Extended Family

Causes: Human Services

Mission: Show prisoners' families how to successfully adjust to a new way of life

Programs: Extended family for kids (efk): led 25 efk programs in 8 cherokee co. Schools. One efk program includes 9 lessons. In 2017, efk recorded enrollment of 256. We also led efk training workshops at three professional conferences in alabama. Efk is a curriculum-based program for children of the incarcerated consisting of nine 45-minute sessions. Sessions are hands on, with activities and lessons to help the children get through this time in their life successfully. Each lesson gives the students a new skill, resulting in increased self-esteem and personal responsibility. Teaching the child how to make better choices than their loved ones made is the focus of efk. One impact study has shown efk students' grade levels came up and disciplinary referrals went down. An annual extended family for kids training workshop is presented for school counselors, administrators, and school appointed personnel.

going home workshop (gh): taught a total of 281 inmates in 9 workshops at the following prisons: st. Clair, bibb county, donaldson, alexander city wr. We taught 2 gh workshops for professional conferences, total of 40 attendees. The interactive workshop is 2 hours and is designed to help re-entering inmates and their families adjust to life on the outside with a focus on the family dynamics that occur when the incarcerated individual returns home. The purpose of the workshop is to identify six specific problem areas and provide practical solutions for each. Workshop participants are equipped with new tools to use during that first year of re-entry and beyond.

extended family support for families of prisoners: web site: ef collects information on resources beneficial to families of prisoners and their kids and gives the resource info to families on an as needed basis. To facilitate this resource database information distribution, extended family obtained a new web site design with automated resource database. Family members can search for resources in their community. Through the web site, news and events beneficial to families of prisoners is posted, and a monthly newsletter with resource of the month and helpful hint is sent. Annual celebration: held in november, this event brings together families of prisoners to hear a speaker that informs, encourages, inspires, and shows families of prisoners how to adjust to life successfully. The celebration also provides one-on-one support, answering questions and providing information. The whole community is invited.