ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Strengthening Christian Families Program International was developed in 2016 by Leslie Wannemacher as a response to a felt-need expressed by national colleagues while living in SE Asia.
The curriculum was updated and expanded in 2023 as Strengthening Communities and Families. This new version includes the addition of several new topics that had been requested by parents and teachers using the program.
The teaching manuals in the new curriculum give thorough explanations of the concepts with the addition of more examples, demonstration role-plays, activities, games, and handouts.
Strengthening Communities and Families can be adapted and used in multiple cultural contexts.
The Strengthening Christian Families Program International is an adaptation of the Strengthening Families Program (SFP).
The SFP was developed in 1982 by Dr. Karol Kumpfer, Ph.D. and associates, with funding from the National Institute of Drug Abuse. It is an evidence-based parenting program designed to help parents and children develop happier family relationships and to help keep children addiction-free. It has been updated and proven effective with families in all 50 states in the USA and 36 foreign countries. The SFP was updated in 2015 with a video series for families, by Karol Kumpfer and Jaynie Brown.
The key concepts of the Strengthening Communities and Families curriculum are adapted, with permission, from the Strengthening Families Program, along with additional content from the Bible and other resources sited at the end of the manuals.
LESLIE WANNEMACHER
Leslie works with SIL Global. She is the developer and coordinator of the Strengthening Christian Families Program International. She has lived with her husband in Southeast Asia for 36 years where they raised their 3 children. She is an educator, and has done graduate work in linguistics. Leslie taught elementary students at an international school in Thailand for 14 years. The switch to strengthening families through Scripture engagement began 10 years ago in response to the overwhelming need expressed by local people in the context of mainland Southeast Asia.
