“I was so lost before this program. I felt like a failure of a woman and mother. This program helped me regain my sanity and confidence that I can do this.”
—2019 program participant
How can land-grant universities raise the pub- lic’s awareness of Extension as being about so much more than agriculture? Extension is a beautiful network within and across commu- nities to effect change not only in agriculture, but also in children, youth, and family wellness; community develop- ment; horticulture; and nutrition. Community members may be most familiar with 4-H. I often begin my conversations about Extension with 4-H. And then, launch into “did you know Extension has other amazing programs to support children, youth and families, like Heart & Hope?” Extension professionals are equipped with the knowledge and skills to tackle big community issues, like violence, substance abuse, human trafficking. So many families and commu- nities suffer devastating losses due to these issues. This is where Extension expertise is most needed to effect positive change in family systems. ■
In general, it is critical that we let each survivor decide what to share, when to share, and with whom to share their story. Staff hold dear program participants’ privacy, confidenti- ality, and safety. Our team goes to great lengths to ensure participants’ needs in these areas are met and respected before, during, and after participating in the program. How do you protect participants’ privacy? Confidentiality is a ground rule with staff, parents, youth, and teens. We disclose the workshop days, times, and locations only to people who complete the program screening and registration process. We don’t have restau- rants deliver the meals—we pick them up. We carefully maintain paperwork and shred participant files after a set amount of time. We ask detailed questions about taking and using their photo and/or quoting them in publications. We use participants’ initials during staff reflection meetings to maintain their privacy within the office setting. And we let participants know early on that when they see us in public, as happens often in rural communities, they take the lead in acknowledging staff so that we know it is okay to engage with them in public.
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