In this episode Sarah interviews Alice McAdam, the Program Manager of the Parents as Teachers (PAT) program at Hillside Children's Center. They are joined by Vanessa Lespier and Nicole Pope, two parents who are enrolled in the program.
To learn more about Hillside's Parents as Teachers Program, you can contact Alice at:
585-436-0370, ext. 308
Alice McAdam is the Program Manager of the Parents as Teachers (PAT) program at Hillside Children's Center. She brings a Child and Families Studies background to her role in the oversight of the evidence-based PAT model. The majority of her 25+ years in the human service field has been spent supporting families and home-based child care providers by employing the strength-based approach that is central to Family Strengthening and Support Work and the PAT model. Most recently the Parents as Teachers program at Hillside Children’s Center earned the status of a Blue Ribbon Affiliate through Parents as Teachers International.
Vanessa Lespier has been a Parents as Teachers enrolled parent since 2017. She is an active member of the Parents as Teachers Advisory Committee. Vanessa is the mother of 3 children: 2 girls,11 and 6, and a boy who is 2 years old. She works as a Nurse and is a fierce advocate for women and children regarding prenatal and postnatal care. She is currently studying to become a doula and is always encouraging women to advocate for themselves through the healthcare system and to practice mindfulness and self-care.
Nicole Pope has been enrolled in Parents as Teachers at Hillside Children’s Center since 2018. She is an active member of the Parents as Teachers Advisory Committee. Nicole is looking forward to enrollment at Monroe Community College in the near future. Additionally, Nicole is a Parent Leader with the Parent Leadership Training Institute. Nicole’s introduction to this organization was as a result of her role within the Hillside Parents as Teachers program. Nicole says "Parents as Teachers has helped me to step outside of my comfort zone; and they hear my voice. I truly enjoy “mommyhood”! It is not always easy, but when I look at my son, Willie, Jr., a.k.a. li'l guy, even the hardship of being a single mother is all worth the fight and sacrifices I make daily.”