Cedar Valley United Way

Cedar Valley United Way Monthly Progress Report 2013/2014 Target Issue: Health-Healthy Youth and Adult-Violence

Operation Threshold 2013/2014 Request: $40,000

Nest 2013/2014 Award: $20,343

Number of anticipated participants to be indirectly served by the program annually: 700 Number of anticipated participants served directly by the program annually: 150  June 2014 – Total number of participants: o Total number of participants served indirectly: 264 o Total number of participants served directly: 86  Phase 4 – Total number of participants: o Total number of participants served indirectly: 474 o Total number of participants served directly 238

Phase 3 June 2014 Phase 4 Cumulative Totals # of participants who do not 155 7 75 230 experience abuse or (157 surveyed) (7 surveyed) (79 surveyed) (236 surveyed) neglect % of participant who maintained or increased their 94% 96% 95% 94% informal support systems. % of participants who reported learning greater 92% 95% 90% 91% skills to assist themselves or their families. *Report only unduplicated numbers

Please Note: Our Domestic Violence surveys are distributed to participants when they visit the Nest Coordinator’s office and are not handed out during classes. Therefore our numbers surveyed for domestic violence may not necessarily equal the number of participants served.

Success Story: “Jane”, a single mother in her late 20’s, joined Grundy County Nest after enrolling her 3 year-old in Early Head Start. Jane and her child live with her mother. Sometimes Jane’s mother attends Nest with her. When topics related to misbehavior are part of the lesson and discussion, they both readily advocated spanking and slapping.

Monthly & Phase 4 Report Report Due: July 15, 2014 Cedar Valley United Way Monthly Progress Report 2013/2014 Target Issue: Health-Healthy Youth and Adult-Violence Nest classes this program year used the curriculum, Love and Limits, www.extension.umn.edu . Each lesson features a one page handout for parents, a short lesson, a group discussion, and a short evaluation. Topics included, Handling Temper Tantrums, Focus on “Do” Instead of “Don’t,” Listen to Your Children, What Do You Expect?, Shopping with Children, Sibling Rivalry, and Preventing Misbehavior. Some of these lessons included information about the negative aspects of physical punishment.

When first becoming involved in Nest, Jane was reluctant to participate in group discussion unless it involved her convictions about physical punishment. However, she was very interested in accumulating points (which can be earned by attending classes). As the months went by she became a regular participant. She has attended all of classes in the last nine months and has faithfully kept EHS appointments. Jane began talking about the importance of listening to her child and understanding what a three year old is capable of doing and understanding. She began to talk less about physical punishment and more about using her new tools to prevent misbehavior. Jane recently stated that said she thinks about what she is doing and hardly ever spanks now.

Monthly & Phase 4 Report Report Due: July 15, 2014