Child and Youth Services Deployment Support

1. Child and Youth ServicesDeployment Support Army Child and Youth Services . . .Our Mission Is Caring

2. Operation: Military Kids Service Announcement

3. 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

4. 2005 OMK State Teams: California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, 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

5. 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

6. OMK Local Community Support Network OMK Local Community Support Network OMK State Teams* OMK Local Community Support Network OMK Local Community Support Network Implementation Framework * State 4-H Military Liaison is OMK state team leader

7. Local Military Components Schools BGCA 4-H OMK Local Community Support Network Local Businesses Youth Serving Agencies/Organizations Others?? Civic Groups Private Organizations Faith Based Organizations Veteran’s Organizations

8. 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

9. Operation: Military Kids Mobile Technology Labs • Mobile Tech Labs include: laptop computers configured for the internet; digital video camera; scanner; laminator and software packagessuch as video/photo editing and webpage design. • Mobile Tech Labs allowmilitary 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

10. 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

11. NJ Speak Out for Military Kids Team Young Heroes DVD – Military Deployment Through The Eyes Of Youth

12. 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

13. Questions?