Youth, Family, & Community Engagement
Helping schools and community teams turn listening into strategy — and partnerships into impact.
You know engagement matters. But building a system for it is another story.
You’ve got a vision for what family and student partnership could look like — authentic, relational, meaningful. But getting there isn’t easy. School staff are stretched thin. Most were never trained in family engagement.
And while you may see bright spots across your district, it’s hard to move from pockets of success to consistent, widespread shifts in mindset and practice.
That’s where we come in.
We help teams approach family and student engagement as a way to shift school culture — not just add new activities.
That means building staff capacity and creating space for real collaboration within existing systems. From making School Site Councils more participatory to bringing student and family voices into classroom planning, we help you embed listening and partnership into everyday practice.
We’re qualitative researchers by training—and professional listeners at heart. We’ve led dozens of listening campaigns, facilitated hundreds of empathy interviews, lifted up scores of promising practices, and helped teams build clear, actionable roadmaps. Our work is grounded in practice, backed by research, and shaped by what we’ve learned from students and families themselves.
You might come to us for support with:
Train Your Team
We build your team’s capacity — from family liaisons to community school coordinators — to lead restorative, participatory practices like empathy interviews and listening circles. This helps shift the culture from outreach to genuine relationship-building.
So that your team can engage families and students in ways that build trust, deepen connection, and spark meaningful change.
Strengthen District Strategy
We support you in developing a clear theory of action and a practical plan for strengthening family and student engagement across your district. This includes setting shared goals, aligning efforts, and defining how you’ll measure progress.
So that your engagement work moves from isolated events to an intentional, districtwide strategy.
Embed Engagement into Existing Structures
We help you identify concrete ways to weave student and family voice into the work you’re already doing — like SPSA planning, LCAP development, or facilities planning. It’s not about adding more — it’s about doing what you already do, differently.
Engagement becomes part of how your system works — not one more thing to manage.
Assess System Strengths and Gaps
We assess current school-family partnership practices to surface what’s working, where there are gaps, and how to move forward. Our approach highlights both assets and opportunities — not just problems to fix.
So that your next steps are grounded in real experience, not guesswork.
Community Listening, Needs & Asset Mapping
We work with you to center the voices of those most impacted. Through listening sessions, surveys, and participatory design methods, we help you understand community priorities, identify patterns, and build from strength — not just need.
Your programs are shaped by the people they’re meant to serve — and more likely to succeed because of it.
Want to Learn More?
Talk With Us
Whether you're exploring possibilities or already have a project in mind, we’ll help you sharpen your focus and explore smart ways to move forward.
Here’s how to take the next step — no pressure, no heavy lift.
1
Book a Call
Start by scheduling a quick, no-pressure call with the Heartwise team. Pick a time that works for you so we can learn more about each other and what you’re looking for.
2
We Explore Fit
We’ll ask some questions, listen closely, and learn about your goals and context. We’ll also share some initial ideas for how we might be able to help.
3
We Plan Next Steps
If it feels like a good match, we’ll follow up with a second session to co-design a scope of work based on your priorities. If not, we’re happy to point you towards other helpful resources.
*Curious about cost?
Most Heartwise projects range from $15,000–$80,000. We shape each scope of work collaboratively — pairing your priorities with the level of support it takes to reach them.