Extended Family is excited to have just completed Leader Training on April 11, 2023 for Extended
Family for Kids (EFK) Program! Training new leaders is one of our proudest accomplishments because
we want the support EFK offers to children and families to be available to all who need it, and this is
only possible through training others to help share our message of coping skills, stress relief and, most
importantly, hope to Our Kids!
The April 11 training was conducted by Extended Family Founder and Director Laure Clemons in DeKalb
County, Alabama. This project was supported by Subgrant #2023-DJ-02-254 awarded by the Law
Enforcement/Traffic Safety Division of ADECA and the U.S. Department of Justice. This grant allowed
Extended Family to train 15 participants at a greatly reduced cost to each one and included the nine-
lesson curriculum for EFK. Several local organizations were represented, including R.O.S.S., CASA of
North Sand Mountain, Extended Family, Domestic Violence Crisis Services, The Father’s House, DeKalb
County Children’s Advocacy Center, and Fort Payne City Schools.
Additionally, with the support of this grant, we will be able to assist five DeKalb County schools and
agencies starting EFK for their kids. Extended Family staff will be on-site to meet with parents and
faculty, enroll students in EFK, and help lead the first two EFK Lessons! By training others how to lead
EFK in their communities, we are exponentially increasing the number of children of the incarcerated
that are served in DeKalb County. As one Trainee put it, “This training is more than a curriculum – It will
change lives!”
Extended Family received positive feedback from our trainees. Here are just a few comments:
Love ALL the ideas and how you refer to the children as “our kids.”
Great Workshop! Much Needed! Excited to volunteer!
The training was informative and valuable! I really enjoyed today.
Thank you! This was very informative & inspiring.
Don’t stop believing!
You are changing this world! Xoxo
GREAT TRAINING!! Keep up the good work.
And here are some of the responses from the question on the evaluation, “What was one thing that
stood out for you in this workshop?”
I loved the COPS section to help kids not be afraid of the police.
The simplicity of the curriculum as well as its diversity. Can be used in lots of settings on
various age groups.
“Every Trainee receives the EFK Curriculum Guide and gets to try out the same Lesson activities they will
use with their students,” Clemons said. “For example, in Picture This, we all draw a picture of how we
picture ourselves in 10 years, then talk about the steps we will take to get there.” Other Lessons include 14 Stress Busters, Who’s to Blame (also known as the “coffee spill” Lesson), We Don’t Have to Do Their Time, and much more.
