Family Life Education - Assignment Example

?Family Life Education The living environment today is such that people are faced with numerous problems at the individual, family and society levels. At the society and community level, focus is normally directed to the achievement of certain clear goals. Community support, going by its various names and definitions, is important in overcoming certain problems in life. Also called social support, depending on the support of other members of the local or wider community helps people with similar or diverse problems get to terms with the issues that they face with more confidence than they would if they were to tackle difficult issues alone. This paper seeks to reflect on the definition of social support, community support and their importance in solving individual and social problems. Community Engaged Parent Education (CEPE) as an example will be considered in analysing the benefits of embracing community activities and learning. Social Support and Community’s Support The definition of social support is subject to a lot of debate. The definition of social support varies, the concepts behind the definition similarly diverse. Among the most common definition of social support include: the activity that involves resource provision; a positive outcome implied; social integration; and outcomes that involve a recipient feeling cared for (Hupcey, 1998). The concept of social support is however widely applied in many cycles including health behaviour, caregiver burden, and compliance. Sociologists, psychologists, and nurses for example have used the concept in assessing social networks; evaluating social relations; and linking illness outcomes to family assessments respectively The global war on terrorism has impacted on many people’s lives, military personnel and their families especially according to Huebner, Mancini, Bowen, and Orthner (nd). Deployment of military personnel to the battle field has an effect on the personnel, their marriages, and their children. Children for example end up experiencing depression, loneliness, and bruised self esteem even as their parents under deployment are stressed up in the wake of imminent harm. Facing such challenging situations without the support of other people is often very tasking, the reason people need to engage external support. The family support system needs to be augmented by the community’s support for better results when dealing with stressful issues. Engaging the community in capacity building and supporting the family is characterised by two main elements; collective competence and shared responsibility according to Huebner et al (nd, p 219). Military men and women for example get a lot of support when they form formal and informal networks. Although the resilient informal support network are often preferred by members of society, their formal counterparts play a great role in providing grounds for their (informal support systems) establishment and growth (Huebner et al, nd, p 220). Research has shown that having positive view of community capacity directly impacted positively on depression. In the Air Force, a study showed that suicide rates reduced when members of the AF community engaged in interagency activities (Huebner et al, nd, p220). Also, at the national level, community capacity has notably helped in the establishment of stable social capital and conducive business environments. Community Engaged Parent Education The role of parents in the community and society at large has been one issue that has drawn a lot of concern. This is especially the case with the rapid changes that are taking place in the world today. As such, the parenting landscape has undergone significant transformation causing the need for similar albeit adequate response in parent education as noted by Doherty, Jacob, and Cutting (nd). In the United States, the need for engaging the community in parent education finds its roots in the establishment of organized parent education initiatives. With time, parenting education started focusing on making the world a better place. In order to make the world a better place, the need for professionals who would generate new knowledge and spread it to other members of the community could not be ignored. The Community Engaged Parent Education (CEPE) approach advocates the value of civic engagement when it comes to strengthening family life. It also emphasizes the need to overcome conventional consumer or provide models of service delivery (Doherty, Jacob, and Cutting, nd). CEPE training according to a demonstration carried out in Minnesota revealed that interns learnt significantly whatever they were taught based on the CEPE mentoring approach. The demonstration revealed that many parents appreciated the value of working with other people (neighbours, civic authorities and other persons) in tackling the issues that faced them in their local communities. In effect, it is noted that there is an increasing awareness among parents that the community and wider society greatly impacts their personal concerns in the course of parenting. Conclusion The concepts of social support and community support are not new to the society today. Humans being social beings have always needed the company of their fellow humans or at least those of other creatures. This is especially the case in today’s complex and volatile environment. Hupcey (1998) in his article goes to great length in attempting to find a most suitable definition for the concept of Social Support. Having analysed several sources providing diverse points of view, Hupcey notes that defining social support is not a mean task and instead concludes that for social support to occur, positive outcomes must be witnessed. Community capacity is similarly considered by Huebner. Citing several examples of the benefits of community capacity, Huebner gives clear direction, with focus on the military, that having a sense of community is a source of consolation and helps in overcoming such ills as depression. A good example of the benefit of engaging in civil activities in groups is seen in the benefits gained by the approach taken by Community Engaged Parent Education. The training offered by CEPE in demonstration of the benefits of working as a community cannot be understated. The underlying fact behind these studies which essentially goes in line with the spirit of networking is that seeking support of other people and working toward common goals as a community helps in overcoming several of life’s challenges. References Doherty W., Jacob J., & Cutting B. (nd) “Community Engaged Parent Education: Strengthening Civic Engagement Among Parents and Parent Educators” Interdisciplinary Journal of applied family relations. Huebner A. J., Mancini J. A., Bowen G. L. & Orthner D.K. (nd) “Shadowed by War: Building Community Capacity to Support Military Families”. Interdisciplinary Journal of applied family relations. Hupcey J.E. (1998) “Social Support: Assessing Conceptual Coherence” Qualitative Health Research 8(3): 304-318 Retrieved 28th February, 2011 http://qhr.sagepub.com/content/8/3/304 Read More