Social Justice and Military Families

The final course of the 2022 Academy series addresses the specific work of social justice advocacy among family service providers, in the context of military families and their health and well-being.

The final course of the 2022 Academy series addresses the specific work of social justice advocacy among family service providers, in the context of military families and their health and well-being. Military service can further complicate both equitable service access and families’ lived experiences given the strains of deployment, combat, reintegration, PCSing, and injury. Incorporating both a personal and professional lens,  learners will examine the concept of belonging and inclusion through a framework of self-care, healing, and resilience.  Further, learners will reflect on and identify strategies for using their discretionary power or sphere of influence to incorporate social justice and well-being practices for military families as families navigate the additional complexities of military service.

In this course, participants will:

1. Revisit and examine definitions related to social justice (diversity, equity, inclusion, culture, respect, dignity, racism – and other isms) as they apply to our role in supporting military families
2. Explore the meaning of belonging, and how military service providers can foster belonging, within the context of creating spaces of belonging and inclusion for military families.
3. Explore the critical role that a growth mindset, self-care, and healing-centered practices have when incorporating a trauma-informed lens, through which military service providers can better assist families.

Eduardo González Jr. serves as the Assistant Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for Cornell Cooperative Extension. In this capacity, Eduardo provides leadership on systemwide DEI organizational transformation efforts designed to promote belonging and engagement through an anti-racist lens.

Julika von Stackelberg is a resilience trainer and researcher, who focuses on building communities of belonging based on strategies that promote well-being for all. She is a Family and Community Resilience Educator with Cornell University Cooperative Extension in Orange County, NY

Keith Tidball serves on the faculty of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as a Senior Extension Associate at Cornell University. He is also the Assistant Director for Veterans & Military Families, Disaster Education, and Environment and Natural Resources at Cornell Cooperative Extension. Dr. Tidball serves as the Principal Investigator for the OneOp Community Capacity Building team.

This course is approved for 1.5 CEs from the following organizations:

• The Patient Advocate Certification Board
• The Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE)
• The University of Texas at Austin, Steve Hicks School of Social Work:  Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists from the University of Texas at Austin, Steve Hicks School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK (Expires: June 1, 2024).
• Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE) via the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR)
• The Center for Financial Certifications (FinCert)
• Commission for Case Manager Certification

Participants interested in documenting their training activities may also receive a Certificate of Attendance.