Marriage mentoring is a marriage education strategy that pairs an experienced couple alongside a younger couple to help them navigate through the ups and downs of their relationship. The amount of time the two couples stay connected varies, but generally averages six to twelve months. A successful mentor relationship can last informally for years. This […]
Recruiting and retaining men from any culture in a family services program or entity that has traditionally served women and children can, at best, be considered a token gesture. Admittedly, there are many emotions surrounding the topic of how to get men to do what they are “supposed to do!” Agencies designed to serve men […]
There is not consensus among practitioners or researchers as to who is/is not appropriate for MRE. However, most MRE programs are not generally designed to work with highly distressed couples (Retrouvaille is one such program) or those requiring intensive intervention (for issues related to substance abuse, mental health problems, infidelity, etc.). In fact, MRE is […]
The rate of divorce for first marriages is slightly higher for interracial couples than it is for couples that marry within their race. Many interracial and interethnic couples attend marriage/relationship education (MRE) workshops because they experience relationship challenges that are related to their racial/ ethnic background. People/families from different parts of the world can have […]
Marriage education generally offers useful skills for couples. Nevertheless, practitioners may need to adapt curriculum materials to help participants learn and remember lessons. This tip sheet provides strategies for fine tuning programs toward the African American community. The tips can be applied to any curriculum, but it is important to note that marriage educators should […]
Have you ever asked yourself how you can possibly teach others about healthy marriage when you are struggling in your own relationship? If you answered yes, then this tip sheet is for you. At times, your personal circumstances might seem significant enough to decline a facilitation opportunity or to prompt a decision to stop teaching […]
Couples having a baby are an audience who benefit greatly from marriage/relationship education (MRE). Having a baby is an especially important opportunity for unmarried couples to assess their relationships. To keep unmarried couples involved in your MRE program, it is beneficial to respect that they are facing many difficult choices and that you are there […]
Marriage and relationship education (MRE) and responsible fatherhood (RF) programs share the goal of improving the lives of children by strengthening the interpersonal skills of their parents. The origins of these program areas are distinct: MRE began primarily as a way to prepare couples for marriage whereas RF was originally designed to prepare unmarried fathers […]
The nation’s Child Support Enforcement (CSE) program is a federal/state/tribal/local partnership to promote family self-sufficiency and child well-being. In most states, approximately half of all child support orders are established and enforced by a federal and state financed child support enforcement entity known as the IV-D program (from Title IV-D of the Social Security Act). […]
One way to strengthen Hispanic families and give hope to our society is to promote healthy relationships among couples and make marriage a priority. It is very important to develop a campaign in which the male figure in Hispanic families is motivated to engage in his relationship with his wife and children. Hispanic men need […]