Strengthening Families Program for caregivers and youth aged 10-14
• Learn how to talk more as a Family.
• Learn better ways to Handle Conflict.
• Learn ways to deal with Peer Pressure.
• Have a better relationship between Parents & Children.
Upcoming Sessions:
Bellingham Area
Program in English
April 14 – May 26, 2026
Tuesdays, 5:30pm-8:00pm
Kulshan Middle School
1250 Kenoyer Dr. Bellingham, 98229
English Program Flyer for Bellingham (pdf)
Lynden Area
Program in English
April 14 – May 26, 2026
Tuesdays, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Dinner meets at 5:30pm
Lynden Middle School
8750 Line Rd., Lynden, 98264
English Program Flyer for Lynden (pdf)
Blaine Area
Program in English
April 16 – May 28, 2026
Thursdays, 6:00pm-8:30pm
Blaine Boys and Girls Club
635 8th St. Blaine, 98230
English Program Flyer for Blaine (pdf)
Over 7 weeks, youth and caregivers learn…
| Youth Sessions | Caregiver Sessions |
| – Having Goals and Dreams – Appreciating Parents – Dealing with Stress – Following Rules – Dealing with Peer Pressure – Peer Pressure and Good Friends – Reaching out to Others |
– Practicing Love and Limits – Making House Rules – Encouraging Good Behavior – Using Consequences – Building Bridges – Protecting against Substance Use – Accessing Community Resources |
Family Activities
These include: Supporting goals and dreams, appreciating family members, understanding family values, using family meetings, building family communication, and reaching goals.
Program contact: wsu.whatcom@wsu.edu
Please note: This program is intended for any family seeking to guide youth and teach children the skills to avoid peer pressure and deal with stress. It is not a remedial program.
List of Resources
Strengthening Families Program Brochure:
English Version (pdf) • Spanish Version (pdf)
The Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth 10-14 Years (SFP) is a nationally recognized curriculum that provides parent, youth and family education. The model is designed to be delivered in local communities for groups of 7-12 families. Educational programs that bring parents and their children together in learning environments strengthen entire families.
• 7-week program
• Once a week; typically 5:30 pm – 8 pm
• Dinner is provided for the family
• Pre-registration is required.
• Get notified of new programs starting
Whatcom County families have been participating in the program since 2002. Current programs are being offered in both English and Spanish.
For detailed information on the program, please go to our statewide SFP website: http://sfp.wsu.edu
Strengthening Families Program
for caregivers and youth aged 10-14
Program contact:
Victoria Mayers
victoria.mayers@wsu.edu
SFP Podcast (English & Spanish)
https://www.facebook.com/
StrengtheningFamiliesWhatcom/
“A Parent’s Perspective”
(Running time 3:34)
“Group Leaders”
(Running time 25:54)
“Parents, Group Leaders and more”
(Running time 5:10)
The following videos were recorded in Spanish, captioned in English.
“Parent Participants”
(Running time 5:02) (Recorded in Spanish, captioned in English)
“Ana, a Parent Participant”
(Running time 4:18) (Recorded in Spanish, captioned in English)
“Ignacio, a Parent Participant”
(Running time 2:31) (Recorded in Spanish, captioned in English)