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 Virtual Groups

Each month, Hillside’s Family Empowerment Network hosts groups that are facilitated by Hillside Family Peer Advocates. Any Caregiver/Parent of a youth currently or previously served by Hillside is welcome to join.

January 2025 Groups

Who can attend:

*All Caregivers whose youth currently are receiving or have received Hillside services

*Any Caregiver who resides in the following counties may also attend these groups: Chautauqua, Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming (no affiliation to Hillside req.)

Register at fen@hillside.com, by calling Carrie at (716) 220-6850, or your Hillside Family Peer Advocate

RSVP required 5 days prior to group

*****

Tuesdays
Active Parenting; 11:30am-1:30pm via Zoom or in person at our Syracuse (215 Wyoming St) and Rochester (1 Mustard St) offices. 1/7, 1/14, 1/21, 1/28, 2/4, and 2/11. Sharpen your parenting skills and tackle today’s world’s problems with strategies that work. Participants completing all 6 sessions will receive a certificate.

Crisis Response Training: 5-7 pm via ZOOM or in person at our Rochester (1 Mustard) office. 1/7, 1/14, 1/21, and 1/28. Crisis response training offer caregivers support with preventing crises from occurring, de-escalating crisis, remaining calm in crisis situations, and using crisis as an opportunity for growth. A light dinner will be served.

Wednesdays
Parenting the Love and Logic Way; 6-8 pm via Zoom This course is six sessions: 1/8, 1/15, 1/22, 1/29, and 2/5. 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.

Wednesday January 8
How to Start the IEP Process: 9-11 am via Zoom. Learn the ways to start the Individualized Education Process (IEP), learn what the school’s obligations are and what to do if you encounter barriers.

Thursday, January 9
The Man Cave: 6-7pm via Zoom and in person at our Rochester office, (1 Mustard St). Come together as a group/male identifying folx to be heard, build community, engage in good conversation and good therapeutic discussions, explore and learn about helpful resources for men and their families, prepare for job readiness, learn how to make money and keep it, grow, rest, have fun, and heal.

Friday January 10
Goal Setting: 12-1:30 pm via Zoom and in person at our Syracuse office (215 Wyoming St.). This group will focus on goal setting and following through on personal plans in the new year.

Tuesdays
Parenting the Love and Logic Way-Adults Supporting Youth with Challenging Past: 10-12pm Via Zoom or in person at Patterson Library 40 S Portage Street Westfield 1/14,1/21,1/28,2/4,2/11,2/18. This 6-week class is designed to learn how trauma affects the brain, how it relates to behaviors, foundations for healing and how to apply Love and Logic Skills. Participants who complete the class will receive a certificate.

Tuesday, January 14
It Takes a Village: Caregiver Support Group 5:30-7:30pm via Zoom or in Person at Patterson Library 40 S Portage Street Westfield. A group of caregivers who connect to provide support to each other on the issues that caregivers face when raising children.

Wednesday, January 15
Parenting from the Heart: 1-2pm via Zoom: Learn useful parenting techniques that help to maintain positive and supportive relationships while still enforcing structure in a loving way.

Residential Mix & Mingle- Virtual 6:00-7:30pm The Residential Mix & Mingle is a place to meet with other
caregivers who have children in residential care. There will be a topic of discussion each
month and a time to connect with each other.

Thursday, January 16
Caregivers of Neurodivergent Kids (CONK) Group: The Importance of Routines 5:30-7pm via Zoom or in person at our Syracuse office, 215 Wyoming St. Join us as we explore strategies and share experiences parenting children who experience autism, ADHD, fetal alcohol spectrum, and more. Understand how routines play a role in providing consistency, stability, and independence for our children.

Wednesday, January 22
IEP vs 504: 9-11am Via Zoom. Join us to learn the differences between a IEP and a 504 plan, and how each can benefit your child’s education.

Thursday, January 23
The Man Cave: 6-7pm via Zoom and in person at our Rochester office (1 Mustard St). Come together as a group/male identifying folx to be heard, build community, engage in good conversation and good therapeutic discussions, explore and learn about helpful resources for men and their families, prepare for job readiness, learn how to make money and keep it, grow, rest, have fun, and heal.

Tuesday, January 28
It Takes a Village: Caregiver Support Group: 5:30-7:30pm via Zoom or-In Person at Prendergast Library 509 Cherry St Jamestown NY. A group of caregivers who connect to provide support to each other on the issues that caregivers face when raising children.

