Empowering Youth and Families Program uses Powerful Families Powerful Communities (PFPC) as the heart of the weekly family meetings.
The Powerful Families Powerful Communities (PFPC) curriculum designed for middle school youth and their caregivers provides the foundation for the Empowering Youth and Families Program. PFPC features 10 sessions with flexible delivery options, including face-to-face, virtual, and hybrid versions, so counties can adapt to changing local conditions.
PFPC Goals
- Strengthen family bonds.
- Improve decision-making skills for youth.
- Provide new parenting skills for caregivers.
- Reduce youth substance misuse in rural North Carolina and Tennessee.
- Empower families within their communities.
Research-Based & Evidence Informed
The PFPC curriculum was developed using evidence, strategies, and techniques drawn from research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Sessions highlight how brain development responds to traumatic stress and how different communication patterns impact traumatic stress levels. To address the unique needs of caregivers versus youth, each session includes a lesson just for caregivers, a complementary lesson just for youth, and a culminating activity that brings youth and caregivers back together. The lessons and activities for each session have been pilot-tested and revised multiple times to ensure we are providing adequate and helpful support to each member.