Courts/Interns/ volunteers /Registration Frustration/ Stepfamily Readiness - 4/3/07

Wed Apr 4 12:33:19 EDT 2007

- PLEASE HELP: DEADLINE APPROACHING ON COURT-RELATED MARRIAGE PROGRAMS
- INTERNSHIPS
- CONFERENCE VOLUNTEER POSITIONS FOR GRANTEES
- INSTITUTE QUESTIONS
- ON-LINE REGISTRATION FRUSTRATION
- BABYSITTER/WARM IT UP FOR KIDS/12 CONVERSATIONS
- SILVER LINING: STEPFAMILY CONSCIOUSNESS RAISING
- COMMENT: WE'RE NOT ALL LITTLE BOYS

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- PLEASE HELP: DEADLINE APPROACHING ON COURT-RELATED MARRIAGE PROGRAMS

> Diane,
> April 16 is the deadline for the written materials for the workshop on "How
> Courts are Strengthening Marriages" at the Association of Family and
> Conciliation Courts conference in DC May 30-June 2. Bill Coffin and Fred
> DeJong are presenting with me  one of several marriage education
> presentations at this conference. I have not heard much about any
> court-based programs out there. What I do have is posted at the blog at
> http://snurl.com/famct
> 
> I would really like to hear about any court-sponsored or court-related
> efforts of any kind to help people with their marriages. People can e-mail
> me or post their information directly on the blog through its "Comments"
> section.
> 
> John Crouch

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- INTERNSHIPS

> Diane, 
> Can you include intern announcements on your jobs board?
> Melissa 

Yes, see: http://www.smartmarriages.com/jobs.html

Also check for new job listings.  -d

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- CONFERENCE VOLUNTEER POSITIONS FOR GRANTEES

> Diane,
>  
> I'm writing to inquire as to whether or not you have any remaining positions
> for volunteers for healthy marriage grantees afflicted with the two-person
> limit.
>  
> We have 3 training mentors on our grant, which means we've got 4 people
> (including me) and two positions. We are looking at various ways to get them
> to Denver, and we want to take advantage of your generous offer if still
> available. Please let us know.
>  

Yes, am getting close to having "enough" volunteers to run the conference
but am still accepting more because I want the luxury of being sure we have
"plenty"....makes things run smoother for everyone.
The good news is we also still have Training Institute spots for vols.  So,
if you're a Grantee and need a way to bring additional folks, email for
volunteer instructions. Grantees are the only exception to the "students
only" volunteer rule.  - diane

###########################
- INSTITUTE QUESTIONS

I've been asked these questions a few times this morning so will answer it
on the list. Other frequently asked questions are answered on the FAQs page
- when someone asks me a question I post the answer there.  - diane

> € It looks like the training institutes are cheaper if I also attend the
> conference?
> 
> Yes.  Institutes are $185 per day if you attend only institutes.  If you also
> attend the conference, institutes are $130 per day.
> 
> € When a pre-conference class is advertised as "two-days" Wed-Thurs,
> does this mean it is a one-day class taught on two different
> days or one class taught over a two-day period?
> 
> It means it's one class taught over a two day period.  You need to attend both
> days to be certified as an instructor in the program. Likewise, for three-day
> institutes, you must attend all three days. You can not split the institutes.
> That is, you can not attend one day of one two-day institute and another day
> of another  institute.  You can, of course, attend both a pre-conference
> institute and a post-conference institute.
> 

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- ON-LINE REGISTRATION FRUSTRATION

Diane, 
I'm trying to register on-line and get bumped off when I get to page two.
This has happened twice and is very frustrating.  I could fax the
registration but do not want to pay the additional $10 penalty. Plus I
understand that faxed registrations aren't included in the drawing for a
free conference.  I actually know someone that won the drawing last year so
hope that lightening strikes twice in Fl. BUT if you're asking us to
register on-line I think you should make sure the registration works.  -
S.T. 

Sorry for the frustration.  The On-Line form is working - the registrations
are flying in.  I think everyone has decided to register this week as an
excuse to put off working on their taxes. :)  I just called the registration
company and they said that you are probably being "timed out".  If you get
to page two and THEN start looking through the brochure pondering which
workshops to select, it takes too long and the screen times out and bumps
you.  Try first making all your workshops and institute and banquet
decisions and THEN going on-line.  If that doesn't help, get back to me.

