CFS Helps Communities Help Themselves
CFS Helps Communities Help Themselves
The Department of Child and Family Studies continues to offer expertise to communities, locally as well as nationally. Many staff members are involved in developing projects that are culturally-sensitive, family-centered and community-based. Listed below are a few project updates.
Promotoras and Animadoras Visit CFS to Discuss Outreach, Education, and Community Strengthening
Last July, federal funding from the Office of Rural Health Policy was provided to the Southwest Rural Health Research Center at Texas A&M University to conduct research on access to health issues for the Latino population. One of the grant’s six studies was proposed by CFS’s Ricardo Contreras and Marlynn May of Texas A&M.
The study, Promotoras and Animadoras: Models for Outreach, Education, and Community Strengthening in the Texas-Mexico Border, was designed for the large number of communities (colonias) along the border. Within these colonias, residents are often unable to achieve self-sufficiency and a better quality of life due to the limited knowledge of available programs and services within their community.
A group of the animidoras and promotoras visited CFS
to discuss their experiences as outreach and education workers.
During the past year, Ricardo has spent much of his time in Texas studying promotora programs, so that they can serve as a direct link between service providers and residents. By using this friendly and familiar approach, promotoras and animidoras are able to help residents overcome many of the barriers that keep them from improving their lives. They encourage participation in education, health, job training, human services, housing, and youth and elderly programs.
A group of the animidoras and promotoras visited CFS October 19 to discuss their experiences as outreach and education workers. They focused on strategies, personal growth and cultural issues, using specific examples of improvements within their colonias.
"I was struck by the courage and intelligence of these women," said director Mario Hernandez. "They embody true parent participation and community advocacy."
"It is our hope that the knowledge acquired through this study will help to replicate promotora programs within the Mexican migrant population and other groups in rural Florida," said Ricardo Contreras. For additional information, Ricardo can be reached at (813) 974-4598.
The African-American Family Support Coalition
The African-American Family Supports Initiative, funded by the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, was established five years ago to identify strengths and resiliency factors that exist in African-American families and communities. Within Hillsborough County, four communities were assessed by CFS staff, and information was provided to human service providers to promote better response to the needs of families living there. As a continuation of this research, the Annie E. Casey Foundation provided funding for CFS to conduct a cross-site analysis of Families in Baltimore, Detroit, Plant City, San Diego and Savannah last year.
With the analyses now completed, a new collaboration has formed around the findings. The African-American Family Support Coalition, made up of local community members and organizations, will promote the Strength-Based Solutions Approach throughout Hillsborough County to funders, providers, educators and the community at large.
"We are asking agencies to help find what is already being done," said CFS’s Richard Briscoe. "We want to invest in what is already there."
The Coalition meets monthly and attendees discuss current projects they are working on within the community. The October meeting highlighted several programs consistent with the goals of the Coalition.
The West Tampa TeleNetworking Initiative
The West Tampa TeleNetworking Initiative was funded by the Children’s Board in February of 1998 with the purpose of identifying ways to enhance community networking and communication between families, schools, and service providers. Information was collected from a number of focus groups including parents, schools, service providers, and faith-based groups. Technology experts and consultants also provided input.
A recent report completed by CFS’s Richard Briscoe, Phillip Ouellette, Angelia Jones, along with Chandra Tyson of Hillsborough County School District Parent Education Center summarizes their findings. Opportunities were identified within the West Tampa neighborhood for community-wide functions. A number of strategies were identified that support the strengthening of parent-school imvolvement, parent-school collaboration, and community networking.
"It is obvious that while there are many human and technical resources and services available to schools, agencies, and residents of the neighborhood," said Richard Briscoe, "we have identified some of the barriers and limitations that impede the development of successful partnerships."
Through the analysis, staff discovered the potential for creating a unique and innovative technology-supported communication network that "would do much to create a community-led and community based communication network to serve the needs of at-risk children and their families." For additional information, or to review the report, contact Richard Briscoe at (813) 974-6413.
The Department of Child and Family Studies (CFS) is a department of the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida. The faculty and staff of CFS are committed to enhancing the development, mental health and well-being of children and families through leadership in integrating research, theory & practice.