Conference Schedule and Workshops

Workshops

Wednesday, June 3, 2009 | Workshop Session I: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Become a Fan of Community Youth Development (CYD) Through Adult Youth Partnership

Stanley Saballett, Program Manager; Take Wing Youth Board Members, San Diego Youth Services, San Diego, CA

This interactive workshop will highlight the Take Wing Transitional Living Program and its success through the importance of adult youth partnership. The workshop will explore successful strategies while learning guiding principles that can enhance your youth programs. Observe an interactive presentation by Take Wing youth board members on significant program/board participation. Back to top

Street Law Clinic Youth in Transition

Laura Dym Cohen, Director, Street Law Clinic and Community Outreach; Miri Kim, Law Student; Jennifer Yi, Law Student, Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles, CA

Street Law Youth in Transition is a clinic at Southwestern Law School that trains law students to teach law-related critical life skills to court involved youth in Los Angeles, which in turns assists them for a successful transition to adulthood. The clinic design, legal issues our students face, and how best to use attorneys as resources will be presented and discussed in the workshop. Back to top

The Building Bridges Collaborative Employment Program

Justin S. Beene, Life Skills/Independent Living Program Supervisor, Bethany Christian Services, Grand Rapids, MI; Marques J. Beene, Community Probation Officer, 17th Circuit Court Family Division, Grand Rapids, MI

Youth within the foster care and juvenile justice system face impediments to obtaining and maintaining employment. Youth who do not find employment and the proper supports to teach them related skills often end up with lifelong struggles of homelessness, joblessness and low levels of education. This workshop will discuss youth needs, current community employment and job training resources and how to effectively collaborate to achieve desired outcomes. It is essential to engage both public and private sectors. A model employment program "Building Bridges" will be discussed as well as very practical ways to begin a self-sustaining employment program within your own community. Back to top

Reinventing Transitional Group Care

Frank Kros, Executive Vice President, The Children's Guild, Baltimore, MD

The focus of this presentation is on integrating neuroscience research into transitional group care. Using five (5) specific innovations from a comprehensively designed curriculum, the presentation demonstrates how one residential provider, The Children's Guild, has translated brain research findings into practical programs, structures and systems that impact the residential milieu. The purpose of the presentation is to encourage and inspire other youth-serving organizations to create program innovations based on the rapidly-emerging brain science. Back to top

Building Allies for GLBTQ Youth

Karyn Boyce, Clinical Director, Ozone House, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI

Examine bias and attitudes about people who identify as GLBTQ. Discuss challenges and barriers for GLBTQ youth. Discuss helpful responses to coming out and ways to be supportive. Increase knowledge and resources about being an ally for GLBTQ youth in order to increase your visibility and commitment to being an ally. Back to top

Youth Leadership in Program Practice and Design

Bill Motsavage, Director of Independent Living, Valley Youth House, Bethlehem, PA; Jennifer Hitz, Assistant Director of Finance, Centre County Youth Service Bureau, State College, PA

Operating an IL program from a positive youth development perspective is a major key to improving the success of involved youth. This workshop will discuss the philosophical underpinnings of PYD. Activities and discussions will provide a framework for how to integrate PYD to maximally impact youth, program design, and positive system change. Back to top

Going Up? Crafting Your Elevator Speech for Difficult Times

Eman Quotah, Writer and Editor; Jennifer Rich, Deputy Director, National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth, Silver Spring, MD

In our difficult times, nonprofits have to find a way to be heard above the din. One tool for getting noticed is the elevator speech, a short pitch that can be used to court any audience - including funders. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn the elements of a good pitch and how to create one. Back to top

Creating Pathways to Independence Through Employment and Education, Building a Onestop Model for Homeless Youth

Melinda Giovengo, Executive Director, Youthcare, Seattle, WA

YouthCare's Orion Center is a model for a multi-service center serving homeless youth. Combining employment and education, multiple partners and funding streams Orion creates pathways that lead youth out of poverty and crisis and into self-sufficiency. Back to top

Connecting The Dots: From Program Practices to Outcomes - How to Make It Happen and Live to Tell About It

