Abstract:

The FFH Community Connectors Hybrid program is designed to bring together students, their families, schools, communities, faith-based groups, and businesses through a Community Centered Health and Wellness approach. The FFH Community Connectors program seeks to strengthen communities, encourage mentoring, internship, and citizenship health opportunities to create new pathways for civic engagement that will result in higher educational achievement, higher levels of well-being and health, and workforce readiness for our state. Most specifically, this approach to social connectedness will impact school performance and economic productivity while also creating new ways for schools to promote a positive, goal-oriented, and hopeful atmosphere for success.

Program Philosophy and Overview:

High levels of hope and hopefulness are strong predictors of one’s belief that one can accomplish one’s goals; therefore, hope will be a central focus of this program. FFH Community Connector Program will utilize a model inclusive of digital and in-person programing. All engaged students and their families will work with our Community Health Workers, professional and college students, and our professional staff to create a Family Success plan.

The program will enroll students and their families through the FFH digital platform. Each family will be assigned a CHW who will complete a full intake and work with families to identify individual and shared goals. Once the family is enrolled and goals are determined the CHW will work with the families, schools, and local communities to support the success of self-identified family plans. Every month families will engage in digital academy experiences, virtual and augmented reality adventures and complete challenges that are gaged based on their own needs. Families from within a variety of communities will compete against similar communities to reach anticipated goals, earn health related discounts in the community and to find the hope and pride of what a healthy future can become.

Anticipated Outcomes:

We believe that through utilizing gamification as part of the process, we will provide a platform for families to heave better health, hope and life success. This innovative and unique centering point of connection of community, families and their children will include shared principles of hope building: 1) Setting Goals to be Prepared for 21st Century Careers, 2) Building Character, 3) Developing Pathways to Achievement, 4) Improved health literacy, 5) Healthier Personal Decision Making, 6) Building Resiliency, building family and community health and 7) Believing in a Positive Future. Each of these desired outcomes is central to long-term student personal and academic success.

Measurement:

The FFH program will provide a health assessment on-line for all families, set challenges with the CHW and other partners to help families advance their children’s’ academic achievement through cognitive and non-cognitive engagements. All families will be followed by a CHW, have a digital profile, and will relate to service, business and health providers that can support their quest for better health, education and life success. We will utilize test scores, grades, health assessments, engagement points, observations and CHW notes to ensure a triangulated evaluation for reliable and valid outcomes.