The Great Start Family Coalitions (GSFC) are the sister body to the local Great Start Collaborative (GSC). The Family Coalition is a group of parents and caregivers who volunteer to provide their voice to the larger early childhood systems work and work on engaging more families in early childhood services, programs and opportunities within the local mixed delivery system both through the parents who are sitting at the GSC table and through focus groups and parent/family led work.
Members of the GSFC are all parents, foster parents, step parents, adoptive parents, guardians, grandparents, others who are primary caregiving family members. Family Coalition members are representative of their community in race, socio-economic status, gender, family structure/status, etc in order to provide the voice of as many families within the community as possible to inform the work and systems building efforts.
Across the state of Michigan, the Great Start Collaboratives have convened a network of Great Start Family Coalitions (GSFC). Serving as advocates, cheerleaders, thought-leaders, teachers, students, coaches and team-members, these parents have formed strong coalitions to lend voice and hand to the belief that every child from birth to age four needs and deserves a Great Start in life.
Families play a critical role in the healthy development of their infants and young children. Great Start Livingston recognizes the value and expertise of parents & families. The Great Start Family Coalition supports efforts to engage, empower and recruit parent & family leaders..
The playdates are a great way for parents & families in Livingston County to meet other parents & families with young children in the same stage of life. It also helps young children burn off some energy, meet and interact with other young children. The playdates are not structured and allow for organic conversations and connections to occur between families.
You are invited to join us!
The Family Coalition is open to all families/caregivers in Livingston County raising young children. We are a welcoming and supportive group of parents & families learning alongside one another to strengthen our community and individual parenting journey.
There are many ways to get involved including, social media channels, attending a meeting, joining a subcommittee, volunteering, parent leadership opportunities and more!