Tim Goldsmith, Chief Clinical Officer; Sarah Hurley, Director of Outcome Evaluation, Youth Villages, Memphis, TN

Agencies and providers frequently have to choose different methods of operation and practice that meet the needs of often widely varying populations, regulators and funders. This workshop demonstrates a process to connect program practices to specific outcomes. The goal: if you are true to your model, then you can produce outcomes for clients and the agency. Back to top

Exhausted And Needing To Renew

Susan Phillips, Director, Lutheran Social Services of MN, Saint Paul, MN

Working with youth who have been traumatized is certain to eventually take its toll on even the most gifted of youth workers. This workshop is for the youth worker who feels the stress and fatigue of working in this challenging field. Participants will learn warning signs of burnout, ways that your workplace can help to alleviate compassion fatigue and strategies that can work in your personal life for taking care of yourself. If you feel worn out and worn down in your job, this workshop is sure to offer resources and a chance for renewal. Back to top

Thursday, June 4, 2009 | Workshop Session II: 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Creating Connections: Improving Tribal Youth Outcomes

Margaret Orrantia, Tribal Elder; Tom Lidot, Tribal STAR Curriculum Coordinator, Academy for Professional Excellence, San Diego, CA

Recognizing that 1 in 3 Native American you experience out of home placement (more than any other racial group), the need for culturally appropriate ILP services is critical. Based on the Tribal STAR Training model, this interactive workshop will provide resources and strategies for improving outcomes for Native youth with a focus on native culture, values, protocol and innovative approaches for ILP. Back to top

Leading From Behind: The Post-Partnership Elements of Positive Youth Development

Janet Knipe, Executive Director, National Foster Youth Action Network, San Francisco, CA

Have you ever struggled with executing the principles of positive youth development successfully? Join us for a frank discussion and interactive workshop about new strategies to assist adults to "lead from behind" when striving to empower foster youth. Back to top

Developing and Operating Housing and Supportive Services for Homeless Youth: A 30 Year Perspective

Bob Mecum, President and CEO, Lighthouse Youth Services, Cincinnati, OH; Mark Kroner, Director, Lighthouse Training Institute, Lighthouse Youth Services, Cincinnati, OH

This workshop will outline a comprehensive array of housing options and supportive services for homeless youth in and out of the child welfare system developed by Lighthouse in Cincinnati over a 30 year period. Topics will include sources of funding, system changes over the years, operational issues and lessons learned by 2 veterans who have been involved in the daily realities of IL/TL services. Time for questions and discussion will be built in. Back to top

Transitioning and Mentoring The Teen Parent

Teshezia George, Executive Director, New Generation Youth, Gary, IN

If aging out of the system isn't challenging enough, try being a pregnant or teen parent attempting to become independent, emancipated and having the same opportunities as other peers. Parenthood is scary and challenging for adults...how can we best serve our youth's independent living and transitional needs, while ensuring that we lead them down the path to success. Back to top

Putting Positive Youth Development Into Practice

Pamela Cornell-Allen, CEY Program Director, Ozone House, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI; Colleen O'Brien, Youth Development Director, Ozone House, Inc., Ypsilanti, MI

Through modeling and teaching, youth workers can help young people develop competencies, practice new skills and establish connections in the community. Come learn more about Positive Youth Development as an approach to working with high-risk youth. Back to top

High School to College a Program for Your Youth

April Curtis, H2C Program Coordinator; Onie L. Riley,H2C Program Coordinator; Brianna Lane, H2C Participant; Chastity Marrero, H2C Participant, Uhlich Childrens's Advantage Network (UCAN), Chicago, IL

Come learn about an innovative program that has offered youth in care academic, social and emotional support over the last four years. Find out how this program successfully helps transition youth in care, adoption and guardianship while increasing graduation rates among participating youth in foster care in the program by 88%. Back to top

Same Youth, Disparate Resources: Developing a Statewide Advocacy Strategy for System Involved and Non-System Transition Age Youth

Heather Dearing, Executive Director, California Coalition for Youth, Sacramento, CA; Sherilyn Adams, Executive Director, Larkin Street Youth Services, San Francisco, CA

