The Missoula County Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) is a free, 20-week, anti-racist civics, advocacy, and leadership course that empowers parents and caregivers to become leading advocates for children. PLTI includes childcare support, meals, and transportation assistance for participants, as needed.
Each year, Missoula PLTI is open to 20 Missoula County parents, grandparents, foster parents and other adults who wish to improve the lives of children and families in their communities. Annual cohorts begin in January, with applications opening in the summertime. The 20-week intensive training program meets (mostly) weekly, with the schedule primarily determined by participants.
Our next session will begin in January 2025! Sign up here to be notified when applications open for our next cohort
2023 PLTI cohort at their graduation ceremony
What is PLTI?
PLTI is a free, 20-week, anti-racist civics and leadership course that empowers parents and caregivers to become leading advocates for children. This intensive program is great for folks who want to learn how to improve our community but don't yet have the skills or knowledge to be confident and effective.
PLTI is a national program with 30 years of experience across the nation and a local program of United Way of Missoula County's Zero to Five initiative.
Who Should Apply?
PLTI is open to 20 Missoula County parents, grandparents, foster parents, and other adults who wish to improve the lives of children and families in their community.
PLTI thrives with diversity and our participants’ interests vary widely, from attendance policies at school and allotments in the state budget to access to mental healthcare and improving community support for refugee families.
If you are on the fence or have questions, we encourage you to apply! We’ll touch base to schedule a 30-minute meet-and-greet, during which you can learn more about the program and make sure it’s right for you.
What Will I Learn?
The PLTI curriculum includes:
A full-day retreat, to build relationships and develop goals among the cohort members.
Phase 1: A 10-week course on equity, understanding your personal history, and building trust across differences.
Phase 2: A 10-week study of politics, policy, media, and local government.
A Community Impact Project. Each leader develops their own community project that seeks to solve a problem affecting Missoula children and families. Leaders are given 1:1 support from the PLTI Site Coordinator and offered a local mentor.
PLTI offers the chance to meet with local and state-level policymakers, elected officials, media professionals, and experienced community leaders.
How do we reduce barriers to participation?
We know that PLTI is a huge commitment and we do everything we can to help identify and address barriers to participation. Missoula County PLTI is offered free of charge to participating families and includes:
Child care! Free, on-site childcare for school-aged youth in partnership with Missoula Parks & Rec and/or childcare stipends during weekly sessions for toddlers, infants, or kids for whom on-site childcare isn't the right fit.
Food! Free on-site meals for participants and their families. Each weekly session includes a family meal.
Transportation assistance if needed.
Impact
Nationally, PLTI’s thousands of graduates have gone on to write letters to the editor, testify before local and state governments, start nonprofit organizations, and even run for office. Graduates of Missoula’s PLTI program have pursued a wide variety of community projects, including:
The first-in-Montana refugee-led organization solely focused on serving the needs of forcibly displaced families living in Montana
A clearinghouse listing summer camp opportunities
Peer-to-peer mentoring for parents of teens with mental health challenges
A social group for single mothers in need of social connection and friendship
Civil discourse between gun reform advocates and gun rights advocates, with the goal of increasing safety for kids in schools
An after-school cooking class for elementary-aged kids
And so much more!
Application Process
The quick-and-easy online application opens each summer.
In the fall, a member of the Missoula PLTI team will reach out for an informal, 30-minute meet-and-greet to get to know you better and to answer any questions you might have.
After the final application deadline, 20 participants will be selected with consideration given to their ability to attend the entire session and the diversity of the group as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Community Impact Project?
During the course, each participant will develop and undertake a community impact project to address a community problem that they are passionate about! The community impact project is where participants apply the skills they’re learning in class.
Our PLTI Site Coordinator works one-on-one with each participant to help you identify a project, make a plan, and get connected to the people who can help you meet your goals. (It’s okay if nothing is coming to mind; we’ll figure it out!)
Your project could lead you to research school policies, improve resources for students struggling with mental health, shine a light on gaps in the childcare system, or improve safety in your neighborhood. We help you every step of the way and pair you with a community mentor who will help you think about and pursue whatever your project may be.
How much homework is there?
Applicants can expect to spend at least one hour doing classwork between our biweekly sessions, although some folks will spend significantly more time on PLTI work outside of class.
We assign homework at the end of each class but understand that our participants often have multiple jobs and multiple kids to take care of and that life always has other plans. If you can’t get the homework done every week, that is ok; we want you to feel supported and encouraged to do what you can while prioritizing your family’s well-being!
Your primary out-of-class responsibility will be to work on your community project plan at a pace that works for you. You must complete the project plan by the end of the course, but are not expected to complete the project itself. This work is done outside of class with ample support from PLTI staff.
How can I stay in the loop about future PLTI classes?
Sign up here to be notified when applications open for our next cohort!
What Alumni Say About PLTI
“What I have learned through PLTI is that every parent has the power to make positive change happen, no matter how big or small.”
“PLTI means empowerment, knowledge, confidence and translating passion into action. PLTI makes you rise above yourself to understand issues around us and work toward solutions.”
“It’s not about left or right... It’s about making the community better for our kids.”
“I wanted to participate in the community my children will grow up in and participate in something they would be proud of and bring others joy. As a single mother, I wanted to create a project that brings fun and friendship to a rather isolated community in Missoula.”
“I've been politically motivated and driven by activism since I was a young kid - writing letters to my governor and corporations in elementary school, staging anti-war sit-ins in high school, organizing with my professional union, etc. But after our son was born, I found myself just ranting on Facebook instead of taking action. PLTI was an opportunity to gain the tools and knowledge to be an effective leader in our community, and not just a voice on social media.”
2023 Missoula County PLTI Team
Rajiem Seabrook, Facilitator
Joby McCarthy, Facilitator
Destini Vale, Facilitator
Andi Hoelzel, Facilitator
Sam Duncan, Site Coordinator
Our Civic Design Team members
Jennifer Banna, Montana Family to Family Health Information Center
