ~ Enrique Gaspar, J4J Internal Organizer
Key Trainings and Events
UCLA Labor Center Trainings
On July 23 and 24, Pedro attended all day workshops at the UCLA Labor Center which focused on
training member and worker parents on how to effectively facilitate workshops and trainings for
other members and parents. The trainings focused largely on leadership and public speaking skills as
well as familiarizing parents with basic information such as requirements for entering a college or
university, costs of higher education and financial aid. There were members from SEIU 721, UHW,
ULTCW, Clean Carwash Campaign, as well as
Community Coalition.
Pedro and a parent worker leader from the Clean
Carwash Campaign on June 24th
at the UCLA Labor
Center Training
Inner City Struggle Meeting (ICS)
On July 24, Pedro visited and met with the Executive Director, Henry Perez, of Inner City Struggle
where he was introduced to the organization’s history in the organizing of parents for the
improvement of East Los Angeles Schools. Additionally, Pedro attended a strategic meeting for Parent
Leaders at ICS on August 4, 2010 and shared with them his parent education work at USWW-SEIU
Local 1877.
KPFK “Labor Review” Radio Segment
On August 29th
, Pedro Cortez was invited to the
KPFK Radio Station to speak about his parent
education and involvement work at BSP and
USWW-SEIU Local 1877 on the “Labor Review”
Show with Henry Walton. He spoke about the
importance of translating union members
organizing skills for change from the workplace to
their children’s schools.
Pedro Cortez and host Henry Walton on the “Labor
Review”
Next Steps:
As part of the Parent-Leader Lost-Time position, Pedro has committed to joining a Parent Committee
at his youngest son’s high school. Additionally, Pedro and Maria have signed up for continuous
Parent Leader Trainings offered by our partners at Inner City Struggle.
Pedro will also convene a Parent Committee meeting at USWW-SEIU Local 1877 in the month that
follows so that the leaders of the Committee can work on a strategic and development plan for the
Parent Committee. The Parent Committee will decide how often the committee will come together
to speak about educational issues and receive Parent Leader trainings with the support of our
partners at the UCLA Labor Center, Inner City Struggle and Community Coalition in South Los Angeles.
The Parent Committee will continue to take the work of the BSP’s Parent Education Program to
members of USWW-SEIU Local 1877.
Pedro at the first Parent Committee Meeting at USWW-SEIU Local 1877
on July 27, 2010
Parents and Children at the Parent Workshop
on August 7, 2010
Pedro Cortez at KPFK getting ready for the “Labor
Review” Show with Henry Walton