This workshop will demonstrate the similarity between transition-age youth who have been in out-of-home placements and those who have not. It will also outline the development of a coordinated statewide plan to provide a system of care that prevents youth homelessness and serves young people who are already homeless. Back to top

Perspective on Permanence for Older Children and Adolescents

Kevin Mapp, Permanency Social Worker, Family Builders, Oakland, CA

Rather than defining permanency exclusively as adoption, permanency is now redefined as a relationship that takes many forms. The workshop will offer concrete strategies and programmatic examples of how to achieve permanence and will explore the barriers and lessons learned in the process of doing this work. Back to top

Healthy Relationships: Helping Youth Get From Where They Are to Where They Want to Be

Patty Howell, Vice-President of Operations & Media Relations, California Healthy Marriages Coalition, Leucadia, CA

In order to make a successful transition to adulthood, it is essential for youth to learn healthy relationship skills. Runaway and homeless youth most often enter Transitional Living Programs having experienced conflict in family relationships; they often lack positive role models for healthy relationships. This workshop will highlight the relationship challenges facing runaway and homeless youth and focus on strategies, curricula and other resources for teaching healthy relationship skills. Back to top

The Mystical Magic of Foster Youth Leadership Development: Identifying the Key Ingredients of Successful Youth Engagement

Jamie Lee Evans, Director, Y.O.U.T.H. Training Project, Bay Area Academy, Oakland, CA; Nicole Demedenko, Board President, Youth In Mind, Berkeley, CA; Rochelle Trochtenberg, Youth Organizer, Humboldt County Transition Age Youth Collaboration, Sacramento, CA; Laura Forrest, Project Assistant, Y.O.U.T.H. Training Project,Oakland, CA; Kate Teague, Northern California Outreach Coordinator, California Youth Connection, San Francisco, CA

Have you ever heard that foster youth are simply too difficult to include in decision making, as collaborators or employees in agencies? We have and it baffles us! Join a few former foster youth program organizers to hear the magic in the mix! We'll share the secret recipe ingredients that have worked for our three organizations, all former foster youth run, and have empowered hundreds of youth in the process. We'll share digital media, personal reflections and offer some new evidence based practice. Back to top

Site Visit

Take Wing Transitional Living Community

San Diego Youth Services
Take Wing is a transitional living community specifically designed to break the cycle of homelessness for youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are on their own (youth under the age of 18 must be legally emancipated from their parents). The goal is to empower these youth with hope through developing their ability to be self-sufficient. Take Wing focuses on teaching homeless teens, teenage moms, young families, and those "aging out" of the foster care system to become independent and productive members of society. Take Wing provides affordable housing, Independent Living Skills training, and life planning. Back to top

Thursday, June 4, 2009 | Workshop Session III: 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Strategies for Empowering Transition-aged Youth With Disabilities

Kaela Vronsky, Mentoring and National Center Director, Partners for Youth with Disabilities, Boston, MA

This workshop will introduce participants to a community collaboration that utilizes mentoring relationships to prepare youth with disabilities for independence and employment. Participants will also learn about the unique challenges faced by transition-aged youth with disabilities. This workshop provides an opportunity for participants to engage presenters and other participants in a discussion about effective strategies for facilitating a smooth transition to adulthood for youth with disabilities. Back to top

ILP/TLP Collaborations: South Dakota's Model for Chafee/TLP Partnerships

Stephanie Graeb, Independent Living Preparation Program Director, Volunteers of America, Dakotas, Sioux Falls, SD

Workshop will review South Dakota's statewide Chafee program and examine current collaborations with RHY TLP providers. Workshop participants will be provided with the opportunity to network and discuss collaboration strategies for ILP/TLP's within their communities. Back to top

What Can Self-Advocacy Do For Youth? Foster Youth Stories on Supportive Services Through Education and Empowerment

Rebecca Leach, Southern Region Policy Coordinator; Kassondra White, California Youth Connection Member; Catalina Santos, California Youth Connection Member, California Youth Connection, Los Angeles, CA

This workshop will focus on the need for supportive services in high schools and universities along with the importance of youth empowerment and self-advocacy. The presenters, using the philosophy of California Youth Connection, will provide information on youth empowerment and advocacy and its role in the successful transition into adulthood. Back to top

