Extension Trains to help Military Families Cope//Train the Trainers Track - 5/06

[Smartmarriages]

This article from North Carolina is interesting in several ways. First,
today is Memorial Day and it's another way to help with reentry.

Second, it's more evidence that the vast network of Extension workers across
the country are taking an active role as Marriage Educators. This gives
another reason for hope - to believe we CAN get marriage skills information
"out there" - cover the country.  There is an Extension office in every
single county in America!

Third, it's another example of the appeal of programs that have a "train the
trainers" track.  Organizations like the U.S. Army, the U.S. Extension
Services, large Refugee service agencies need a marriage education program
that allows Instructors to train additional instructors.  And, these "train
the trainers" approaches give us in the marriage movement another great
reason to believe we CAN reach saturation levels - get the skills and
information to the public, to the couples in need.

Kelly Simpson's Active Relationships Curriculum, Bernard Guerney's
Relationship Enhancement (RE), Barbara Markey's Foccus/Refoccus - are all
examples of curricula that easily allow for this - for instructors to train
additional instructors.  As an example, Simpson's requirements: 1) take the
two-day training like the one she taught to the Extension workers in North
Caroline or the one she is teaching at Smart Marriages (Institute #107) and
watch the free videos you get for free as part of the training. 2) teach
course to four classes of couples  3) send a 20 min video of your teaching
for review 4) then, go forth certified to train other instructors in your
organization to present the Active Relationships course to couples.

If you want to train Active Relationship Instructors outside your own
organization you have to teach eight classes of couples.  Note that this
"train the trainers" track does NOT apply to those who take the two MINI
trainings Simpson is teaching at Smart Marriages.  If you take the 2-hour
MINIs, you are able to begin teaching the course to couples, but you are not
authorized to train others as instructors.  I hope this is clear. If not,
contact Kelly Simpson at 877-724-7789 or visit activerelationships.com  For
info on the RE and Foccus train the trainer tracks, see the contact info at
http://www.smartmarriages.com/institutes.html

- diane 


- EXTENSION TRAINS TO HELP MILITARY FAMILIES COPE
Amanda Karr 
The Daily Reflector
May 26, 2006

> Although family counseling seems an atypical job for cooperative extension
> agents, who are perhaps better know for working with farmers, strengthening
> families is part of the organization's mission. . . .
> 
> "I'm hoping to take the information out to citizen soldiers, those that just
> came back from being deployed or about to go to help create a more harmonious
> family and help them feel better about leaving," she said.

> Reece was one of more than 50 cooperative extension agents across the state
> who attended the training run by KELLY SIMPSON, a Texas marriage therapist and
> author of "Active Military Life Skills."

Couples dealing with military deployment have a new place to seek support
and advice.

During a two-day workshop ending today, state cooperative extension agents
are undergoing training on how to help couples and families through what can
be a stressful time, particularly for National Guardsmen and those in the
reserves.

"Military families on a base would have available a whole array of life
skills available to them. For those that don't, we want to supplement those
services, and to do that we really need to touch the local community," Karen
Smith Rotabi, support programs coordinator for Citizen Solider Project,
said.

The Citizen Solider Project is a civilian group based in Chapel Hill that
promotes outreach to military personnel and their families. The group helped
organize the training with faculty in East Carolina University's College of
Human Ecology.

Although family counseling seems an atypical job for cooperative extension
agents, who are perhaps better know for working with farmers, strengthening
families is part of the organization's mission.

In Pitt County, Susan Reece is the family-consumer science agent. She runs
programs in stress management, nutrition and finances, among other topics.
She said she hopes the training will expand her outreach.

"I'm hoping to take the information out to citizen soldiers, those that just
came back from being deployed or about to go to help create a more
harmonious family and help them feel better about leaving," she said.

Reece was one of more than 50 cooperative extension agents across the state
who attended the training run by Kelly Simpson, a Texas marriage therapist
and author of "Active Military Life Skills."

While Reece joined more than a dozen others at ECU's global classroom
building, other agents across the state watched and interacted via a video
feed on college campuses from Appalachian State University to Elizabeth City
State University.

Attendees discussed general relationship skills, such as the importance of
communication, as well as issues more specific to couples separated by
deployment, such as making the most of short phone calls home and what to
discuss during that time.

"With deployment in the civilian world, not only do they worry about the
businesses they leave behind, but also finances, insurance, kids. There are
so many facets of it. In addition to the stresses of a regular relationship,
they have to deal with stress above and beyond," Simpson said.

Peggie Garner, Onslow County extension director, already has some experience
dealing with military personnel through the military bases located in her
area.

"We want to try to empower (couples) by giving them information so they can
make the calls they need to make," she said. "It's a great opportunity for
those not in the military community to provide support and preparation for
reservists who may have thought they might not go anywhere," she said.

With cooperative extension offices located across the state, just like the
more than 20,000 reserve and guard members in North Carolina, those involved
in the program hope the message reaches the families who need the advice.


Amanda Karr can be contacted at akarr at coxnc.com <mailto:akarr at coxnc.com>
 and 329-9574.

Author Kelly Simpson speaks to a group from the N.C. Cooperative Extension
Service on Thursday at the Science and Technology Building at ECU in
Greenville. Simpson was training the agents on how to help military families
and couples deal with seperation issues after deployment. Greg Eans/The
Daily Reflector


(c) 2006 Cox Newspapers, Inc. - The Daily Reflector



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