Progress 09/15/05 to 12/14/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The Army Youth Development Project and Operation Military Kids initiative completed five years of supporting USDA/NIFA in its joint projects with the U.S. Army. All of this work was directed at building capacity to support military families and their children and youth. Because of the complexity of this initiative, outputs included activities, events, services, and products. Activities included the ongoing provision of technical assistance in areas related to technology and to program development, and were carried out by project specialists located in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Hawaii. This technical assistance was focused on computer laboratories located on Army garrisons, and on garrison Child, Youth and School Services personnel responsible for programming for children and youth. Events included periodic trainings for project specialists, for professionals at the garrison level, for volunteers who work with youth,and for youth. For example, technology training for youth was held at the National 4-H Center, thus enabling youth from Army garrisons around the world to be skilled in technology consonant with their participation in youth development programs. Services included the provision by Virginia Tech project staff and by project specialists of support for developing and procuring materials to enhance programming for youth. Products included a monitoring system for Operation Military Kids, so that collaborations in communities could be documented. PARTICIPANTS: This project was directed by Dr. Jay A. Mancini, now on the faculty at The University of Georgia. He was assisted by Mr. William Giles, who was responsible for all logistics related to meeting project goals. Dr. Lydia Marek, of Virginia Tech, provided occasional consultation on project tasks; Dr. Marek is now the director of project related activities at Virginia Tech. Dr. Angela Huebner provided support for all tasks related to OMK monitoring, and several doctoral candidates at Virginia Tech worked on all project tasks (Bradford Wiles, John Butler, and Sarah McElhaney). TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences were spread across the United States and across the world. Our primary consumers of what the project provided were located at every Army garrison worldwide, that is, their Child, Youth and School Services programs and personnel. Other primary consumers were Extension professionals in all fifty states and who were associated with Operation Military Kids. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
As a result of the outputs named above, the following outcomes were achieved. First, there was effective support of developmental activities related to programming for youth at Army garrisons worldwide. For example, youth computer labs had greater capacity to support new programming for children and youth. Second, effective support was provided for the initiation, implementation, and assessment of Operation Military Kids activities in the U.S. Because OMK is a relatively new initiative, much of the Virginia Tech effort was directed to supporting early program implementation. Third, effective support was provided to teams of professionals worldwide who develop learning and support programs for children and youth in Army families. Fourth, activities of the larger project management team were improved through effective participation in planning and execution of project initiatives. This work, accomplished by the several land grant universities associated with this project, was recognized by USDA with the 2006 Group Honor Award.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/15/07 to 09/14/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Technical assistance was provided to Army installation staff in development, maintenance, and upgrading of youth computer labs on installations and Mobile Tech Labs in OMK states, CYMS, FCC, and other Children and Youth Services initiatives. Technical assistance was provided to Army installation staff in school age accreditation, youth leadership forums, youth development programming, and establishing 4-H clubs on Army installations and other CYS youth development initiatives. Technical assistance was provided to support 4-H and Army trainings and meetings, including logistical support.Materials development and delivery support was provided to Army installations. Technical assistance was provided to support the evaluation of Operation Military Kids, in particular development of a monitoring system. A literature review was conducted surveying the research literature on military families that will inform Army programming for youth. All related products were disseminated to Army Child, Youth, and School Services. PARTICIPANTS: Principal Investigator on this project is Jay A. Mancini. He is supported by William Giles, project coordination, and by graduate assistants at Virginia Tech. In addition, field implementation of the project is accomplished by Darrin Allen, Robert Greenberg, and Cynthia Ray. TARGET AUDIENCES: Communities served by this project are Army installations, and community organizations that are part of Operation Military Kids. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Results of project activities included: better prepared youth development professionals located at Army installations; modernized computer labs that enable more effective programming for Army youth; improved organizational capacity at the installation level to support programs for children and youth;an effective system to monitor community activities related to supporting military youth and their families.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/15/06 to 09/14/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Technical assistance was provided to Army installation staff worldwide in development, maintenance, and upgrading of youth computer labs on installations and Mobile Tech Labs, in OMK states, and other Army Child and Youth Services Initiatives. Technical assistance was provided to Army installation staff in school age accreditation, youth leadership forums, youth development programming, and establish 4-H clubs on Army installations and other Army Child and Youth Services youth development initiatives. Logistical support was provided for 4-H/Army trainings and meetings, including technology training for youth and youth leaders. Support was provided to monitor the Operation Military Kids initiative. Research assistance was provided in the interest of cataloging information on military family support issues, including those focused on youth. PARTICIPANTS: Project staff are Jay A. Mancini (Principal Investigator), Angela J. Huebner (Research Coordinator), William Giles (Project Training Logistics and Support), Darrin Allen (Curriculum Development Oversight and OMK Management), Robert Greenberg (Technology Technical Assistance), Cynthia Ray (Technology Technical Assistance), Bradford Wiles (Research Assistance), and John Butler (Research Assistance). TARGET AUDIENCES: Army installation professionals in child and youth services, community-based program professionals who support military families, Extension professionals who support military family programs. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: None.
Impacts
Due to the technical assistance provided to Army installations and to the Operation Military Kids initiative, results included: upgraded computer hardware and software facilities and capacity, so that youth development education progressed; new youth development programs were implemented on installations and in communities; on-installation programs for children were accredited; additional on-installation 4-H clubs were established; youth and youth leaders now have the capacity to use technology more effectively for youth-centered curriculum and enrichment programs; the pilot study for Operation Military Kids program monitoring was completed and tested, thus positioning the initiative to more effectively track its impacts; a literature data-base is now available for use by this project in the interest of program development for children, youth and families.
Publications
- Huebner, A.J., Mancini, J.A., Wilcox, R., Grass, S., & Grass, G. (2007). Parental deployment and youth in military families: Exploring uncertainty and ambiguous loss. Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Studies, 56, 111-121.
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Progress 09/15/05 to 09/14/06
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This YDP/OMK project is designed to provide youth development programming and technology programming to Army families and their youth. The primary activity during this project year is the provision of consultation from project specialists to Army installations world-wide, as well as National Guard and Army Reserve families that are not located near installations. PARTICIPANTS: Jay A. Mancini is the project director and principal investigator. He oversees all expenditures on the project, supervises all personnel associated with the project, and is responsible for planning and implementation of any monitoring or evaluation-related activities. William Giles assists Dr. Mancini in all phases of the project. Robert Greenberg provides technology expertise to Army installations, and Darrin Allen provides oversight to on-the-ground youth development programming activities. A primary collaborator in the U.S. is Cooperative Extension in states where they are installations. Other collaborators are Boys and Girls Clubs, and various local organizations. TARGET AUDIENCES: All Army families are the audience for the efforts of this project, as well as Army family support personnel that provide direct services to families. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The primary impact is the enhancement of youth development programming for Army families and their children. As a result of this initiative families and their youth are exposed to research-based information about youth development and family well-being.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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