Housing Solutions for Young People Leaving Foster Care

Ruth A. White, Executive Director, National Center for Housing and Child Welfare, University Park, MD

This session is designed to better help attendees understand how to tap housing resources in their communities on behalf of young people making the transition to adulthood from foster care. Participants in this session will gain tools to create the partnerships necessary to ensure that a range of housing options is available for youth leaving care to promote self sufficiency and prevent homelessness. Back to top

Put Me On Blast: Youth Voice in The Media And Policy

Celeste Bodner, Director; Schylar Canfield, 2005 FosterClub All-Star; Anthony Reeves, 2006 FosterClub All-Star; FosterClub, Inc., Seaside, OR

The FosterClub All-Stars have shared their foster care stories in front of Congress, on National television and Radio, in Time Magazine and in countless newspapers across the country. In this workshop, participants will learn important considerations for youth regarding sharing their story in a public venue. Youth will begin to shape their story using the All-Star biography template and consider how they might put their foster care "expertise" to work for a meaningful purpose. Adults will learn how to support youth as they interact with the media. Back to top

Promoting a Culture of Understanding and Change About Permanency: A Youth and Adult Engagement Model

Marty Zanghi, Director Youth and Community Engagement, Muskie School of Public Service, Portland, ME; Dianna Walters, YLAT Member and Former Foster Youth, Portland, ME; Dulcey Laberge, Youth Transitions Coordinator, Maine Dept. of Health and Human Services, Augusta, ME

This workshop will discuss how the state of Maine has utilized a youth/adult permanency summit approach to create successful youth and community conversations in order to achieve greater permanence for youth in foster care. Presenters will include former youth in care, child welfare representatives and summit organizers and will discuss our organizing methods, strategies for change and program evaluation findings. Back to top

Money Happiness Is a Lot More Than Budgeting!

Lee White, President, Northwest Media, Inc., Eugene, OR

Workshop Description: Money makes you happy. What you own defines you. These are the messages teens get, but the truth is that few people get rich and a lot of people make poor money choices. Money Medical: Healthy Money Management is an interactive curriculum that teaches how to budget, save and spend wisely, and explores healthy and unhealthy attitudes about money. The course can be used by mentors, parents, or agencies. In a study of the course at Job Corps, youth in the treatment group demonstrated significant improvement in financial confidence and knowledge. Back to top

Measuring Success: LAYC's Outcomes Tracking System for Youth in Residential Programs

Hedda McLendon, Social Services Division Deputy Director; Laura Bowman-Pimentel, Programs Administrator, Runaway and Homeless Youth; Susana Martinez, Programs Administrator, Residential Foster Care, Latin American Youth Center, Washington, DC

Learn how the Latin American Youth Center's residential programs utilize innovative data collection techniques to inform programmatic decisions and successfully transition participants to adulthood. Attendees will also learn how to re-conceptualize their impressions of outcome measurement and evaluation so that they are beneficial to service providers, government agencies, and funders. Back to top

Creative Approaches to Serving Transition Age Youth: Larkin Street Youth Services' Specialized Housing Model

Ruth Nunez, Director of Residential Services, Larkin Street Youth Services, San Francisco, CA

What can we learn about meeting the diverse needs of homeless youth from Larkin Street Youth Services' model? This workshop will examine best practices for integrating services with specialized housing in order to serve a more diverse population of transition age youth. Back to top

The Bonnie Brae Knights – Staff and Youth Perspectives

Staff and youth of the Bonnie Brae Residential Treatment Center, Liberty Corner, NJ

Join staff members of the Bonnie Brae Residential Treatment Center and youth members of the Bonnie Brae Knights as they discuss how the youth drumming group got started, the invitation to the group to march in the presidential inaugural parade, the media blitz that resulted from their acceptance and appearance, the experience of the parade itself, and what both staff and youth learned as a result of their experience. Time will be devoted for questions and answers. Back to top

Site Visit

Turning Point Transitional Living Program

YMCA Youth and Family Services of San Diego
Turning Point Transitional Living Program is for homeless young adults (male and female), ages 16-21 with and without children. The 18-month program is designed to facilitate the transition from  homelessness to self-sufficiency. Services Include semi-supervised shared apartment living, on-site case management and counseling, employment and educational assistance, daily independent living skills education, parenting classes, and aftercare support and referrals. Back to top

