Research/Outreach
Summary of Family Voices Project
Madison is a growing metropolitan area. The neighborhoods of South Madison serve as the historic center of the African American community in Madison. The ethnic makeup of the area is changing rapidly making these neighborhoods the most diverse in the state. While some African Americans prosper in this environment many of those with young children are struggling in various ways. Some are single parents trying to fill parenting and employment roles with limited support. Some have scarce economic resources to meet family needs. Some are more established, but see their children perform poorly in local schools. Many service agencies and educational institutions face challenges as they strive to reach, engage and effectively support African American children, youth and families. In South Madison a variety of initiatives have emerged seeking to revitalize the sense of community and the physical environment and to bring greater economic opportunity. University units including the School of Human Ecology have focused on South Madison as a university-community partnership priority.
Colleagues in the Inter-HE Department and a community coordinator hired with grant funding have conducted a university-community outreach and partnering project called Family Voices, focused on South Madison, that has engaged and served African American families since 2001-02. The university team has consisted of Professors Boyd Rossing (project director) and Wendy Way of SoHE and Margaret Nellis and Susan Crowley, staff members of the Prevention Services unit of University Health Services. Stan Woodard serves as the project's community coordinator.
Early years focused on engaging families and community members, building relationships and undertaking small projects on issues related to education, housing, foods, parenting, Southside planning and others. A consistent and high priority concern of South Madison’s African American families centers around enhancing achievement of their children in schools and developing more positive relationships of families with schools to support that achievement. Accordingly Family Voices has concentrated increasing attention in recent years on family-school relationships to address the achievement gap for African American children. Since Fall 2006 Family Voices has focused on providing a Saturday Tutoring program primarily for elementary age students through which parents are also engaged and connected.
Over several years Family Voices has organized and led dozens of community or action planning meetings and conducted a 4 forum Family-Schools series, reaching about 120 parents and community members. The project also organized or participated in several community events including a Juneteenth, Back to School Information Fair and two Summer Activities Fairs reaching 200 parents and multiple Parent Involvement Days at South Madison elementary schools reaching additional parents. In a partnership with Lynet Uttal of HDFS, Family Voices provided a parenting series in fall/winter 04. Over the years Family Voices has partnered with the South Metropolitan Planning Council, the City Planning Department, South Madison elementary schools, the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County, The African American Ethnic Academy and other organizations. Several undergraduate and graduate students have served and learned through Family Voices. The project has seen individual Family Voices members grow in parenting confidence and in community engagement and leadership. The project has also provided a sustained, visible university presence and commitment to this important population and locale.
