Parent leadership is a foundational and ongoing practice at Parent Voices Oakland. It is grounded in human development, drives our campaign work, and ensures the long-term sustainability of our organization. We do not engage parents episodically. We develop parent leaders over years — from kitchen-table conversations, to political education, to public testimony, to elected and appointed seats on the bodies that decide how money and policy actually move.
Leadership Academy
The PVO Leadership Academy is a comprehensive, in-depth political education and organizing training that provides parents the opportunity to gain a wide range of community organizing, advocacy, and leadership skills while building community and learning from one another in a supportive environment.
PVO conducts a 6-8 week training for parents on how to speak publicly, analyze policy, build successful organizing campaigns, and win concrete improvements within their communities, neighborhoods, and schools. Every Academy session includes professional event care, so parents with young children can be in the room without having to solve the child care problem first.
To date, PVO has developed more than 500 parent leaders. Graduates serve on county commissions, run for elected office, lead community-based organizations, and organize their own campaigns.
Summer Leadership Academies (coming soon)
On June 8th, PVO is launching an expanded Summer Leadership Academy series: Cohorts designed to develop the next generation of parent leaders for Oakland and Alameda County campaigns. Sessions will be hosted at PVO’s new community organizing space and will include political education, organizing skill-building, and applied campaign work alongside experienced PVO organizers.
For early notification and application materials, contact info@pvoakland.org.