Thursday, June 4, 2009 | Workshop Session IV: 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

The R.E.A.C.H. Project: Bridging The Gap for Mentally Ill Youth Transitioning Out of The Child Welfare System

Arthur Krzyzanowski, Area Director, Child & Adolescent Services, Thresholds, Chicago, IL

This workshop will describe the REACH Project, an innovative Transitional Living Program (TLP) for mentally ill youth aging out of Illinois's Child Welfare System. Focus will be given to the obstacles to a successful transition, the utilization of existing resources, and identification of additional supports/services that could maximize the young adult's chances of success. Back to top

What to Expect When Transition Aged Youth (TAYS) Are Expecting

Julie Jackson, Transitional Housing Manager; Allana Moore, Maternity Home Case Manager, Bill Wilson Center, Santa Clara, CA

When transition age youth become pregnant, they face challenges that often appear insurmountable. Comprehensive and creative programming is necessary to provide youth support and assistance during this critical time. This session will introduce a successful transitional living program for pregnant and parenting youth. We will provide insights, and strategies toward creating effective services to this unique population. Back to top

Taming the Top Ten Transition Tsunamis: Managing Risk and Crises in IL/TLPs

Mark Kroner, Director, Lighthouse Training Institute, Lighthouse Youth Services, Cincinnati, OH

This workshop will be a facilitated discussion on the things that often go wrong in the IL/TLPs. The presenter will share his 20 plus years of experience in operating IL/TLPs and working with thousands of youth in Cincinnati and will identify the most common crises that can occur. Participants will share their challenging experiences and the group will discuss topics such as crisis management, public relations, working with law enforcement, irate landlords, neighbors and the media. Back to top

To Get Work, I Need Experience - To Get Experience, I Need Work!

Joanne Trinkle, Director, Workforce and Student Leadership Development; Dorian N., OFA Student Leader; Anjey B., OFA Student Leader, Orphan Foundation of America, Sterling, VA

In this economy, students must find ways to create and build their work portfolio at the earliest stages possible! Work experience makes the difference between an employer giving a student a chance or passing them by. OFA's Students as Leaders will show you how they gained the experiences that made the difference so that they got THE JOB! Back to top

Youth-Led Permanency Options for GLBTQ Youth in Out-Of-Home Care

Chris Downs, President, The Downs Group, LLC, Seattle, WA; Rob Woronoff, Independent Consultant, Los Angeles, CA

Disproportionately large numbers of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning (GLBTQ) youth live in out-of-home care settings. This highly interactive workshop is devoted to identifying where youth go after leaving home, the range of permanency options available, and the importance of youth-led permanency solutions. Back to top

Cherokee Independent Living

Dallas Pettigrew, Special Projects Officer; Juli Skinner, Tribal Case Manager, Cherokee Nation, Tahlequah, OK

No one knows about foster care like foster youth. This teen panel of 5 Cherokee Tribal Foster youth along with two Cherokee Nation Child Welfare Workers will discuss problems in the foster care system, possible solutions and Cherokee Nation's first written Independent Living Program for Tribal Custody Youth. Back to top

It's Relative

Celeste Bodner, Director; Sade Bradford, 2008 FosterClub All-Star; Miguel Gardipee, 2008 FosterClub All-Star; FosterClub, Inc., Seaside, OR

Dealing with bio-family can be confusing, heart-wrenching and chaotic for youth, while in care and after transitioning out. Relationships with bio-family members sometimes require special care and handling or they can become devastatingly destructive. Young people from FosterClub share their experiences in their own relationships with bio family and present recommendations for child welfare staff and other supportive adults in assisting them to build and/or maintain healthy relationship. Back to top

Seen And Heard: Involving Youth in Dependency Court

Andrea Khoury, Bar-Youth Empowerment Project; David Ambroz, Commission on Youth at Risk, ABA Center on Children and the Law, Washington, DC

