Children Youth Program 2012 2013 1 Children Youth

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 1

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Three program objectives this year 2

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Program Objective 1: Develop, implement and monitor programs and activities that contribute to the physical, mental and emotional health and wellness of military children and youth. 3

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 A. Convene community groups to identify ways to address the needs of military children. 4

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Participants could include: • • Give an Hour Military parents Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers & Sisters School counselors, teachers, etc. Guard/Reserve Family Readiness Group Reps Operation: Military Kids Representatives Others from your community 5

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Give an Hour program has created a network of nearly 1, 200 mental health professionals nationwide who literally give an hour of their time each week to provide free mental health services to military personnel and their families. 6

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Give an Hour The mental health professionals participating in the Give an Hour program offer a range of services including individual, marital, family therapy, substance abuse counseling, treatment for PTSD and counseling for individuals with traumatic brain injuries. 7

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Give an Hour While the focus is to provide much needed counseling from the Give an Hour program volunteers, another aspect is a “pay - it forward” idea where those who have or are receiving services will in return volunteer to ‘Give an Hour’. 8

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 B. Develop and implement public awareness to increase community support of military children 9

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 • Participate in or create an event in your community for National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. 10

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Sponsor community events and gatherings that bring military and nonmilitary families together. • • unit-hosted dinners game nights community fairs charity walk/runs, etc. 11

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Implement public awareness campaigns • newsletter stories • news releases • discussions on social networking sites (i. e. , Face book, Twitter, blogs, website postings), etc. 12

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Host fairs to introduce military families to mental health and social support resources and services in your community 13

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Introduce military children to the Auxiliary Junior program and American Legion youth programs. 14

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Assist the military families in utilizing the ALA Gateway to Services website and American Legion site for assistance 15

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Recruit Auxiliary, Legion, SAL and Rider members to participate in: Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America Military Mentoring Program Boys and Girls Club of America Military Programs Operation Military Kids 16

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America Military Mentoring Program: offers one-to-one mentoring to children and youth of military families. 17

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) Military Programs: provides services to military children and youth at youth centers on military installations and through outreach to traditional community centers 18

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Operation: Military Kids (OMK): is the U. S. Army's collaborative effort with America's communities to support children and youth impacted by deployment and to help them connect with local resources. 19

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Other suggestions? ? ? 20

Children & Youth Program 2011 -2012 Program Objective 2: Department or Unit Innovative Activity 21

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Auxiliary Departments and Units, along with their Legion Family can undertake a military Children & Youth program or activity other than a national supported program. The activity should be innovative in nature or responsive to an explicit unmet need among military children and youth. 22

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Some activities might include: • Sponsor a “You’re My Hero” event 23

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 • Host a movie and popcorn night for teens or a board game activity 24

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 • Collect and distribute movie passes 25

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 • Provide prom dresses for military teens 26

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 • Determine if there are homeless veterans in your community and plan activities for their children 27

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Other suggestions? ? ? 28

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 OPERATION PURPLE Offers a free week of summer camp fun to military kids with parents who have been, are currently, or will be deployed 29

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 OPERATION PURPLE Began in 2004 - with 12 camps serving 1, 000 children Now serving over 45, 000 military children and teens 30

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 OPERATION PURPLE 2012 Camps were held in 15 states Host camps chosen annually Locations change from year to year Website: www. nmfa. org Click on Operation Purple link on right 31

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Program Objective 3: Support the implementation of Children &Youth programs of The American Legion 32

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Visit The American Legion website for information on Missing Children, Halloween Safety, Gateway Drugs, Suicide Warning Signs and other Legion youth programs 33

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 What are activities being done in your unit or post with American Legion programs? 34

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 The Auxiliary is still promoting Youth Hero Award and Good Deed Award 35

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Youth Hero Award • A national award for youth, under 18 years of age, who perform a heroic act of physical valor. • Awarded 33 in 2011 -2012. 36

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 Good Deed Award An award for youth, under 18 years of age, who do not meet the Youth Hero Award criteria but who are great examples of community service. 139 given in 2011 -2012 37

Children & Youth Program 2012 -2013 • Thank you for this opportunity…. Do you have any questions? 38