Friday, January 31
Spanish Support Group: 12-1 via Zoom Charla abierta para apoyar a los padres hispanohablantes
Únase a nosotros en una sesión breve y para compartir y reflexionar sobre el “Sentimiento del día”. Esta es una oportunidad para conectarse, fomentar la empatía y construir conexiones. Todos son bienvenidos a participar.

February 2025 Groups

Who can attend:
All Caregivers whose youth currently are receiving or have received Hillside services
Any Caregiver who resides in the following counties may also attend these groups: Chautauqua, Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming (no affiliation to Hillside req.)
Register at fen@hillside.com, by calling Carrie at (716) 220-6850, or your Hillside Family Peer Advocate
RSVP required 5 days prior to group
*****

Tuesdays

Active Parenting Continued; 11:30am-1:30pm via Zoom or in person at our Syracuse (215 Wyoming St) and Rochester (1 Mustard St) offices. Final two classes 2/4, and 2/11. Sharpen your parenting skills and tackle today’s world’s problems with strategies that work. Participants completing all 6 sessions will receive a certificate.

Parenting the Love and Logic Way-Adults Supporting Youth with Challenging Past Continued: 10-12pm Via Zoom or in person at Patterson Library 40 S Portage Street Westfield Last three classes,2/4,2/11,2/18. This 6-week class is designed to learn how trauma affects the brain, how it relates to behaviors, foundations for healing and how to apply Love and Logic Skills. Participants who complete the class will receive a certificate.

Parent Academy: 5:30-7 pm via ZOOM or in person at our Rochester (1 Mustard St) Office. Workshop dates 2/4,2/11,2/18,2/25,3/4. This 5-week workshop focuses on learning the basics of child development, prevention and safety, and how to talk to kids about difficult topics. Caregivers will understand how to best respond to safety needs and red flags online/offline depending on a child’s stage of development, intellectual abilities, and exposure to previous traumatic events. Light dinner served for those in person who RSVP

Thursday, February 6^th

Kid in a Book: 6-8 pm at our Batavia (50 Batavia City Center) office. Create an Organizational Binder to keep all your child’s IEP documentation together. Gain an understanding on what to keep at hand and what can be filed away. Please bring a 2inch or larger binder and 12-16 dividers along with all IEP documents.

Tuesday, February 11^th

It Takes a Village: Caregiver Support Group 5:30-7:30pm via Zoom or in Person at Patterson Library 40 S Portage Street Westfield. A group of caregivers who connect to provide support to each other on the issues that caregivers face when raising children.

Wednesday, February 12th

Preparing for Your Child’s Appointment: 9-11 am via ZOOM. This workshop is designed to learn ways to collect needed information for your children’s Medical and Mental Health appointments. Ways to prepare your youth, and strategies on discussing your concerns with your provider with the information you have collected.

Healthy Boundaries: 10:30-12 via ZOOM. Whether it’s our line of work, parenting or our personal lives, we all know how it feels to be put in a position where it is hard to know where to draw the line. It is essential to create and maintain healthy boundaries in interest of our own mental health and overall wellbeing. Advocate will share strategies and personal experiences with barriers as well as triumphs in creating and maintaining healthy boundaries in your daily lives.

ACCES-VR (Vocational Rehabilitation): 5:30-7 via ZOOM. Learn ways to assists individuals with disabilities to achieve and maintain employment and to support independent living through training, education, rehabilitation, and career development. Sara Wolf, Senior VR Counselor Transition and Youth Services, will give an overview of the application process to obtain services as well as the services that ACCESS VR offers for youth.

Thursday, February 13^th

No One Left Behind: 4:30-5:30 via ZOOM. In this workshop loved ones will learn strategies to maintain connection with family members/resources who are incarcerated or in rehabilitation centers.

The Man Cave: 6-7pm via Zoom and in person at our Rochester office (1 Mustard St). Come together as a group/male identifying folx to be heard, build community, engage in good conversation and good therapeutic discussions, explore and learn about helpful resources for men and their families, prepare for job readiness, learn how to make money and keep it, grow, rest, have fun, and heal.

Tuesday, February 18^th

Grief Presentation: 4-5 via ZOOM. In this workshop you will learn about Grief, ways to address it and how it effects your mental health.

Wednesday, February 19th

Residential Mix & Mingle- Virtual 6:00-7:30pm The Residential Mix & Mingle is a place to meet with other caregivers who have children in residential care. There will be a topic of discussion each month and a time to connect with each other.