"All I ever wanted was to be heard and not just dismissed." This quote from a youth in foster care is common. Youth are often excluded from participation in their own dependency court proceedings - decisions that will forever impact their future. The 2006 amendment to Promoting Safe and Stable Families now requires the court to consult with the child, in an age-appropriate manner, about the child's permanency plan. Similar provisions for older youth engagement in case planning exist in the new Fostering Connections Act. As a result, many courts are starting to implement policies and procedures to engage and involve youth in their dependency hearings. Back to top

"You Can Lead A Horse To Water..." Reframing Resistance in Our Clients

Steve D. Titensor, Clinical Director, Salt Lake County Division of Youth Services, South Salt Lake City, UT

Sometimes the process of helping becomes more difficult when the client is resistant. If we are not careful, we can make the power struggle more important than the purpose of our help getting to the client. Recognizing the reasons for resistance and the use of reframing to work through it will be explored. Back to top

Empowering Youth to Become Self-Sufficient Through Advanced Independent Living Skills Group Training

Kathy Sauve, Youth Services Program Manager; Abby Geotz, Program Coordinator, Lutheran Social Service, Brainerd, MN

Making the transition from dependent living to self-sufficiency is difficult for any young person. Youth who have little or no supportive systems face an even greater challenge. Join us to explore key tools to help these youth have success and how to engage young people in acquiring these skills. Back to top

Site Visit

Take Wing Transitional Living Community

San Diego Youth Services
Take Wing is a transitional living community specifically designed to break the cycle of homelessness for youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are on their own (youth under the age of 18 must be legally emancipated from their parents). The goal is to empower these youth with hope through developing their ability to be self-sufficient. Take Wing focuses on teaching homeless teens, teenage moms, young families, and those "aging out" of the foster care system to become independent and productive members of society. Take Wing provides affordable housing, Independent Living Skills training, and life planning. Back to top

Friday, June 5, 2009 | Workshop Session V: 10:15 am - 11:45 am

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Runaway, Homeless and At-Risk Youth: Understanding the Problem and Helping the Victims Transition to Successful Independent Living

Walter Philips, Executive Director, San Diego Youth Services, San Diego, CA; Gordon J. Vance, Director of Programs, National Runaway Switchboard, Chicago, IL

Through experiential activities, video, and discussion, this workshop will define the issue of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), ask participants to analyze their beliefs about affected youth, and help participants identify factors that may put RHY youth at risk. SDYS will share their programs and services targeted at helping CSE victims transition to successful independent living. Back to top

Integrating Youth Development into Transitional Living Programs

Douglas E. Styles, Clinical Director, Youth and Family Enrichment Services, San Carlos, CA

Integrating positive youth development principles into Transitional Living Programs is easier said than done. A key component of successful transition is shifting the responsibility of living to the youth. Utilizing an integrative approach, where youth drive the service delivery, can support this transition. Back to top

First Jobs Academy: A Commitment to Work and Learning for Youth in Foster Care and Their Employer

Robert Franciose, Director, First Jobs, First Jobs Academy, Yarmouth, ME; Brian Lyght, Senior Associate, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, MD; Robert Menezes, Associate Relations Manager, Hannaford Bros Co., Bridgton, ME; Amy A. Beaulieu, Policy Associate, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Augusta, ME

Quality early employment can be a major predictor of future success, and can set the foundation and aspirations necessary to achieve long term job satisfaction and self sufficiency for youth and young adults supported by the Child Welfare System. However, for those youth with diverse challenges, access to this fundamental right of passage remains all too often out of reach. National studies conducted by Casey Family Programs further reinforce the need for successful early employment for youth in the Child Welfare Systems, citing that, although job outcomes for Youth in Care have improved, a disproportionate number of these youth are not working, incarcerated, homeless or reliant on public assistance. Launched in Southern Maine in the Summer of 2004, First Jobs has evolved from a youth staffing initiative that provided initial and transitional employment opportunities for Youth in Care, both in and out of school, to an Academy approach that maximizes the resources of the employer, Social Services and family systems to contact costs associated with early youth employment. Through leadership of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the involvement of a cadre of local employers and stakeholders, First Jobs has provided support to over 200 youth resulting in numerous positive outcomes, including a 82% job retention rate among participating youth. This Workshop Session will highlight the critical components of the First Jobs Academy; demonstrate how workforce development best practices are incorporated into the Academy's program design to yield improved outcomes for Foster Youth; provide a unique perspective on Foster Youth employment as experienced by one business sector, Hannaford Bros. Co., a multi-regional food retailer, and allow the audience to hear, first hand, how the Academy has positively impacted the life of a foster youth. Back to top

