Family Empowerment Network
Staying Connected and Growing Together
At Hillside, families are at the heart of everything we do. We formed the Family Empowerment Network (FEN) as another way to bring families together—to offer support, share perspectives, and provide invaluable guidance that strengthens the entire Hillside community.
In-person and virtual FEN workshops and parent education classes are offered multiple times each month, and are free of charge to attend. The meetings are open to all current or former Hillside parents, caregivers and family members, as well as family and youth peer advocates, and interested staff. FEN groups include:
- Discussions that empower parents and caregivers
- Opportunities to meet other families, staff, leadership and community and state partners
- Educational opportunities to keep you in-the-know about beneficial information and resources
- Opportunities for parents and caregivers to build leadership and advocacy skills
Whether you’re currently a parent or caregiver looking for support, or you’re simply looking to stay connected with other like-minded individuals, you don’t have to go through your situation alone.
FEN Workshops & Classes
Each month, Hillside’s Family Empowerment Network
hosts workshops and classes. Any Caregiver/Parent of a youth currently
or previously served by Hillside is welcome to join.
Register for Workshops and Classes
by filling out the “sign up” form at the bottom of the page
or by emailing fen@hillside.com
RSVP required 5 days prior to group
October & November 2025 FEN Workshops & Classes
Classes
Thursdays- Evening Class, in Progress
Active Parenting: 4:30- 6:30pm via Zoom or in person at our Syracuse (215 Wyoming St). Classes start 9/11 through 10/16. Sharpen your parenting skills and tackle today’s world’s problems with strategies that work. Participants completing all 6 sessions will receive a certificate.
Thursdays- Evening Class, NEW – RSVP 5 days prior to class starting
Parenting the Love and Logic Way: 5:00- 7:00pm via Zoom and Hillside Office, 1 Mustard St., room 166. Classes start 10/09 through 11/13. This class is six sessions designed to help parents equip kids with character, this parenting program will give you practical skills that can be used immediately! Certificates available for caregivers completing all 6 classes.
Wednesdays- Evening Class, NEW – RSVP 5 days prior to class starting
Parenting the Love and Logic Way: 05:30- 7:30pm via Zoom or in-person at 2 East Avenue Falconer, NY (Falconer school district) Classes start 10/01 through 11/05. This class is six sessions designed to help parents equip kids with character, this parenting program will give you practical skills that can be used immediately! Certificates available for caregivers completing all 6 classes.
Tuesdays- Day Class- NEW – RSVP 5 days prior to class starting
Crisis Response Training; 12:00- 2:00pm via Zoom or in person at our Warsaw (96 West Buffalo St) office. Dates 10/07, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/04, 11/11. Gain practical tools to support your child during challenging moments. Learn how to prevent escalation, respond effectively when it happens, and stay calm under pressure. This interactive series is designed to empower families with real-world strategies and support.
Tuesdays- Day Class, New – RSVP 5 days prior to class starting
Active Parenting: 12:30- 2:30pm via Zoom or in person at our Syracuse (215 Wyoming St). Classes start 10/21 through 11/25. Sharpen your parenting skills and tackle today’s world’s problems with strategies that work. Participants completing all 6 sessions will receive a certificate.
October Workshops
Thursday, October 2
Education Series: What is Special Education? 10:00- 12:00pm via Zoom or-In Person at Hillside Office, 305 E Fairmont Ave. Lakewood, NY. This workshop will provide an overview of special education, the process of requesting testing and evaluations from the school to determine eligibility for special education services and define the differences between a 504 and IEP. Participants are encouraged to come with questions that will be answered in this workshop and throughout the series.
Wednesday, October 8
Preparing for the Holidays Group: 6:00- 7:30pm via Zoom or In-Person at 2 locations! Hillside Office – 305 E Fairmont Ave. Lakewood or 50 Batavia City Center, Batavia. This group will assist you to prepare your youth for the upcoming Holidays, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. This Group will meet the Second Tuesday of each month.
Tuesday, October 14
It Takes a Village: Caregiver Support Group: 5:30-7:00pm via Zoom or-In Person at Patterson Library, 40 S. Portage Rd. Westfield. A group of caregivers who connect to provide support to each other on the issues that caregivers face when raising children. This group will connect through sharing experiences, resources, compassion, empowerment, and encouragement.
