PROSPER 2nd Learning Community
12/6/04
9 am – 12 noon
Meeting Notes
Introduction of Eugenia Hanlon as PROSPER PC
Review last Learning Community meeting
Review of list of priority topics
Top priority: tips for implementing SFP without fundin= g
Eugenia will address that topic
JaneAnn Stout
Paulelda Gilbert
Bev Peters
Scott Clair
Jeff Macomber
Doug Thompson
Bob Owen
Jennifer Hoy
Nancy Schmidt
Sara Tessmer
Janet Smith
Jim Meek
Eugenia Hanlon
Don Broshar
Cathy Webb
Holle Smith
Dick Spoth
Cathy Lillehoj
Sustainability
reporting.
Purpose of sustainability document is chart to fill out twice a year about use of funds for prevention programming. Where your local team acquired funding and where the funding was spent. The ISU PROSPER team= sent an email a few weeks ago explaining this document. The report is due at the= end of December, 2004.
Report is completed during semester when SFP was imple= mented. Report expenses all together and not separate by type of expense
Eugenia
SFP on a Shoe=
string
Meals
Provide snacks
Ask church groups to prepare
Asking families to bring snakes
Ask a service organization to provide money for 2 meal= s
Pot luck
Ask local business to donat4e meals (e.g., Pizza Hut)<= /p>
Other local women’s clubs
Stone Soup: bring 1 ingredient and combine for soup su= pper
Volunteer to taste test for local high school cooking = class
Rural water companies: donate (water) to locate non pr= ofit groups
Local groups: local grain elevators, local banks provi= ding meals
Providing chi=
ld care
Volunteers
Reduce pay
Grants
Senior centers
4 H youth
Other agencies (e.g., YMCA)
DCATs
Older siblings
Churches
School groups
Past participants
When use youth (under 18) for child care, must have a = responsible adult in attendance
Background check formal screening is not used for those youth under 18 yrs of age
But could do a more informal check for youth under 18 = years of age
Need at least l responsible adult in attendance
Time out care: day care; respite care
Child development classes at local college
RSVP
Comm. colleges/lab experiences might need internship f= or childcare
Parent organizations (e.g. PTA)
4H clubs
Need backup plan
Publicity
News releases
School newsletter
Family night at school
Display during parent teacher conference
Church bulletin
Present program to 6th graders
Web pages in local communities
Community signs
Community calendar & datebook
Grocery store signs
Community newspaper
Work sites postings & newsletters
incentives
Organizations might have left ove4r goods from toy dri= ve (e.g., Salvation Army)
Ask local merchants to get reduced price
Not do parent weekly incentive but use graduation gift= as family gift
Popcorn parties
lst in school lunch line gifts
Ask booster clubs donate school t-shirt
Local promotional groups might have marketing items
Local business: seek their specialty (e.g., week end h= otel stay)
For smaller groups, ask to donate 1 prize
Writing major companies to ask for donations (e.g., Wa= lmart)
Growing own resources: network. Donate woodwork classe= s; teach skill
IA celebrities. Sign photo
White elephant prizes
Theatre passes
Chamber bucks donated
Supplies
Figure out what need and going to stores that stock th= ose supplies (e.g., Walmart)
Copies-use Extension office to copy…Churches, sc= hools
Need cash for magnets..Ask local service groups.
Be specific in request for supplies
Going on local radio program and asking for specific supplies
Craft groups.
