Progress 09/01/08 to 02/28/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: FY 2009, employees were hired and took residence in the Army Community Services (ACS) building. The collaborative opportunities between the family services provided by ACS and those that KSRE can provide. The partnership between KSRE and ACS has proven to be very productive and effective in addressing the needs of soldiers and their family members. ACS programs in which KSRE has partnered include Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), Family Advocacy Program (FAP), Employment Readiness (ERP), Relocation and Deployment (RELO), Financial Readiness (FRP), Soldier and Family Assistance Center, (SFAC) as well as the non-ACS sponsored programs that are in the same building-Women's Infants and Children (WIC) and Red Cross. However, collaborative efforts have expanded far beyond those programs. Programming is actively conducted with Irwin Army Community Hospital (IACH), Wounded Warrior Battalion (WTB), Child, Youth, and School Age Services (CYSS), Fort Riley Elementary and Middle Schools, Defense Commissary Agency (DECA), and Recreation Services. In addition the Extension Educators work directly with the battalion Family Readiness Support Assistants (FRSA) and Family Readiness Group Leaders (FRG). The Extension Agents contribute to the Fort Riley Post newspaper weekly with research based news articles and have created over 31 informational brochures to market and reinforce educational messages. KSRE along with the program has participated in monthly ACS campaigns since arriving on Ft. Riley. Some of the campaign events that KSRE has created or participated in are Dad's Make a Difference, Month of the Military Child, Domestic Violence Awareness,Employment Preparation, Healthy Choices-Mind, Body, and Spirit, just to name a few. Programming included A Father/Daughter Tea Party to further the bond between fathers and daughters as well as promoting healthy snacking. Spring Fling and Pumpkin Patch events with EFMP included nutrition education and horticultural therapy for children with mental and physical challenges. The request by parents of EFMP participants, KSRE Agents have initiated a family support group that grows with each meeting. The Fort Riley Middle School Wellness Fair presented the opportunity to promote healthy eating, coping with stress, and basic financial educational opportunities for 7th and 8th grade students. The Child Development Agent has worked with IACH to educate pregnant soldiers and spouses on various topics related to pregnancy expectations, delivery, and the first few months with the new baby. The Nutrition and Health Agent has been instrumental in conducting Healthy Shopping Tours, Heart Healthy Cooking, and Nutrition Education in the elementary schools as well as gardening for nutrition. One of the largest events was an Organization Day for a battalion that was deploying to Iraq. KSRE worked with Operation Military Kids providing stress management, parenting during deployment, and healthful eating education. This event provided opportunity to reach out to the military community and promote the educational programming that KSRE provides, resulting in similar services for two other battalions preparing for deployment. PARTICIPANTS: Garrison Command, Fort Riley Middle School, Army Community Services, Military, Fort Riley, Fort Riley Post, Paula Peters, Toni Bryant TARGET AUDIENCES: Military families, soldiers, military children, military to provide opportunity to reach out to the military community and promote the educational programming that KSRE provides, resulting in similar services for two other battalions preparing for deployment. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
During the first year of the KSRE-Military Life Skills Education Program raising awareness of the office, programming offerings, and establishing collaborative efforts were paramount. Program efforts have grown and a firm base has been established. There have been an increased number of calls, foot traffic, and requests for educational programming as well as an increase in participant numbers. Participants in the 2nd Quarter of FY 2009 numbered 1231, in the 3rd quarter-2588 (numbers higher because of pre-deployment), and in the 4th quarter-1630 (significant leave time). Garrison Command and partnering agency support are strong with referrals made to our office from these sources. Media coverage has been phenomenal with at least 27 newspaper articles printed in The Fort Riley Post (newspaper) about the KSRE-Ft. Riley office. Eleven of the articles have been written by the Extension Agents while the others are reporting on the delivery of educational programming. Brochures and pamphlets to address stress, child related issues, healthy snacks and healthy finances have been and are currently being distributed and are continually being developed. No formal evaluation process has been established other than collection of demographic information and open ended feedback but evaluation instruments are in development to measure knowledge increase and behavioral change.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
Progress 09/01/08 to 08/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This information is for the time period 09/01/08 through 02/28/09. During the first few months of this project, we have been hiring and setting up an Extension Office located at Fort Riley. We hired a Coordinator, who has been involved in getting the office established, making the necessary connections with Army Community Services, and leading the searches to hire our office staff and Extension Agents. An office professional has been hired and the four agents are just now coming on board. We have one who will do work in Family Life, one in Child Development, one Family Resource Management, and one in Nutrition and Health. The office is located with other agencies at Fort Riley that serve families and they have met with them to learn how they may collaborate and compliment the work that they do. They are planning a trip to Texas to meet with the Extension Military Program people that have been doing similar work for several years. PARTICIPANTS: PI: Led preliminary discussions with Military garrison commanders and others, wrote the plan, chaired the search committee to hire the coordinator and agents, supervise the coordinator. Coordinator: Hired the office professional, worked with PI to hire the agents, is supervising office professional and agents, is making connections with the military and with other agencies on post that serve families, prepared a display and brochure to advertise the office and their work, participated in a service fair at the grand opening of the new PX on post, made arrangements for office space and equipment, communicates with PI. Office Professional: Does day to day clerical work, prepares expense reports, maintains office. Agents: Making connections with other agency staff at Fort Riley, attending orientation for Extension and Military Partner Organizations: Other agencies at the Army Community Services briefed the coordinator and agents about what work they do and have been helpful in assisting them in learning. TARGET AUDIENCES: None to report, yet. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
None to report at this time.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|