Monthly
Column
Commons
Sense:
By
Peggy Small Porter
June, 2009
Being
a parent is a most incredible journey. It is wonderful
- it is scary - it is the most important “job”
- it can feel impossible - it is a pure leap of faith
- it sometimes feels thankless - it is absolutely amazing.
One might say it is the ultimate challenge - the greatest
transformation for all involved.
In
considering all that occurs in the process of raising
a child, all the opportunity, all the potential…who
does not need support in the role of parenting? Who does
not need guidance in understanding their child’s
development and behavior in order to learn how best to
support their child’s next steps? Who does not need
guidance in understanding the changes happening within
themselves as a parent? Add to the mix the sometimes bewildering
path of raising a child with developmental challenges,
the support and guidance may be even more critical. That
community need that inspired the vision for the Richie
McFarland Children’s Center (RMCC) nearly 40 years
ago.
Our
organization was founded by a small group of Seacoast
parents raising children with special needs. They were
determined to create social, educational and therapeutic
opportunities for their children that did not exist in
their own community all the while supporting one another
along the way. Today (RMCC) serves well over 350 families
each year from 24 towns in the greater Seacoast area.
The
mission of RMCC is to help young children reach their
full developmental potential and to support their families
through out that process. We provide developmental and
therapeutic services for children, offer support and education
to their families and provide guidance in accessing community
and health resources. We are known for our expertise in
early identification and intervention for children with
special needs, and that competency translates well in
supporting the growth and development of “typically
developing” children as well. Therefore, many of
our programs welcome children of all abilities. And although
RMCC has served thousands of children and families over
the past forty years, we continue to hear from families
how difficult it was for them to find us…it seems
that those who need our services the most can have the
hardest time getting connected.
Over
the years, our organization has discovered that the best
way to help families find and access the compliment of
supports (RMCC) provides is through strong partnerships
among the service providers from various agencies. Yes,
marketing is important, but families feel more supported
when they are referred to an organization by a trusted
provider. And when two (or more) organizations commit
to collaboratively serving a child or family it makes
those services more comprehensive and they feel less fragmented.
Effective interagency partnerships can make all the difference
in weaving a network of supports for children and their
families.
That
effort is the driving force behind our agency’s
commitment to the vision of Squamscott Community Commons.
The terms associated with multi-tenant nonprofit centers
include a list of benefits such as collaborative programming,
integrated services, cost sharing, and strategic partnerships.
For RMCC it all boils down to one primary --- to improve
the quality of community and family life by adding our
unique expertise to the mix of tenant agencies committed
to providing social, health, recreational, cultural and
education opportunities for all. That is what makes SCC
such a compelling initiative for our RMCC.
Being
under one roof will not only gain greater efficiency through
cost sharing and economies of scale it will put each of
the six organizations in the best position to achieve
greater effectiveness on behalf of all those served. Co-location
will strengthen our organization’s identity, enhance
our connectedness to a broader constituency and ultimately
serve to get our message out to more individuals. It can
be very difficult to raise a child with a developmental
delay or disability or serious medical complications.
Families facing this additional challenge often need extra
help in establishing connections and building a support
system.
Being
at Squamscott Community Commons will create a “neighborhood”
for families served by our agency. There will be greater
opportunities to network informally with other families,
all of whom have embarked on their own unique journey
whether they are raising a child with special needs or
not. Equally important is the opportunity to walk with
a family down the hall and formally introduce them to
any of the other tenant agencies that exist to promote
family strength and children’s development each
in their own special way.
Our
agency is one very small but important part of the safety
net for children and families. Woven together with Exeter
Center for Creative Arts, Great Bay Kids Company, Rockingham
Community Action, Seacare Health Services, and the YMCA
we are larger, stronger and more accessible to all families.
The transformation helps each one of us reach our potential.
--
Peggy Small Porter, Executive Director, Richie McFarland
Children’s Center.
