This document summarizes a training for helping professionals on building trust and credibility when serving military families. It outlines several key strategies, such as conducting comprehensive needs assessments, setting goals with families, and periodically reviewing progress. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of effective communication, cultural competence, empowering families, and collaborating with outside organizations. Signs of successful service provision include families initiating contact, having accurate expectations of services, and demonstrating understanding of typical timelines. Overall, the training stresses that providers should recognize family expertise and focus on increasing family resilience.

1. Empowering Those We Help: Building
Trust & Credibility
https://learn.extension.org/events/2125
This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Office of Family
Readiness Policy, U.S. Department of Defense under Award Numbers 2010-48869-20685, 2012-48755-20306, and 2014-48770-22587.

2. Sign up for webinar email notifications
http://www.extension.org/62831
Provide feedback and earn CEU credit with one link:
We will provide this link at the end of the webinar

3. Research and evidenced-based
professional development
through engaged online communities.
www.eXtension.org/militaryfamilies

4. Click on the social media icons below to get connected with us!

5. Available resources
https://learn.extension.org/events/2125
Find slides and additional resources under ‘event materials’

6. EmpoweringThose
We Help: Building
Trust andCredibility
A training for helping
professionals

7. Alicia Cassels
Extension Assistant Professor & Curriculum
Specialist
4-HYouth Development Programs
WestVirginia University
Webinar
Presenter

8. TrainingOverview
This training will provide an overview of key
strategies for helping professionals in serving
as effective resources with military families.

9. Guiding
Principles
Effective services areprovided with andnot for
families.
Effective services focusonempowering families
andincreasing resilience.
Effective services recognizethat families have
expert-level knowledge regarding their own
experiences andkeyinsight into the needs of
their loved ones.

10. Personal
Attributes
Personal and
Professional
Experiences
Training
Professional
and Skills
Professional
skills, personal
attributes and
experiences
influence
family support
provider
interactions
with families.
The family service provider
perspective is important.

11. From the EFMP Family Support Reference Guide (Figure 3:1)
Share your
thoughts
Which of these
attributes
represent your
strengths?
Which attributes
do you feel you
need to further
develop?

12. Set the stage for success by
establishing credibility and trust
Communication styles, family culture,
base culture, special needs and other
factors impact family decisions to seek
support.
Share your
thoughts
What has
worked well
at your
installation
(in your
experience?)

13. Work with families to develop accurate,
comprehensive needs assessments, which identify
family strengths and needs.
Use reflective listening techniques to demonstrate
interest and check accuracy in understanding.
Determine the immediacy and priority of needs.
A strong family
needs
assessment will
provide a good
foundation for
family service
plan
development.
Assessing Strengths and Needs

14. Goal Setting
Assist families in the development of goals
that they identify as important.
Help families manage expectations at the
outset of the goal-setting process.
Support families in testing expectations based
on knowledge of typical timelines and
experiences.
Goals and
objectives
should build on
family
strengths,
address family
needs and
incorporate
realistic
timelines.

15. Conduct periodic reviews of goals.
Communicate regularly with families regarding
their progress and needs.
Document goal achievement and add new
goals as necessary.
The goal
setting and
subsequent
review process
may be used to
help families
manage
expectations
and assess
progress.
Goal Management

16. Check for signs of effective
collaboration
 Families are comfortable sharing
information and asking questions.
 Families initiate contact.
 Families communicate realistic expectations.
 Goals and objectives are able to be adjusted
in order to address changing family needs
and priorities.

17. Set the stage for success by
establishing a reputation of caring
and expertise
Family support
staff are ideally
seen as hubs for
information and
support.
Ensure that families and key stakeholders have
accurate expectations regarding the roles and
responsibilities of family support staff members.
Maintain and distribute accurate and updated
information regarding programs and services.
Know how to find answers to family questions.
Maintain strong relationships with families and
stakeholders.

18. Proactive service provision requires
professional relationships
Communicate regularly with families through
individual contact, mailings, and participation in
events.
Communicate and coordinate with service
providers in order to share programmatic
information and eliminate duplication of efforts.
Maintain up to date knowledge regarding family
networks, which serve the installation population.
The provision of
formal and
informal
services is
important for
success.

