Helping Kids Bounce Back: What do we know about how the Community Effects
Kids?
Even growing up can be a tough things to endure! Making it through tough
times and being able to bounce back is a skill. Children have to learn
this skill and it takes the entire community to help kids learn to cope
and feel supported as they grow up. Communities that care can complete
the circle of caring.
There are risk factors within the community.
They are:
Long work hours for parents or working teens that make
it so families cannot connect with each other in a meaningful
way each day
Poverty or tough budget times
Permissive community laws and norms that don't let children know there
are rules to live by
Low neighborhood connections, community disorganization, high mobility
Media influences
How can communities protect children and families?
Helpfulness found in the work place and community at large
Support of family-school collaboration
Social networks
Availability of human resources
A general attitude of positive caring and support
High community expectations
Youth valued as a resource and contributor
Religious options
Ways for citizens to support each other and work together
Evidence of Interdependence - different parts of the community working
together and referring to each other to benefit families
Shared responsibility and collaboration, peer support networks
Sometimes there are programs set up, but the leaders do not assure people
are comfortable participating. Strong community systems assure that:
There are strong linkages between settings, woven together
Easy entry into a new setting is made in the company of one or more persons
with whom one has participated with in other settings
Two-way communication exists between settings
Families are included in the communications network
Communications between settings is personal or face to face
