University of Wisconsin - Extension

An afternoon spent sewing a stuffed animal or planting seeds in a garden may not seem so extraordinary for many children. For kids in crisis, it can be a moment when life feels normal again.

In Appleton, Rebecca Sgarlotti creates such moments for kids who are staying a Harbor House, a haven for women and children who have fled abuse at home, and at the Emergency Shelter, a place for homeless families. Using materials and ideas developed for 4-H youth development programs, she encourages school-aged children at the shelters to try out new activities, learn new skills, and have a little fun in the process.

Sgarlotti works at Harbor House and for University of Wisconsin-Extension's 4-H youth development program in Outagamie County.

"Kids who are staying in the shelters have very little to do after school," Sgarlotti explained. "These sessions are a chance for them to do some of the things other kids do - to participate in some extracurricular activities." Sgarlotti said an added benefit is that a parent will often join a child for the activity time, allowing them to spend some precious time working on something together.

Director of the Emergency Shelter, Debra Kronmiller believes the introduction of a regularly scheduled activity has been an anchor for many of the shelter's residents.

"People who are homeless lose their connections with community and with other kinds of structured activities," she said. "They can become very isolated. But this program is structured and predictable, and the kids know it's not something that is just for homeless kids. They know Rebecca does programs like this with lots of groups of kids."

Sgarlotti's 4-H youth development outreach at the shelters is part of an ambitious "urban agenda" for several counties in northeastern Wisconsin. She hopes to expand eventually to another site - a transitional housing agency where families stay for up to two years.

"Families typically only stay at the shelters for a few weeks, so there isn't time develop an ongoing program," Sgarlotti said.

It might be long enough to make a difference, however. For example Sgarlotti tells a story about an eighth grade girl who confided that she thought she'd like to be an attorney, but she really didn't know what an attorney did, or how to go about becoming one.

"I hooked this girl up with a woman who is an attorney in Appleton and arranged to them to meet. The girl has spent some time "shadowing" the attorney to learn about her work."

The county Extension 4-H youth development agent, Jeanne Baum, says the outreach effort has enriched the rest of the 4-H program in the county.

We've been able to reach kids who have not been involved in any youth groups and who are in situations where they have not been able to participate," she said. "We hope to be able to create more links between these activities and the youth who are part of community 4-H clubs in the future."

Sgarlotti believes that children who come from low income families and who are dealing with serious family problems need and deserve the opportunity to participate in after school activities and to explore the kind of hands-on learning that is provided by 4-H programs.

"We touch on life skills and on important topics like nutrition and home safety, but it's also important for these kids to try out enrichments opportunities in music, crafts and theater. They need something that feels like normal life and that they can feel proud about."