Community garage sales
Approach Wal-Mart and Target after school sales…= go 1 week later. Talk to store manager
Facilitators<= o:p>
Less hrs (e.g., 3 ½ hrs) each week
Pay $15 /hr
Volunteer. Paying all facilitators and then ask if som= e want to donate back hrs
Provide stipends
As part of their job as professionals
AEA social worker working up comp time
Hispanic comm.: assess local resources. (e.g. Church).=
Use team members to their full capabilities
(Tips from = Eugenia Hanlon)
*Visit local businesses
Chain and independent store= s are often looking for a worthy place to donate goods
Both also have been reporte= d to give discounts to groups working with families
Remember convenience stores= , such as Caseys or Sparkys, as well as grocery stores
*Ask pare= nts to bring a snack
*Ask fami= lies to bring a picnic lunch/supper
*Serve me= als where each family can bring an ingredient for the meal
Ex. Chili= - one family bring a can of beans, one bring cooked hamburger, etc
Meals tha= t work well for this are soups, spaghetti, baked potato bars, tacos
*Ask local churches or service groups to provide one meal per series
*When mee= ting at a hospital, ask the cafeteria about a discount
*Voluntee= r to be a high school cooking class’s test tasters
*Check wi=
th water
companies, such as
Most will= donate to a nonprofit group
*Don̵= 7;t forget grain elevators are great sources of free paper products
&nbs= p; *Work with the local “Time Out” child care providers
&nbs= p; Many need to contribute volunteer hours
&nbs= p; Contact Child Care Resource and Referral for local program information
&nbs= p; *Youth Organizations
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; 4-H
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; Student Council
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; Child Development classes
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; Check to see if your local school requires community service of students
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; Always arrange for at least one adult to accompany youth volunteers
&nbs= p; *Check with younger members of RSVP
&nbs= p; *Community College CDA classes
&nbs= p; *Parent Organizations
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; MoPS
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; PTA/PTO
&nbs= p; *Church bulletins
&nbs= p; *School newsletters
&nbs= p; *Community calendars
&nbs= p; *Community websites
&nbs= p; *Community signs
&nbs= p; *Local cable stations
&nbs= p; *Free event section of the newspaper
&nbs= p; *Worksite publications
&nbs= p; *Local businesses
&nbs= p; Seek out their specialty
Ex. cookies, hotel stay, fa= mily games, movies, coupons
&nbs= p; *Service Clubs
&nbs= p; Smaller groups may not have major resources but could purchase one prize
&nbs= p; *Write major companies
&nbs= p; *Grow your own resources
&nbs= p; Ask for coupons to learn a skill from a local talent
&nbs= p; Ex. A coupon to learn to build a birdhouse
&nbs= p; Ask someone to give a demonstration before/after class
&nbs= p; *Visit with the school’s booster club
&nbs=
p;
&nbs=
p; *Talk
to local celebrities, those who are famous here or across the
&nbs= p; Ask for autographs, pictures, football/baseball cards, etc.
&nbs= p; *Play games like bingo for white elephants
&nbs= p; *Put names into a bowl for a drawing at the end of the series
&nbs= p; *Ask businesses for “Back to School” sale leftovers
&nbs= p; Major companies like Wal-Mart often will donate, just contact the manager
&nbs= p; *Divide the list among your team
&nbs= p; *Move to a stipend payment
&nbs= p; *Utilize volunteers
*Seek those whose commitmen= t to series matches their current professional position
Hot off the Press
This activity is designed to emulate a feature story t= hat might appear in your local newspaper describing the PROSPER program and highlighting the impact it is having in your community. Because of time constraints, we won’t actually write the feature, but we will capture= the collective ideas of the group related to the desirable image PROSPER teams = want to promote in the community.
This is how it will work.
Community partnership that brings families-based learn= ing programs (SFP) to 6th graders and families, community, researche= rs
If we implement the programs as suggested by the autho= rs we will have a much more likely chance of success.
The PROSPER team has purposely selected programs that = are researched and proven to work.
Contributing community members are important. Healthy kids/youth make our community stronger and prevention is cheaper than treatment.
PROSPER is unique in the process of implementing progr= ams that are proven to work.
PROSPER is a partnerships between the – community schools and the community, ISU Extension and researchers from ISU.
The partnership promotes effective prevention programs= for youth and families.
PROSPER is a community partnership that brings a family based learning program (SFP) to 6th graders and their families.<= /p>
PROSPER follows up SFP with a 7th grade ses= sion for youth to build strong life skills.
Economic development.
Investment in the future. No guarantee but the future = will tell.
PROSPER is a family skill-based activity. Family communication skill building (SFP).
PROSPER can be seen as ye another prevention project b= ut is really is different. Why? It is different because it involves families, is a continuing program, backed by research and is following the same group of youth. It is utilizing school programming and family programming.
PROSPER is a longitudinal study that is studying what = can happen when families, school and community work together to reduce at-risk = behaviors.
PROSPER is a federally funded research project in PA a= nd IA that studies how schools, the community, and Extension can work together to implement prevention programs. There are 7 intervention schools and 7 contr= ol schools in each of the 2 states.
Keeping this in front of community. School-community partnership.
2. We already=
promote
DARE and Red Ribbon Week in the community that seems like enough. Why add
PROSPER?
DARE and Red Ribbon Week represent awareness.
PROSPER adds a more in-depth prevention strategy that = works with the family and youth in a7 week program, as well as an in-school multi-session program for the students. DARE and Red Ribbon provide awarene= ss in the substance abuse prevention area, where PROSPER provides opportunitie= s to learn and practice strategies in prevention through evidence-based programs= . DARE highlights the relationship with the police and youth.
This program is different because youth and families a= re both involved.
PROSPER is designed to build family communication that allows parents to enhance their parenting skills.
