Partnering to Support National Guard

1
Partnering to Support National Guard and
Reserve Youth and Families
2
Operation Military Kids 4-H serving military
families in our own backyard

• Military Kids who live in local communities
• Suddenly have different needs, but still look
  the same
• Discover their world is turned upside down
• Find usual support systems no longer are
  relevant
• Lack connections to each other
• Impacted by intensity/frequency of media
  coverage

Extension staff, volunteers and 4-H youth, along
with schools and other community groups can form
new support systems and reach out to military
youth and their families in the various stages of
the deployment cycle.
3
Identified Issues for Children and Youth in
National Guard and Reserve Families

• Lack of educator awareness and sensitivity to
  needs of children / youth of deployed members
• Possible transition from one school to another
• Scholastic achievement / opportunities
• Understanding the media
• Lack of community awareness of and support for
  family needs
• Few resources to help parents and children cope
• Lack of proximity to installation Child and Youth
  Services programs
• Accessibility and affordability of child care,
  after-school programs and youth activities
  children home alone
• Lack of summer programs for military connected
  children / youth

4
Identified Issues for Children and Youth in
National Guard and Reserve Families (continued)

• Geographically dispersed families and lack of
  connection with other youth and families in
  similar situation
• Child separation/anxiety issues regarding safety
  of deployed parent
• Communication with deployed parent
• Deployed parent absent for significant events
• Less parental involvement from parent at home
• Need to live with extended family
• Changes in financial resources
• Limited opportunities for youth to attend
  extracurricular activities
• Teens having increased care of home and younger
  siblings
• Behavioral changes, peer pressure, lower
  self-esteem

5
Operation Military Kids 4-H serving military
families in our own backyard

• WHAT 4-H Component of Operation Military
  Kids... An Army Child and Youth Services
  Partnership with USDA/4-H, the Military Child
  Education Coalition, Boys Girls Clubs of
  America, The National Military Family
  Association, and other private organizations
  servicing military youth
• WHY To help relieve the stress on Military
  children and youth impacted by the Global War on
  Terrorism- particularly those with deployed
  parents.
• BY WHOM AYDP Project Staff, OMK State Pilot
  Sites, 4-H / Extension staff
• WHEN Jan 2004 and beyond
• HOW
• Awareness Workshops for school/community
  personnel and non military youth
• Mock deployment experiences , Youth Lock-ins,
  Camps, targeted programming for school-age,
  middle school and teen children/youth
• On-going support mechanisms, i.e., mentoring,
  adopting a family, youth buddy systems,
  educational support programs, Speak out for
  Military Kids
• Promotional materials targeting various audiences

6
Operation Military Kids 4-H serving military
families in our own backyard
Guiding Principles

• Partnerships and joint commitment at the federal,
  state and local level are critical.
• Rapid response to the issues is necessary to
  affect change.
• Youths best interests are paramount.
• Programs must be replicable.
• Programs must be sustainable.

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Operation Military Kids 4-H serving military
families in our own backyard
Program Components

• Building Infrastructure Support
• Identifying target audiences, needs, community
  partners and resources
• Establishing communication links
• Marketing the program
• Implementing Educational Program Options
• Educating the Community Speak Out for Military
  Kids
• Communication connecting with deployed parents,
  understanding media
• Changing Roles and Responsibilities
  decision-making, coping, finances
• Providing training on Supporting the Children of
  Those Who Serve in the National Guard and
  Reserve
• The Basics understanding the National Guard,
  Reserve and deployment
• Issues and Insights increasing awareness of
  youth and family issues
• Response and Resilience exploring potential
  community responses
• Actions and Reactions developing action steps

8
Operation Military Kids 4-H serving military
families in our own backyard
Speak Out for Military Kids

• Raises community awareness of issues facing
  geographically dispersed military youth and
  families
• Uses youth-planned and led simulations,
  interviews and research to help youth understand
  situations facing suddenly military
  youth/families
• Develops a speakers bureau where youth share
  experiences and issues through speeches, PSAs,
  videos and other materials conducted at schools,
  4-H Clubs, Boys Girls Clubs and other youth and
  community organizations

9
Strategies for Connecting with Schools

• Contact identified key resource people at the
  school, school district or region use your
  local network
• Teachers, counselors, principals, vice-principals
• Resource coordinators at schools or school
  districts
• Regional education service centers
• Offer training and materials to increase
  educators understanding of issues facing
  suddenly military children and youth
• Conduct training during teacher in-service days
• Make linkages between the information being
  offered, coping and transition strategies and,
  where appropriate, academic subjects
• Work around school holidays and major events when
  planning community support activities for
  children and youth
• Ensure that the focus is always on improving
  outcomes for children and youth

Educators hunger for information that can help
them better serve children and youth.
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Strategies for After-school Programs

• Learn about issues faced by children of deployed
  parents be aware of how these may impact program
  participants
• Involve current participants as buddies for new
  children
• Offer free hours of respite care
• Provide mentors to assist with homework
• Incorporate supportive materials through book
  clubs, art activities, computer labs and life
  skill sessions
• Partner with other community organizations to
  provide programs for children during an evening
  or weekend Family Readiness Group meeting

11
Supporting Middle School and High School Youth

• Learn about the issues and challenges facing
  older youth of deployed parents, especially when
  they assume parental roles
• Encourage Veterans and other community groups to
  provide scholarships for extracurricular
  activities
• Find adults or other youth to provide respite
  care for younger siblings
• Recruit mentors to assist with homework and other
  school challenges
• Partner with other community organizations to
  provide programs for older youth during an
  evening or weekend Family Readiness Group meeting

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Operation Military Kids 4-H serving military
families in our own backyard

• Operation Military Kids Pilot States
• Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa,
• North Carolina, Washington
• California, Florida, Maryland, Missouri,
• New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas,
  Virginia

13
4-H Resource Connections

• 4-H Specialists HQDA and Regions
• cfsc_at_usda-army-ydp.org
• 4-H State Military Liaisons, State 4-H Offices
  and
• County 4-H Agents/Educators
• Connections in the Community Schools,
  Commissions, Committees
• and other Youth Organizations
• School Enrichment Programs
• Teacher Training
• Military 4-H Club Grants
• Web Sites
• National 4-H Headquarters (USDA)
• http//www.national4-hheadquarters.gov
• National 4-H Youth Directions Council
• http//www.n4-hydc.org/who/
• USDA/Army Youth Development Project
• http//www.usda-army-ydp.org
• CYFERnet Children, Youth Families Education
  Research
• Network http//www.cyfernet.mes.umn.edu
• National 4-H Council

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Other Resource Connections

• Web Sites
• Army and Air National Guard Family Programs
• http//www.guardfamily.org
• Military Child Education Coalition
• http//www.militarychild.org
• Department of Defense Educational Opportunities
• http//www.militarystudent.org
• Army Community Service Operation READY
• http//www.armycommunityservice.org
• Department of Defense Military Family Resource
  Center
• http//www.mfrc-dodqol.org
• Department of Defense DeploymentLINK (Deployment
  Health Support)
• http//www.deploymentlink.osd.mil
• Department of Defense
• http//www.defenselink.mil