And, yes, it's true, only on-line registrations are entered in the drawing.
Chances are improved this year.  Last year we gave away two conference
registrations, this year we're giving away four. Will be announced the end
of May.  - diane 

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- BABYSITTER/WARM IT UP FOR KIDS/12 CONVERSATIONS

> Hi Diane,  
> My 14 year old daughter, Leticia, is a certified Red Cross babysitter (also a
> track team record setter and a karate champ, and a really nice kid!) and will
> be staying at the hotel with me for the conference and is available for
> babysitting or helping out at exhibits.  Call me at 719-287-4496 to make
> arrangements. Also want to share my excitement that we will launch a new Warm
> It Up! Workbook at the conference "Warm It Up for Kids!" filled with all kinds
> of exercises and kids activities, that we are already using in our workshops
> for HIAS and Refugees.  And, are you aware that following the Atlanta
> conference, HIAS has contracted with Ed Gray and he has been presenting his
> Mentoring: Twelve conversations program at HIAS regional trainings with
> Maureen and me, different days, same trainings. He's great and we enjoy
> working with him. Great things happen at Smart Marriages!
> Katherine Robredo

I'm sure Leticia will be in demand.  Please let me know if you have a
responsible teenager that would like work while in Denver and I'll post your
contact info on the Conference website. (click conference and then
childcare). 

Katherine Robredo is repeating the VERY highly rated "Warm It Up!" workshop
and is also presenting a refugee workshop.  And, Ed Gray is presenting a
TOOB training on his "12 Conversations" program - one of the highest rated
workshops in Atlanta.  Oh, and for those of you that might wonder, HIAS is
Hebrew Immigration Aid Society.

And, yes, many great connections are made at the conference. On the
evaluations people say that in spite of the wonderful presentations what
they find most valuable is the NETWORKING. Bring plenty of business cards
and attend the sessions that allow you to learn about and plug into
organizations like HIAS.  Also attend the morning Roundtables for Refugees,
Military, etc. - diane

> 511 - Sat June 30
> Warm Things Up!
> Katherine Robredo, MSW, Maureen Griner, MA
> You've taken the classes, now learn to be a great presenter with 20 icebreaker
> activities to enliven any class and enhance group learning. Plus tips on adult
> learning styles and dealing with difficult people.

> 719 - Sun July 1 
> Parle Vu Marriage?
> Katherine Robredo, MSW, Masha Teverovsky, MSSA (of HIAS)
> There are 35 million foreign-born people in the US. Learn culturally-targeted
> strategies to effectively market marriage ed services to this under-served
> population.

> 413 - Sat June 30
> Marriage Mentoring: Twelve Conversations  TOOB
> Ed Gray, EdD
> Understand the four primary approaches to mentoring; how to use the
> story-telling model; and how to organize a mentoring program in your
> congregation or community. Faith-based or secular.

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- SILVER LINING: STEPFAMILY CONSCIOUSNESS RAISING

If the current presidential political dust-up about divorce and remarriage
has a silver lining it is to remind about the prevalence of stepfamilies -
five of the six Republican presidential candidates (or hopefuls) are living
in remarried stepfamilies.  These couples need skills to prevent redivorce.
Here's a notice from the current First Things First Newsletter to inspire
the rest of you.  - d

> Nurturing Stepfamilies Workshop
> Saturday, May 5
> Time: 9 a.m. - noon
> Cost: $10 a couple
> Attendees will gain an understanding of how past relationships, family make-up
> and popular myths affect your views on your role as a stepparent, discuss ways
> to cope when your stepfamily dynamics cause you to "hit the wall" and want to
> look for the nearest exit, and discuss ways to let go of past hurts, build a
> loving family, and enjoy the joys that life has to offer.
> Call FTF to register (423-267-5383).

Get trained at Smart Marriages and be sure you're prepared to offer
stepfamily courses as part of you community healthy marriage initiative.
See the full "stepfamily" concentration in the June Smart Marriages line-up
which includes two full-day training institutes as well as "teach out of the
box" curricula:
http://www.smartmarriages.com/step.track.html

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- COMMENT: WE'RE NOT ALL LITTLE BOYS

> Hi, Diane.
> I really enjoy the Smart Marriages newletters and look forward to them.  They
> contain a lot of great insight.
> I just had to respond to the article about men avoiding marriage.  I think
> that the article failed to acknowledge the many men who would like to be
> married, but realize that 75% of all divorces are initiated by women and the
> domestic courts are not very friendly nor understanding towards men who are
> subject to divorces they do not want.  Finding a woman who prioritizes
> marriage and family over her own sense of self is difficult in this day and
> age.  There are a lot of us guys out here that do not fall into the category
> of "perpetual little boys".
>  
> Thanks for the soapbox and I look forward to more great articles.
> Stephen Jacoby
> St. Louis, MO

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