Thursday, February 20^th

ODD Group: 3-4 via ZOOM or in person at our Rochester (1 Mustard St) office. This workshop will focus on interventions apply cognitive-behavioral principles and emphasize more effective problem-solving skills and anger control training for those diagnosis with Optional Defiance Disorder (ODD).

Friday, February 21^st

Mindfulness and Relaxation: 12:30-1:30 via ZOOM or in person at our Rochester (1 Mustard St) office. The workshop will be teaching both mindfulness and relaxation techniques to be used at any time including: deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and using the 5 senses.

Tuesday, February 25^th

It Takes a Village: Caregiver Support Group: 5:30-7:30pm via Zoom or-In Person at Prendergast Library 509 Cherry St Jamestown NY. A group of caregivers who connect to provide support to each other on the issues that caregivers face when raising children.

Thursday, February 27^th

What’s driving my emotions? Brain and Body Behaviors: 11-1 via ZOOM and in person at our Rochester (1 Mustard St) office. In this workshop you will learn about a multidisciplinary approach based on three distinct brain and body states in adults that drive behavior. Part 1

March 2025 Groups

Who can attend:
All Caregivers whose youth currently are receiving or have received Hillside services
Any Caregiver who resides in the following counties may also attend these groups: Chautauqua, Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming (no affiliation to Hillside req.)
Register at fen@hillside.com, by calling Carrie at (716) 220-6850, or your Hillside Family Peer Advocate
RSVP required 5 days prior to group
*****

Tuesdays

Parent Academy Continued: 5:30-7 pm via ZOOM or in person at our Rochester (1 Mustard St) Office. Last workshop 3/4. This 5-week workshop focuses on learning the basics of child development, prevention and safety, and how to talk to kids about difficult topics. Caregivers will understand how to best respond to safety needs and red flags online/offline depending on a child’s stage of development, intellectual abilities, and exposure to previous traumatic events. Light dinner served for those in person who RSVP

Active Parenting; 5-7 pm via Zoom or in person at our Syracuse (215 Wyoming St) and Rochester (1 Mustard St) offices. 3/18,3/25,4/1,4/8,4/18 and 4/22. Sharpen your parenting skills and tackle today’s world’s problems with strategies that work. Participants completing all 6 sessions will receive a certificate.

Wednesdays

Parenting the Love and Logic Way; 6-8 pm via Zoom. Dates 3/5,3/12,3/19,3/26,4/2, and 4/9. 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.

Financial Literacy: 12:15-1:30 via ZOOM or in person at our Rochester (1 Mustard St.) office. Dates 3/5,3/12,3/19 and,3/26. In this workshop you will learn financial literacy from Reliant Credit Union. This interactive series where participants will learn how to budget their money, save money, set financial goals, and achieve them! Pizza will be provided for participants who attend in person.

Wednesday March 6^th

Making time for Self Care: 6-7:30 via ZOOM. In this workshop you will learn about making time for self-care in our day to day lives!

Thursday, March 7^th

School Suspension/Discipline: 9-11 via ZOOM. This workshop is designed to provide caregivers with information on the school process for discipline, understand your rights as a caregiver and ways to work with the school if your child is experiencing discipline concerns in school.

Tuesday, March11^th

Wednesday, March 19th

Residential Mix & Mingle- Virtual 6:00-7:30pm The Residential Mix & Mingle is a place to meet with other caregivers who have children in residential care. There will be a topic of discussion each month and a time to connect with each other.

Thursday, March 20^th

Strategies to Support Your Child’s Mental Health: 9-11 via ZOOM. This workshop is designed to help caregivers lean ways to discuss and support their child’s mental health.

Parents ADHD Group: 4:30-5:30 via Zoom or in person at our Rochester Office (1 Mustard St) Learn the 8 stages of psychosocial development and the brain with ADHD Facilitators will provide help with treatment and tools for parents to manage and overcome the behaviors of ADHD

Tuesday, March 25^th

Sunday, March 30^th

Accessing Services in Your Community: 2-3:30 via ZOOM: This workshop is designed to learn what services may be available for your child in your community and how to access them.

Join Today!

To join one or more of the sessions on this page, click the link above or email FEN@hillside.com.

Please provide your phone number and you’ll be connected with a Hillside team member who can answer your questions and help you register.

Please note: RSVPs are required five days prior to any group.

Do you have ideas for a Group? Please send them to fen@hillside.com!

If you’re interested in learning more about FEN and joining the conversation, contact Hillside at fen@hillside.com or 585-256-7500.