Friday, October 17
Relaxation and Mindfulness: 1:00- 2:00pm via Zoom or In-person at Family Opportunity Center Rm 166, 1 Mustard St. Rochester. Come learn effective techniques to reduce stress, improve focus, and nurture your mind.
Monday, October 20
Residential Family Support Group 6:00- 7:30pm via Zoom. Home time/visits can be difficult for many families. Spending time with your child is important, but can also create fear and worries. Please join other families in discussing and supporting one another around this important, yet challenging part of residential care.
Wednesday, October 21
Caregiver’s Guide to Digital Safety (Internet Safety) 5:30- 7:00pm via Zoom. This 90-minute interactive Zoom training equips caregivers with the knowledge and tools to help children navigate the online world safely. Participants will learn how to set healthy boundaries, recognize online risks, encourage open communication, and use parental controls effectively. The session will include practical demonstrations, real-world scenarios, and trusted resources caregivers can access after the training.
Wednesday, October 22
Self-Care: 1:00- 2:00pm via Zoom or In-person at Family Opportunity Center Rm 166, 1 Mustard St. Rochester. Come learn self-care and personal hygiene skills important to maintaining your health, confidence, and social well-being.
Tuesday, October 28
It Takes a Village: Caregiver Support Group: 5:30- 7:00pm via Zoom or-In Person at Hillside Office – Lakewood, NY (Domino’s Plaza) 305 E Fairmont Ave. Lakewood, NY. A group of caregivers who connect to provide support to each other on the issues that caregivers face when raising children. This group will connect through sharing experiences, resources, compassion, empowerment, and encouragement.
November Workshops
Wednesday, November 5
Learn About My Community: 2:00- 3:00pm via Zoom or In-person at Family Opportunity Center Rm 166, 1 Mustard St. Rochester. For caregivers to come and learn about Rochester free activities, supports, and resources
Thursday, November 6
Education Series: What services are available for my child in school? 10:00- 12:00pm via Zoom or- In person location: Hillside Lakewood office 305 E Fairmount Ave, Suite C Lakewood, NY 14750; Hillside Warsaw office, 96 W Buffalo St, Warsaw, NY 14569. This workshop will provide information on services available for children in school whether they have a 504 plan or an IEP. Facilitators will educate participants on various accommodations available to support children and the importance of informing teachers of the accommodations for their child.
Tuesday, November 11
It Takes a Village: Caregiver Support Group: 5:30- 7:00pm via Zoom or-In Person at Patterson Library, 40 S. Portage Rd. Westfield. A group of caregivers who connect to provide support to each other on the issues that caregivers face when raising children. This group will connect through sharing experiences, resources, compassion, empowerment, and encouragement.
Wednesday, November 12
Preparing for the Holidays Group: 6:00- 7:30pm via Zoom or In-Person at 2 locations! Hillside Office – 305 E Fairmont Ave. Lakewood or 50 Batavia City Center, Batavia. Preparing for the Holidays is a workshop on how to prepare youth for upcoming Holidays. Caregivers will learn skills to have smoother holidays/ family gatherings with their youth. This Group will meet the Second Tuesday of each month.
Monday, November 17
Residential Family Support Group: Supporting Siblings: 6:00- 7:30pm via Zoom How do we answer difficult questions? How do we make sure our kiddos at home are still getting what they need? How do we build/maintain their sibling relationship? Join us in supporting and encouraging one another as we navigate this aspect of residential care.
Wednesday, November 19
Beyond “Don’t do it” Real talk about youth substance use and intervention: 10:00am- 12:00pm via Zoom or In-person at our Family Opportunity Center, 215 Wyoming St Rm 310, Syracuse. This training will discuss youth substance use and intervention.
Class & Workshop Sign Up
Please fill out this form to join one or more sessions on this page. A Hillside team member will contact you and help you register. Please note that RSVPs are required five days before any group session.
If you’re interested in learning more about FEN, have an idea for a group, or have questions, contact Hillside at fen@hillside.com or 585-256-7500.