Academy on Community Action

Registration and Access

To access the ACA you first must be registered. Once registered, return to this page and select the “Request Access to ACA” button to have log-in credentials created and emailed to you.

The FAM-Net Academy on Community Action (ACA) is designed, through a series of educational modules, to help anyone interested in advocating more effectively for their children, families and communities. In the United States, we live in a multicultural society, characterized in some communities by deep divisions around race, ethnicity, political leanings, and differing views about how to address major issues facing our society. So the challenge becomes how to work more effectively towards bridging these divisions while developing effective, equitable solutions. Where do we start, what might serve as a common bond? A good starting place is the aspirational goals outlined in the Declaration of Independence:

“…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all (people) are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness — that to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among (the people), deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

It then becomes the responsibility of the people, and the government institutions which serve the people, to ensure these values are achieved for all people, beginning with creating communities where everyone can thrive. Therefore, the goal of this program is to help you reinforce or expand your knowledge and skills to be a more effective advocate and leader in your family and community as our society continues the journey towards attaining these aspirational principles.

ACA has been designed to fit into your busy schedule. This is a 12 module, self-paced online learning academy that provides tools, strategies, and guidance on how to show up and speak up on behalf of your family and community as a courageous and empathetic leader.

Here is a look at the 12 online learning modules:

Lesson 1: Creating Thriving, Caring Communities – Parenting, Resilience and Advocacy

Lesson 2: What Makes for a Healthy Society and Our Role in It

Lesson 3: The Role of Politics and Government

Lesson 4: How Policies are Formed and Funded

Lesson 5: How We Obtain Information and Assess Its Accuracy

Lesson 6: What Are Ways to Get Plugged-In?

Lesson 7: Forming and Using Your Voice in Effective Ways

Lesson 8: Becoming Facilitative Leaders

Lesson 9: Turning Conflict into Positive Outcomes

Lesson 10: Venues and Forums for Community Deliberations

Lesson 11: Conducting a Community Inventory/Assessment

Lesson 12: From a Growth Mindset to Assessing Impact