GIRL Power! (Gifted, Intelligent, Responsible Leader): A Workshop Series That Works

Theresa Thurmond, State ILP Manager/Coordinator, California Department of Social Services, Sacramento, CA; Whitney Rhodes, Emancipated Foster Youth, Sacramento, CA; Cloteal Herron, TEAL Group, Sacramento, CA

Three women from different walks of life come together to empower young foster girls age 12 to 17. How to plan, develop, and facilitate a GIRL Power workshop series that empowers girls to reclaim their true identity, purpose, motivation, and ability will be discussed. Learn about this curriculum that focuses on social skills, education, employment, leadership, healthy lifestyles and relationships, youth advocacy and empowerment, and permanency. This workshop includes caretaker involvement and support, support by the ILP and child welfare, facilitation by a former foster youth and dynamic teacher. Learn how to engage youth, caretakers, and community partners. Back to top

In My Shoes: Creating a Peer-Mentoring Program for Foster Youth

Christa Drake, Executive Director, In My Shoes, Inc., Tucson, AZ

Creating a peer-mentoring model is challenging, but when the child welfare community collaborates, it can be done. Find out how In My Shoes collaborated with its community to create a unique peer mentoring program where all of its staff and mentors are alumni of foster care. Back to top

Transitional Planning Conferences: It's Our Job, But It's Got to Be Their Plan

Nora Gerber, Trainer/Consultant, University of California - Davis, Center For Human Services, Davis, CA

Youth need and want to have a solid and realistic plan for transitioning out of the child welfare system. In this engaging workshop we will model tips for conducting a youth-friendly transitional planning conference designed to achieve positive outcomes for the youth and for the agency. Back to top

YouthSpeak: Ensuring Youth Engagement in Meetings, Policies and Practices

Lacy Kendrick, Program Development Specialist, The University of Oklahoma OUTREACH National Resource Center for Youth Services, Tulsa, OK

So you've managed to tackle the transportation issues, cut through the bureaucratic red tape, and master the scheduling it takes to get youth at your meeting. Now what? The NCWRCYD and former youth provide best practice ideas on how to translate between the worlds of adult jargon and 'YouthSpeak' in order to extract the vital youth perspective that you need to effectively improve programs, practice and policies. Back to top

Plan B: The Labor Market-Driven Approach to Education

Jessica Dobson, Senior Program Development Specialist; Courtney Burress, Career and Employment Specialist, The University of Oklahoma OUTREACH National Resource Center for Youth Services, Tulsa, OK

Not all young people are college bound. Many enter the workforce unprepared and unqualified for employment beyond an entry-level, minimum wage job. Find out about cross-system strategies utilized in Oklahoma communities to promote successful employment and training opportunities for foster and other at-risk youth. Join us in this interactive learning exchange as we discuss these collaborations and short term training programs that don't just work, but lead our young people to work! Back to top

The Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) Program

Elaine M. Kelley, Associate Director for Child Welfare, Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services

This presentation will provide an overview of the Office of Refugee Resettlement programs that serve refugee and immigrant children. In addition, the presenter will explain the Federal requirements for States, counties or private foster care agencies to provide independent living services to eligible unaccompanied refugee minors. The resources available to help these vulnerable foreign-born youth may play a significant part in determining the success of their integration into the communities in which they reside. Back to top

Site Visit

Trolley Trestle Transitional Living Program

South Bay Community Services
Established in 2000, Trolley Trestle offers affordable transitional housing for former foster youth (ages 18 to 21) and/or homeless youth, including their children, while they finish school or training in order to transition to self-sufficiency. A resident manager is available 24 hours and on-site services are provided. All residents are required to actively participate in, and fulfill, all requirements. Residents pay 25% of their gross monthly income. Back to top