Rebuilding Our Communities for Children, Youth and Families At-Risk strives to build capacity of UNH Cooperative Extension staff and volunteers for community planning, and program development to ensure families and their children have safe environments in which to lead healthy and productive lives. Solutions to issues affecting the state's youth and families must be community-based. Through this project, Extension is enhancing its capacity to work collaboratively within communities. The primary strategy is to provide Extension staff, volunteers, and community collaborators with research-based information, training, resources, and technical assistance.
Collaborative partnerships are the foundation of the three community-based projects.
One of these programs has also established a family resource center at the elementary school. Modest strives have been made in the past year. Faculty researchers have presented current research in evaluation of community programs, and on abuse issues. Several curricula have been revised to incorporate current research in parenting education, brain development, and positive youth development. Outreach to at-risk families was initiated and continued development of a vital steering committee was accomplished.