1.We find families

Family by Family finds and meets families in places that are already part of the family routine.We run pop up stalls in supermarkets, malls, fast food restaurants and parks to meet both seeking and sharing families.We also work with local services and organisations to connect families to Family by Family using language and materials that give families a strong sense that this comes from families – not professionals.

2.We resource and train sharing families

Families are Family by Family’s biggest resource! We hire and train families who are now living a life with more ups than downs, and want to share their strategies and stories with others. Through family camps and weekly coaching sessions
we build on a family’s natural style and strategies rather than school them in a professional approach. Enabling change for another family is often a new concept for our sharing families.

3.We link-up sharing families with seeking families

Family by Family brings together trained sharing families with families who want something to change. We call this a link-up. Link- ups last for 10 weeks. Some families find they need more time to work on the things they want to change and may go on to do multiple link-ups (up to 30 weeks). Sharing families are paid a grant to attend weekly team coaching, however volunteer their time for families.

4.We coach link-ups

Change in Family by Family is led by families, but supported by professional family coaches with experience in enabling change.The family coach meets regularly with the seeking and sharing families to keep the link-ups focused on change. Coaches help match families, manage risk and most importantly provide ideas, motivational support, troubleshooting and professional know-how when needed.

5.We create change

Link-ups start with families getting to know each other, chatting, sharing stories and doing fun stuff together. Once there’s a trusting relationship established both families begin working on the seeking family’s goals together. Sharing families walk alongside, encourage, show how and celebrate small wins, enabling seeking families to gain confidence before going it alone. Towards the end of a link-up a sharing family will encourage their link up family to do things without them. Link-ups regularly connect families to things like sporting clubs, voluntary work, coffee clubs, playgroups, therapeutic groups, children’s centres
and local libraries as well as services when required.

6.We measure change

Family by Family works to create and measure four kinds of change with and for both kinds of families. A change in family goals, a change in family attitudes, a change in family behaviours, and an increase in the number and quality of social connections. Families sign up to Family by Family to work on a particular goal, but through exposure to a new way of doing family, often shift their goals as their level of insight increases.We use a series of tools to help families identify what they want to change, and to track those changes over time.