Communicating with Families

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Communicating with Families

Presented by Presented by

Extension Educators Debra Schroeder Extension Educators Debra Schroeder and Mary K. Warnerand Mary K. Warner

Extension Assistant Leah MillerExtension Assistant Leah Miller

University of NebraskaUniversity of Nebraska––LincolnLincoln

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Extension professionals will be able to:Extension professionals will be able to:Strengthen communication skills Strengthen communication skills Develop proactive family relationsDevelop proactive family relationsUse “I” messages when communicating with Use “I” messages when communicating with

familiesfamiliesUse a variety of techniques to communicate with Use a variety of techniques to communicate with

familiesfamiliesEvaluate and use social media to communicate Evaluate and use social media to communicate

with familieswith families

Objectives


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Sharing

What techniques do you use to communicate with What techniques do you use to communicate with families?families?

What are some the greatest challenges you have?What are some the greatest challenges you have?


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Open Communication

Set up an environment where families feel valued as Set up an environment where families feel valued as the primary influencethe primary influence

Positive self-esteem of family members is important Positive self-esteem of family members is important to the development of their childrento the development of their children

Include family members in decision makingInclude family members in decision making


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Open Communication

Regularly exchange information with familiesRegularly exchange information with families Greet and visit with families as they come to 4-H Greet and visit with families as they come to 4-H

events, programs and day campsevents, programs and day camps Encourage families to stay for meetings and Encourage families to stay for meetings and

activitiesactivities Invite families to become involved in helping withInvite families to become involved in helping with

4-H meetings and events and set up a gradual 4-H meetings and events and set up a gradual transition for new familiestransition for new families


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Examples of Tools You Can Use

WebsitesWebsites 4-H Club constitution and calendar4-H Club constitution and calendar NewslettersNewsletters Calling treesCalling trees EmailEmail Printed meeting agendasPrinted meeting agendas Job descriptions for volunteersJob descriptions for volunteers Text messagesText messages Social networking Social networking


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Building Relationships

Show that you really care about each child and Show that you really care about each child and family memberfamily member

Make personal contact through face-to-face Make personal contact through face-to-face communication communication

Treat families as individualsTreat families as individuals Listen and respond carefullyListen and respond carefully


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Building Relationships

Treat family members with respect and Treat family members with respect and considerationconsideration

Honor family confidentiality (unless it involves child Honor family confidentiality (unless it involves child neglect or abuse)neglect or abuse)

Focus on family strengths Focus on family strengths Encourage practices that Encourage practices that

promote family involvementpromote family involvement


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Understanding Families

Important to understand the stress that families Important to understand the stress that families experience with 4-H involvement experience with 4-H involvement

What feelings do families and volunteers share?What feelings do families and volunteers share? Stress is greatest for Stress is greatest for

first time familiesfirst time families Leaders/volunteers may feelLeaders/volunteers may feel

jealous of familiesjealous of families


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Understanding Families

Give written policies to families and clarify if needed Give written policies to families and clarify if needed so that they understand. Some policies need to be so that they understand. Some policies need to be signed.signed.

Say “thank you” oftenSay “thank you” often Just as you reach out to families, they will reach out Just as you reach out to families, they will reach out

to you to you


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“I” Messages

I feel…(explain feelings)I feel…(explain feelings) When you…(explain behavior)When you…(explain behavior) Because…(explain why)Because…(explain why) Could we…(explain solution) Could we…(explain solution)


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“I” Message Responses

ComplianceCompliance ResistanceResistance EmotionsEmotions NeedsNeeds


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Identifying Your Communication Strengths

A self-evaluation activityA self-evaluation activity Responses are confidentialResponses are confidential First set of responses applies toFirst set of responses applies to

beliefs and second set beliefs and second set applies to actions applies to actions

Rank each statement as strength, Rank each statement as strength, requires growth or does not applyrequires growth or does not apply

Set a goal for yourselfSet a goal for yourself


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What is Social Media?

““Social media is a shift in how we get our information. It used Social media is a shift in how we get our information. It used to be that we would wait for the paper boy to throw our news to be that we would wait for the paper boy to throw our news on the doorstep (or in the flowers) and we’d read the paper, on the doorstep (or in the flowers) and we’d read the paper, front to back, with our morning coffee before going to work. front to back, with our morning coffee before going to work. Now we get information, 24/7 and on the fly, from anywhere. In Now we get information, 24/7 and on the fly, from anywhere. In the more traditional senses, online, on our phones and through the more traditional senses, online, on our phones and through the social platforms. Social media allows us to network, to find the social platforms. Social media allows us to network, to find people with like interests, and to meet people who can become people with like interests, and to meet people who can become friends or customers. It flattens out the world and gives us friends or customers. It flattens out the world and gives us access to people we never would have been able to meet access to people we never would have been able to meet otherwise. Gini Dietrich” ~ otherwise. Gini Dietrich” ~ Arment Dietrich, Inc.Arment Dietrich, Inc.

http://heidicohen.com/social-media-definitionhttp://heidicohen.com/social-media-definition


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Social Media Revolution

Social Media Revolution


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How to Get Followers?

Follow othersFollow others Be active on your pages oftenBe active on your pages often Respond when others comment on your activityRespond when others comment on your activity

Provide comments to those you followProvide comments to those you follow Repeat yourselfRepeat yourself


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Accept and Prepare for,

Negativity There is a fine line in social media regarding There is a fine line in social media regarding

negativity. Some organizations are stricter than negativity. Some organizations are stricter than others when it comes to allowing negative dialogue others when it comes to allowing negative dialogue to occur in their space. Always try to engage the to occur in their space. Always try to engage the conversation publicly – be responsive, offer help to conversation publicly – be responsive, offer help to ease the situation. Trying to control the dialogue ease the situation. Trying to control the dialogue through aggressive screening and selective posts is through aggressive screening and selective posts is generally not effective or recommended.” - generally not effective or recommended.” - social social media GUIDEmedia GUIDE, National 4-H Council, Spring 2011, National 4-H Council, Spring 2011


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Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

““Ensure that you also have an escalation plan in Ensure that you also have an escalation plan in place should information or conversation on your place should information or conversation on your page illicit an unexpected response. Determine who page illicit an unexpected response. Determine who will have the final say in responding to a crisis on will have the final say in responding to a crisis on your page.” - your page.” - social media GUIDEsocial media GUIDE, National 4-H , National 4-H Council, Spring 2011Council, Spring 2011


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Proactive Family Relations

Be preparedBe prepared Be clearBe clear Stay neutralStay neutral Clarify confusing Clarify confusing

statementsstatements


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Points to Remember

Treat families as partnersTreat families as partners Relate to families as Relate to families as

individuals with their own individuals with their own attributes and problemsattributes and problems

Listen carefully to what they Listen carefully to what they say about their children and say about their children and respond with interestrespond with interest

Help families feel good about Help families feel good about their children and therefore their children and therefore about themselvesabout themselves


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Points to Remember Discuss positive aspects as well Discuss positive aspects as well

as challenges with familiesas challenges with families When discussing challenges, also When discussing challenges, also

bring in positive points about the bring in positive points about the child child

Attempt to jointly solve the Attempt to jointly solve the problemproblem

Families naturally are anxious for Families naturally are anxious for their child. Their demands come their child. Their demands come from a deep concern: that their from a deep concern: that their child be safe, loved and attached child be safe, loved and attached to to themthem, as families, as families


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Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Nebraska–LincolnLincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture.

The 4-H Youth Development program abides with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–LincolnNebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Health & Medicine

Communicating with Families