Child and Youth Services Deployment Support

							     ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES




Child and Youth Services
  Deployment Support




Army Child and Youth Services . . .Our Mission Is Caring
ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES




Operation: Military Kids
Service Announcement
  ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES

Operation: Military Kids
    A collaborative effort with America’s communities to
    support “suddenly military kids” impacted by the Global
    War on Terrorism

     • OMK State Teams operate in 35 States
     • Networks of people, organizations, and
       other resources support “military families
       in our own backyard”

     • Core Program Elements include:
        Ready, Set, Go! Training for OMK State Teams
        Mobile Technology Labs
        Hero Packs
        Speak Out for Military Kids

       WWW.OPERATIONMILITARYKIDS.ORG
        ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES




2005 OMK State Teams:
California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina,
Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texa
Virginia, Washington

35 States Participate in OMK

2006 OMK State Teams:
Arizona, South Dakota, Nevada, New Jersey, Kansas, Kentucky,
Illinois, Louisiana, Nebraska, Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota,
Maine, Mississippi

2007 OMK State Teams:
Pennsylvania, Colorado, Utah, Delaware, Wisconsin
                ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES


                    OMK Core Partners

• U.S. Army Child and Youth Services (Active and Reserve Components)

• 4-H -- Cooperative State Research Extension and Education Service
  (CSREES)

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America

• Military Child Education Coalition & K-12 Public Schools

• The American Legion and other Veterans Service Organizations

• National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies
  (NACCRRA)

• Other Community Agencies
                     ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES

                      Implementation Framework



          OMK                                                 OMK
    Local Community                                     Local Community
    Support Network                                     Support Network

                                          OMK
                                          State
                                         Teams*

         OMK                                                  OMK
   Local Community                                      Local Community
   Support Network                                      Support Network




* State 4-H Military Liaison is OMK state team leader
                  ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES




Local Military
Components
                      Schools               BGCA            4-H

    Local Businesses                                 Youth Serving
                                 OMK             Agencies/Organizations
                           Local Community
                           Support Network


                 Civic Groups                  Private        Others??
                                            Organizations

 Faith Based
Organizations                 Veteran’s
                            Organizations
ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES
         Operation: Military Kids
             Ready, Set, Go!
          Manual and Training
         • Designed to develop State and local
         support networks of:
           Youth workers
           Educators
           Counselors
           Community service agencies

         • RSG! Manual has information on:
           Military Culture
           The Deployment Cycle
           Fostering resilience in kids
           Influencing the media
           Building community capacity

         • Funded by OMK State Grants
ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES
  Operation: Military Kids
  Mobile Technology Labs
           • Mobile Tech Labs include: laptop
             computers configured for the internet; digital
             video camera; scanner; laminator and
             software packages such as video/photo
             editing and webpage design.

           • Mobile Tech Labs allow military kids to
              Communicate with deployed
                parents
              Send special info, e.g., report
               cards, sports, birthday celebration
              Design keepsakes, e.g., scrapbooks
                for/about parents

           • Mobile Tech Labs allow military parents
             to
              Communicate with children
              Tape stories and messages to
               leave behind for children
ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES
  Operation: Military Kids
 Speak Out For Military Kids


                • SOMK is a youth – led, adult
                  supported project that generates
                  community awareness of issues and
                concerns faced by “suddenly
                  military” children and youth

                • SOMK Initiatives:
                   Youth Speakers’ Bureau

                   Public Service Announcements
                    developed by SOMK participants
                   Video productions of “suddenly”
                    military youth telling their stories

                   Interactive Theater productions
        ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES




  NJ Speak Out for Military Kids Team

Young Heroes DVD – Military Deployment
       Through The Eyes Of Youth
ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES
            Operation: Military Kids
                 Hero Packs
             Hero Packs are a tangible expression of
             support for military families from their
             communities – especially young people
             and OMK Partners

             Contents designed to keep youth
             connected to deployed parents
                 Stationary and envelopes
                 Pen and pencil
                 Disposable cameras
                 Journals
              • Handwritten letters to recipients from
                non-military youth
              • Parent information re local resources
                available to their child
ARMY CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES




      Questions?