Performing Department
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Non Technical Summary
As of 2023, the United States military force includes over 2 million volunteer service members and nearly 800,000 civilians, over 40 percent of whom are parents. According to the Department of Defense (https://www.defense.gov/Spotlights/Month-of-the-Military-Child), over 1.6 million military children face unique experiences and challenges due to their parents' service.Military-connected youth often experience stressors that their non-military-connected peers don't face due to the unique structure and situations of living as a military dependant. Evidence shows that multiple or frequent permanent changes in stations often cause additional strain on families. These moves, as well as extended or frequent deployment cycles, can lead to depression, anxiety, and behavior problems in children, along with psychological distress in service members and spouses.Youth often experience stressors associated with post-deployment or the reintegration of the service member with their family. Though homecoming is a potentially joyful time, it requires the reorganization and rebalancing of the family, which may have been functioning without the presence of the military member for months or even years. Military youth are also impacted by parents returning with injuries, both seen and unseen, and the adjustment required in family routine, roles, and relationships.OCONUS-based DAF-connected youth also experience the challenge of living in a new country while understanding its culture, customs, traditions, and language. As military families often move, providing OCONUS youth with the same opportunities and experiences as their peers living in CONUS is crucial. OCONUS youth have the same developmental needs as their CONUS peers, yet they are without immediate connection/access to the LGU Extension system and programming such as 4-H. Ensuring equality in programming offered at OCONUS DAF CYP Centers is challenging without targeted funds to support OCONUS efforts.The Department of the Air Force (DAF) 4-H Military Outreach and Support Project (4-HMP) addresses these challenges by providing consistent, high-quality 4-H programs that adapt to the needs of military families. The DAF 4-HMP addresses these needs by promoting collaboration, open communication, exchange of information, and development of resources to accelerate the delivery of enterprise-wide 4-H programming to Air and Space Force-connected youth living in the continental United States.Through collaboration with land-grant universities nationwide, the DAF 4-HMP will allow DAF-connected youth to participate in 4-H clubs, camps, and other positive youth development experiences. The project will also afford DAF Child and Youth Program (CYP) professionals with professional development experiences to enhance their ability to provide robust and research-based youth programming on the installations and in local communities.Ultimately, this project builds resiliency, provides a sense of belonging, encourages positive choices, and fosters healthy living on and around Air and Space Force installations worldwide, allowing U.S. military service men and women to remain mission-ready.
Animal Health Component
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Research Effort Categories
Basic
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Applied
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Developmental
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Goals / Objectives
Through sub-awards to other Land-grant Universities and professional development opportunities created by project partners, Kansas State University will increase access to 4-H research-based resources and training for 4-H professionals and volunteers who serve Air and Space Force-connected youth and expand the reach of 4-H programming to additional families living on Air and Space Force installations and civilian communities outside the continental United States (OCONUS).Objectives:The K-State Project Teamwill host two in-person training events for OCONUS-based DAF CYP professionals, during which they will receive hands-on/experiential learning opportunities on essential elements of positive youth development programming.Washington State University will host the Facilitate the Awesome training curricula for up to 60 OCONUS-based DAF professionals.The K-State Project team will develop a sub-award competition for land-grant universities to create and expand 4-H clubs, 4-H camps, and other 4-H programs for Air and Space Force-connected youth on or around OCONUS installations.K-State will employ the DAF 4-H Youth Development Professional to provide education, resources, and assistance to OCONUS-based DAF CYP professionals to enhance their 4-H programs and support all project activities.
Project Methods
Efforts focused on DAF-connected youth will include formal and informal classroom instruction and other learning experiences offered through 4-H clubs, camps, and programmatic opportunities. We anticipate two sub-awardees will offer at least one camp experience for DAF-connected youth (one each in the Europe and the Pacific regions).DAF CYP professionals will receive formal and informal classroom instruction (in-person and virtually) on the elements of positive youth development, including 4-H curricula, experiential learning, and program evaluation. In addition, DAF CYP professionals will receive outreach and technical support offered by the DAF 4-H Youth Development Specialist. The DAF 4-H Youth Development Specialist will conduct a needs assessment/survey at the beginning of the project period. The survey results will identify the type, frequency, delivery mode, and level of support the Specialist will offer DAF professionals.Regular evaluations will ensure that the program meets its outcomes. K-State will deploy a multifaceted data collection, analysis, and utilization approach. Evaluation plans include:Post-professional development training surveys for DAF-CYP professionalsQuarterly reports and annual impact statements for sub-awardees providing youth programming such as 4-H camps, clubs, and opportunities.Quarterly reports and impact statements for sub-awardees providing continuous outreach and support for DAF OCONUS regions.These reporting methods will help track and evaluate engagement and the qualitative impact on DAF-CYP youth and professionals. Outputs to be collected include:The number of OCONUS-based DAF-connected youth involved in project-funded 4-H programming.The number of training events, resources, and technical support opportunities offered to OCONUS-based DAF CYP professionals.The number of OCONUS-based DAF CYP professionals reached.K-State will share the results of all evaluation efforts with USDA-NIFA program managers and DAF leadership via the annual REEport and, as requested, at other times throughout the performance period.