It allows youth to build confidence in wise decision-m= aking and problem solving skills.
Family-based. Involves both youth and family. Designed= to improve family communication. Allows parents to enhance parenting skills. Allows youth to build confidence in decision-making and problem solving ski= lls. Follow same group of youth; evidence-based; recognized by federal agencies.=
3. I understa=
nd why
schools, youth and parents would like PROSPER, but what’s in it for t=
he
community?
PROSPER is different because it is a longer term proje= ct and it involves more of the community than some. There is more research stating= and showing that participants are less likely to be involved in at-risk behavio= rs. If at-risk behaviors are reduced, youth’s potential is reached, communities are safer.
The community could benefit because hopefully youth wi= ll see themselves as a partner in the communities. They will likely reach their potential; community will be safer. Youth will be better and more responsib= le citizens. The programs are research based and we would think that even with= a different group of people, research results should be proven in other repor= ts.
The community can benefit from less at-risk behaviors = from the youth involved. The benefit from research shows that youth and parents become more involved in activities communicate bout problems and youth are = more likely to be active in school. The community is involved in this process through the PROSPER team. There is also a financial benefit to he community= in terms of the SFP program costs being put back into the community.
Economic costs of at-risk behaviors to community ($9.60 return for every $1 invested in prevention programs). Kids less violent, be= tter employees. Critical mass of those taking part creates a positive peer netwo= rk (25% participation goal).
Substance abuse and at-risk youth behaviors are costly= to communities. PROSPER works to build positive esteem to help young people re= duce the potential for risk behavior due to improved decision making skills.
$9.60 return on every $ invested.
Increase quality of life in community.
Substance abuse and at-risk behavior is costly to communities. PROSPER wants to build positive self-esteem in youth and reduce potential of at-risk behavior due to improved decision-making skills. Outco= mes are at community-level.
4. We have ha=
d a lot
of other programs in our comm. that people say are not working, so what is
different about PROSPER?
PROSPER uses evidence-based programs that have a prove= n rack record. SFP and Project Alert have impressive results that show a reduction= in at-risk behaviors.
PROSPER is a research-based and has years of proven statistical data that indicates positive youth behavior change. It shows a reduction of substance abuse when family programming is initiated and follo= wed through with a school-based program.
Research based; testimonials to ministers and parents.=
Research based. Years of statistical data that documen= ts reduction in substance abuse when family-based program is implemented. Implementation fidelity: not changing the program (training, observations). Implementing program way is written; must follow plan; does it continue aft= er funding stream is completed. Studying sustainability of program as implemented. Who= own “fidelity of program?” If PROSPER team, then need to be doing observations.
5. How do you=
know
results from PROSPER will always match what research shows?
The programs have been used many times and are research-based. That means the results will be reproducible. We hope to fol= low our first group of 6th graders through high school and actually track the results.
One can not say definitely that PROPSER will match wha= t the research shows. But when the program is implemented as written and research= ed the results should complement the research data.
One can never definitively say what will happen. Howev= er, if follow plan, research has shown it to be effective. Facilitators trained, monitored, evaluated.
Team Structur=
e
Changing structure of teams
As move from research to sustained project implementat= ion
Discussion at local team about that topic
Added facilitators and parents to team in
Rotation of members (off and on) team
Community wide team
Fill in bushiness aspect, especially with sustainabili= ty
Mt Pleasant connection when doing funding
Community group of women that help with funding
Networking in local community
United Way board member
Youth issue: not have that connection with youth activ= ely on team
Estherville and Hampton youth: how get them involved a= nd sustain interest. Qualities of youth. Team embrace youth. Transport youth to meetings. Enjoyed being part of local SFP efforts
Involved in decisions and all team work.
Meeting time not always convenient for youth
Don
Next meeting agenda
Feb 23, 2005 Wednesday
School co-leader: difficult to get to come to meeting<= /p>
Breeze conf
How do we engage them? If they don’t come, how d= o we get their perceptions?
Focus for next Learning Community: engaging co leader<= /p>
Final discuss= ion with Area Directors
The Research effect
It is nice to see how the smaller communities/and small teams within larger communities as well, can get it done.
Usually coalitions are funded to do a program, this ti= me it is reversed in that teams did programming, with funding support, and now ar= e in the looking for funding to continue programming – learning to sustain= is different
Remember that team members are already busy people and= it is hard to keep them and to schedule around all of the busy schedules. (Doug)
This project has been more connected to campus researc= hers and that has been good to see evolve
Praise for the patience as researchers and teams learn= to work together in partnerships – they each have learned from the other. (Lois)