Life-skills education to children and youth of the National Guard

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2 The Army National Guard Child and Youth Program mission is to promote and sustain the quality of life and resilience of National Guard children and youth by providing secure, timely, flexible, high-quality support services and enrichment programs Life-skills education to children and youth of the National Guard Provide equal access to Federal and State/Territory benefits that support children and families, counseling, education, childcare and other resources Create opportunities for participation in programs and activities Create secure opportunities to network Infuse resilience standards into all Programming Build and sustain contact with military and civilian networks

3 The Army National Guard Child & Youth Programs would not be possible without the tireless dedication of our volunteers. Volunteers fill a variety of roles including, but not limited to, administrative, social media, marketing, hands on support at youth events and logistical support. to help accomplish the mission and goals of the Child & Youth Program. The cost savings provided by volunteer support is invaluable. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates the value of a volunteer hour as $ added to the program.

4 The National Guard Teen Panel provides a voice for the National Guard youth across the 54 states and territories. The panel also provides insight to National Guard leadership from the perspective of the youth. Engage in consistent and effective communication with State Teen Panels, Child & Youth Program Coordinators, Airman & Family Readiness Program Managers, National Guard Bureau Point Of Contact, and other GTP members via s, teleconferences, webinars, social media, and Joint Support Services (JSS) website discussions. Provide input about current youth issues and direction for meetings, marketing, curriculum, and events. Cultivate new ideas that motivate youth to participate within their communities. Community service PSA creation: "Take the Opportunity to Help Your Community." Implementing bylaws and leadership positions Developed College Preparedness Guide Created member bios and updated regional address to enhance communication Public Facebook page for marketing The Guard Teen Panel is a joint program representing the Army and Air National Guard. The GTP is composed of 10 Regional Representatives and 3 Members-At-Large. The Members-At-Large include 2 Army National Guard Delegates who are the liaison to the Army Teen Panel (ATP) and 1 Air National Guard Delegate who is the liaison to the Air Force Teen Council (AFTC). The GTP is youth directed and adult facilitated.

5 More than or advisory committee. Each state/territory has an individualized program that meets on a monthly or quarterly basis., to include participation in monthly/quarterly meetings, regional youth symposiums and youth leadership trainings. Teen Council priorities include: leading community service projects, participating as camp counselors, 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens training, completing the Teen MRT training, volunteering at Yellow Ribbon events, developing leadership programs and much more. In FY15,19 states were selected to participate in the pilot program to facilitate training military teens on the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness (CSF2) Resilience and Performance Training for Teens. The goal of the Teen Curriculum is to translate the skills that are currently trained to Soldiers and Spouses into adolescent appropriate topics for Army teens. The intent is to provide Army Families with a common language around resilience and performance skills. There are two versions of the Teen Curriculum; an introductory 2 Hour Teen Workshop focusing on the skills of Hunt the Good Stuff, Goal Setting, and Activating Events/Thoughts/ Consequences (ATC). There is also a full curriculum, which mirrors the 14 skills delivered in the MRT-C to adults. The full curriculum has been broken into 45 minute modules, so that it is easily presented in programs such as YRRP events, Teen Council meetings, camp programs, etc.

6 The Child and Youth Program Coordinators work closely with the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program in each of their states/territories to ensure that Service Members and their families are being provided with the tools and resources needed to successfully navigate the deployment cycle. Each state/territory offers a variety of resilience based training to support youth and families throughout the deployment cycle. This special celebration was created to honor the important role children play in the Military community. Child & Youth Program Coordinators plan numerous events ranging from picnics and parades to recreational fairs and fun festivals all to recognize and applaud Families and their children for the daily sacrifices they make in supporting their Service Member. Child & Youth Coordinators devote a significant portion of their time providing training to youth program volunteers. Additionally, Coordinators are routinely requested to brief services provided, outreach efforts and outcomes of the youth program to Family Readiness Groups, Service Members at the Unit level and Senior Military Personnel at events such as Commanders Call. The Youth Program is frequently requested to help units host their Family Day s. Coordinators provide both fun and educational activities to support these annual programs. Military Appreciation events honor Service Members and their families for the sacrifices they make daily to protect our nation. Events span a variety of arenas and can include programs at: sporting events, zoo s, amusement parks, state parks, children s museums, and many other local venues. These events allow for networking and connection with other military families. The Child and Youth Program works with a variety of military and civilian resources to maximize the impact of community resources to Military members and their Families. Building these networks of support is vital in ensuring that opportunities are created for military youth and education is provided to the community on challenges military families face, particularly, our geographically separated children and youth.

7 Overnight Camp opportunities are offered in many of the state/territories. These programs are designed to build leadership, self-confidence, and teamwork skills in our military youth while promoting camaraderie and connections with each other and caring adults. These trainings promote leadership, resilience, and personal development. These events allow youth leaders to share experiences about coping with deployment issues, provide input on the Child & Youth Program and offer leadership and life skills training opportunities to youth volunteers. Many of the state/territory programs offer day camp opportunities for their military children. Typically, these programs are attended by our younger 6-12 year old demographic. Day camps allow for these children to receive age appropriate trainings in the areas of leadership development, resilience and teamwork. In addition to the traditional camp and overnight programs listed above, the Child & Youth Program offers training and program support in a variety of different arenas. The programs are often quite specific to the state/territory and are designed to meet the needs of their military families and the vision/direction of senior leadership in the state/territory.

8 In FY15, Army National Guard Child and Youth Coordinators increased their efforts to support military connected youth through a variety of channels. States/Territories set up and executed school support group meetings for military youth to aid them at the ground level. Coordinators provided outreach trainings/meetings/briefings for school administrators, educators and support staff, providing information and resources on the impact military families may experience while their Service Member is deployed or working stateside with his or her unit. College and career planning courses for teens and parents were provided in correlation with local colleges and universities. Finally, Youth Programs supported Military Child Education Coalition programs in their respective state/territory. Significant strides have been made in the past year to provide families and their educators with the information resources, training and opportunities to ensure their success in school and life. FY15 brought many opportunities to partner with our community contacts to develop and implement a variety of programs and activities to serve our military families. Specifically, organizations such as 4-H Extension Services, Boys and Girls Clubs, Easter Seals, USO, YMCA, Red Cross, QDMA and MANY more helped coordinate camp programs, appreciation events, recreational activities and many other innovative programs in collaboration with the Child & Youth Program.

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