Family Connection

1. Family Connection A Comprehensive Prevention Program for Homeless Children A program of Rainbow Days, Inc. (RDI) Presenter: Kathy Daley Training Coordinator

2. Icebreaker Stand Up If …

3. “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” Helen Keller

4. Rainbow Days’ History • History • Developed in 1982 • Original target population- Children of Alcoholics • Target population expanded (more later!) • Currently four program adaptations

5. Rainbow Day’s Core Service Curriculum-Based Support Groups (CBSG®) Program

6. Rainbow Days Curricula • Kids’ Connection – For children ages 4-12 • Youth Connection – For youth ages 10-15 • Kids’ Connection, Too - For children and youth ages 4-15 living in shelters or transitional living programs • Faith Connection – A Christian-based adaptation for children and youth ages 4-15

7. Rainbow Days Curricula Play Connection: A Curriculum-Based Support Group Program for Families Building Stronger Children and Families through Play For Parents and their Children Ages 4-12

8. What is the CBSG® Program? The CBSG® Program is a multi-cultural preventive intervention for selective and indicated populations of children and youth, developmental ages 4-15 , whose high-risk situations, attitudes and behaviors place them at elevated risk for substance abuse, delinquency and violence.

9. The CBSG® Program is evidence-based and uses a support group and trained facilitator to teach children and youth a set of essential life skills to help them learn how to: • cope with difficult family situations; • resist peer pressure; • set and achieve goals; and, • refuse alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

10. Prevention Framework • Universal – Programs which reach allof the general population (e.g. all students in a grade) • Selective – Programs which target groups at risk (e.g. COAs or poor school achievers) • Indicated – Programs are designed for individualswho exhibit risk-related behaviors (e.g. students already experimenting or involved in delinquency) The CBSG® Program is both Selective & Indicated

11. Theoretical Framework of CBSG® Program “Reducing risk factors and increasing resiliency and protective factors”

12. Increasing Resiliency & Protective Factors Autonomy – I Am • Positive identity • Self-efficacy and task mastery • Self-awareness • Adaptive distancing from negative messages and conditions

13. Increasing Resiliency & Protective Factors Social Competence - I Can • Responsiveness • Ability to assert oneself • Empathy and caring • Respect • Self-Control

14. Increasing Resiliency & Protective Factors Interdependence – I Have • Pro-Social Bonding • Asking and receiving caring and support • Intimacy and trust • Identifying safe people

15. Increasing Resiliency & Protective Factors Problem-Solving Skills – I Will • Critical / Creative Thinking • Ability to Plan • Ability to Generate Alternatives • Normative Beliefs

16. Increasing Resiliency & Protective Factors Sense of Purpose and Future – I Believe • Goal Direction • Educational Aspirations • Pro-Social Ideals/Achievement Motivation • Personal Commitment • Faith/Spiritual Connectedness

17. Protective Factors and the Major Messages The CBSG® Program has created a set of “Major Messages,” based on the protective factor research, which are repeated aloud by participants at the close of each support group session. These Messages provide a verbal reinforcement of the spirit of each protective factor, which is also incorporated into several session topics for reinforcement. I Am - Autonomy I Can - Social Competence I Have- Interdependence I Will - Problem Solving Skills I Believe - Sense of Purpose and Future

18. Rainbow Days, Inc. is proud that the Curriculum-Based Support Group (CBSG®) Program has been accepted for review by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP)

19. Effectiveness Children and youth participating in a CBSG demonstrate the following results: Increased non-use attitudes toward alcohol, tobacco and other drugs Increased perception of the risks associated with alcohol, tobacco and other drug use Reduced conduct problems and impulsivity Increased social skills such as assertiveness, empathy, self-control and cooperation

20. Program replication funded by The Hasbro Children’s Foundation Houston, TX (2003-2004) Denver, CO (2004-2006) Pflugerville, TX (2006) Oklahoma City, OK (2006) National Replication

21. Family Connection Program Supportive Services forHomeless Children & Families

22. How Rainbow Days Helps • Services to homeless children began in 1989 - Funded originally with a 5 year demonstration grant from Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) • Serves approximately 1,000 (unduplicated) children per year in Dallas in 18 area family & domestic violence shelters Currently funded by Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas

23. Family Connection Provides a MENU of services from which shelters and transitional housing programs canchoose from • Support Groups • Camps • School supplies • School clothes • Art w/Heart • Family Outings

24. On-Site Services

25. When you pave the way… you make a difference! “Kids can walk around trouble,if there is someplace to walk to, and someone to walk with.” From Urban Sanctuaries by Milbrey W. McLaughlin, et al

26. Family Connection Curriculum • Kids’ Connection, Too • For children ages 4-15 living in shelters or transitional living programs

27. Kid’s Connection, Too Curriculum Content

28. Session Format Welcome Opening Sunshine and Cloud Guided Discussion Introduce topic and brief teaching with group discussion Activity "Art", Games, Written exercises, Skill practice Processing and Closing Summary Reviewing the topic and the activity as it relates to personal experiences Major Message Ritual

29. Activity Sunshine and Cloud

30. Major Messages • I Am likeable, capable, unique and valued • I Can treat others like I want to be treated • I Have strengths, capabilities and people who care about me • I Will make healthy choices and be alcohol, tobacco and drug free • I Believe I have a purpose

31. Activity Major Message Rainbow

32. Activity Major Message Closing Ritual

33. Learning Tool Kits Learning Tool Kit

34. LTK Activity Letter Treasure Hunt – using a newspaper, book, magazine, etc. What this activity teaches: • The alphabet • Capital letters • To identify letters • To look from left to right, as you do when you read • Concentration and problem solving • To find letters within words • To find words within sentences Find a “R”, “D”, and “I” to earn your prize

35. Family Play Time

36. Play Connection Rainbow Days’ Newest Curriculum

37. Funded in 2004 by the Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) TIF Mission: To bring joy, happiness and comfort to children in need through the experience of toys and play. Partnered with Rainbow Days to work specifically with the homeless population Five unit Play Connection Curriculum is in its’ second pilot (10 total sessions – 5 Parent & 5 Family) History of Play Connection

38. Play Connection Curriculum Content

39. Activity Newspaper Basketball

40. Off-Site Services

41. Art With a Heart

42. Family Outings

43. Kids’ University

44. Camp Broadway

45. Outdoor Adventure Camp

46. Back-to-School Backpack Drive & Party

47. Fall Harvest

48. Community Service Projects

49. Upcoming Trainings San Antonio, TX Dallas, TX March 25-26, 2009 July 15-16, 2009 Cost: $0 Texas residents $300 non-Texas residents For information regarding contracted trainings or to register please visit www.rdikids.org or call Janet Mitchell at 214.887.0726 Kathy Daley Rainbow Days, Inc. 8150 N. Central Expressway, Suite 1600 Dallas, TX 75206 214.887.0726 or 800.889.7828 www.familyconnection.org kathyd@rdikids.org Training Information

50. YOU are Inspirational! “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead 1901-1978