One-To-One
Match Program
The
One-to-One Match Program is based on the concept of peer support.
Through this program, Family Support Coordinators connect a parent who
has “been there” with a parent seeking help. In many cases, parents
who at one point in time had requested peer support, are later volunteering
to be trained as Supporting Parents. In some cases, however, parents
who have not previously been part of the Match Program and have struggled
through their journey without peer support, are committed to ensuring that
other parents don’t have to go through it alone. After an extensive
training, Supporting Parents begin their relationship with a parent whose
child shares a similar diagnosis or experience. Our Supporting Parents
offer their experiences and resources, helping their peers through difficult
times and breaking through the isolation as they learn to cope with all
the changes and often the “loss of a dream” they had for their family.
In a national study of parents with children with special needs, in which
Vermont was selected as one of five sites, Parent to Parent support was
found to increase parents’ acceptance of their situation and their sense
of being able to cope.
"Mostly I wanted some reassurance that our daughter is likely to have most
of the same things that everybody else has, as far as going to school,
having plans, going out and doing things. [Our supporting parent's child]
is involved in a lot of things. She's got a good life. And that gave me
a great deal of hope about the future of our daughter, that she can have
a good life too."
A Parent
"......this assistance is unique in that it helps parents in ways that
probably cannot be accomplished through any vehicle other than discussions
with more experienced parents."
George Singer, Ph.D.
National
study to determine the effectiveness of Parent to Parent support.
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INFO on our One-to-One Match / Peer Support...
I
didn't plan for this! ...welcome to Holland.