Boris Johnson lends support to parenting course in primary schools

Parent Gym is a nine-week course currently running in 27 London schools in the most disadvantaged boroughs, but the Mayor is keen for the scheme to expand to more deprived areas through his team London volunteering scheme.

The scheme’s organisers say it offers practical solutions to parents on a range of issues, from dealing with discipline and children with behavioural problems, to nutrition advice and literacy support.

Parent Gym receives all its funding from the philanthropic scheme The Mind Gym and is free to parents and schools. Volunteers must undertake a three-day training course and pass with distinction in order to run their own Parent Gym sessions.

The scheme uses tools and techniques designed by the Mind Gym to change behaviour, and draws on academic and popular research on parenting. The programme is part of an ongoing external evaluation by the Institute for Research on Child Development at the University of East London.

Visiting a Parent Gym session at Shaftesbury Park Primary School in Battersea, Boris Johnson said, ‘Let’s be frank, being a parent is a lot of hard work and we must never be afraid to ask for help before issues spiral out of control.

‘Parent Gym can really empower parents, especially those in need of extra help when dealing with vulnerable children. As well as boosting parent’s confidence, schools also report positive changes in children in the classroom. Above all, it gets parents talking to one another and builds a solid support structure that can sometimes be immeasurable.

'I‘d like to offer Parent Gym classes to every primary school in London who’d like to get involved, but to do this we need more volunteers to help out. So if you have some spare time to support families in need of some extra help, then please do get in touch and help make a real difference.’

Parent Kelly Wholey said that the scheme had helped her communicate better with her child and change the way she used discipline.

‘I really learned to listen more and have a calmer tone and not to shout. The whole nutrition advice was an eye opener and I now try to make meals with my little one which makes him more interested in eating his fruit and veg.’

Caroline Boyd, a volunteer Parent Gym coach, said, ‘I have really enjoyed volunteering as a parent coach and I’m surprised how rewarding I’ve found it.  As well as leading the sessions you find you actually learn a lot as well.

‘I have seen parents turn up who are so shy they have never even spoken to another parent in the same school.

They often find they are facing similar problems and week by week their confidence grows as they progress and support each other in finding solutions. Months after the course ends I’ve had parents tell me they are still following the techniques they learnt.’

• More information visit www.parentgym.com
  

If you're interested in becoming a parent gym coach visit http://www.london.gov.uk/node/10803