19. Proactive service provision requires
anticipation of common issues and
needs
Communication concerning common family
issues and service timelines can be helpful to
new families and service providers.
Be prepared to address common issues such as
long waits for service, unrealistic expectations,
and resistance to asking for help.
Learn as much as possible about the cultures
represented at your installation.
Communication
styles, family
culture, local
(installation)
culture and other
factors impact
family decisions
to seek support.

20. Proactive service provision requires
involvement inside and outside the
gates of the installation
Communication
with service
providers and
key
stakeholders
will help
improve service
provision and
reduce
overlapping
efforts.
Identify representatives of the agencies and key
organizations in your community which address
the needs of your installation population.
Collaborative working relationships with
organizations that serve your population will
increase your capacity to help your families
access services.

21. Check for signs of effective service
provision
 Providers are invited to serve on key groups and
participate in events.
 Families initiate contact to seek consultation or
information.
 Families and stakeholders have accurate
expectations regarding services.
 Families and stakeholders demonstrate
understanding of typical timelines and various
program requirements.
 Referrals and ongoing collaboration flow both ways.

22.  Effective service provision empowers families and
helps increase resilience.
 Effective service providers recognize that families
have expert-level knowledge regarding their own
experiences and key insight into the needs of their
loved ones.
 Communication styles, family culture, base culture,
special needs and other factors impact family
decisions to seek support. Professional skills,
personal attributes and experiences influence
provider interactions with families.
 It is important for providers to learn as much as
possible about the cultures that they serve.
KEY
TAKEAWAYS

23.  Effective helping professionals convey key
characteristics when collaborating with families.
These characteristics include: unbiased, emotionally
mature, culturally competent, non-judgmental,
accepting, empathetic, objective and empowering.
 Comprehensive needs assessments should be
conducted prior to goal setting and should identify
family strengths and needs.
 Periodic reviews of goals should be conducted in
order to address changing family needs and
priorities.
 Providers are ideally seen as hubs for accurate
information, family support and needs-based
referrals.
KEY
TAKEAWAYS
Cont.

24.  Collaborative working relationships with
organizations that serve your population will
increase your capacity to help families access
necessary services.
 It is important to assist families in adjusting
expectations regarding services based on
knowledge of typical timelines and experiences.
KEY
TAKEAWAYS
Cont.

25. Key Resources
• Helpful information regarding communicating
with families is available at:
http://download.militaryonesource.mil/12038/Pro
ject%20Documents/MilitaryHOMEFRONT/Troop
s%20and%20Families/Tools%20for%20Families/
EFMP_Family_Support_Reference_Guide.pdf
• Plan My Move program available at:
https://apps.militaryonesource.mil/MOS/f?p=PM
M:ENTRY:0
• Find contact information for the gaining
installation’s Exceptional Family Member
Program (EFMP):
http://www.militaryonesource.mil/efmp
• Military installations online at:
http://militaryinstallations.dod.mil.

26. Contact Information
AliciaCassels,WestVirginiaUniversity
ExtensionSpecialistandAssistantProfessor
Tel. 304-293-7993
Email:Alicia.Cassels@mail.wvu.edu

27. Evaluation and CE Credit
The Military Caregiving Concentration Area will
offer 1.0 credit hour(s) from the National
Association of Social Workers (NASW).
To receive CE credit please complete the
evaluation and post-test found at:
https://vte.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_6g0ZVmea0ovsr7D
*Must pass post-test with an 80% or higher to
receive certificate.

28. Military Caregiving Upcoming Event
Going to College: A Guide to Transition Planning
for Those with Disabilities
• Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2015
• Time: 11:00 a.m. Eastern
• Location:
https://learn.extension.org/events/2168
For more information on MFLN- Military Caregiving go to:
http://blogs.extension.org/militaryfamilies/military-caregiving/

29. Find all upcoming and recorded webinars
covering:
http://www.extension.org/62581
Personal Finance
Military Caregiving
Family Development
Family Transitions
Network Literacy
Nutrition & Wellness
Community Capacity Building
This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Office of Family
Readiness Policy, U.S. Department of Defense under Award Numbers 2010-48869-20685, 2012-48755-20306, and 2014-48770-22587.