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Creating and Maintaining a Community of Foster
Care Youth/Alumni
Lisa Dickson, Spring 2015
Competencies
• Caregiver Specialized: 941-02-012: Knows how to help adolescents advocate for funding and programs they need for independent living.
• Caseworker Related: 303-02-001: Knows how to involve children, when developmentally appropriately, in planning and decision making processes that involve them.
Introductory Skit
Consumer & Social Movements• Civil rights movement• Women’s suffrage• Disability rights • Faith movement• GLBTQ
Advocacy Movements
Foster Care Movement• Youth in Care Network• California Youth Connection• Statewide youth advisory
boards• Foster Care Alumni of
America• International foster care
movement
Advocacy Movements
Equip Youth for Success
Benefits for Youth
Equip Youth• Leadership• Professionalism• Resume• College applications• Emotional connections• Positive memories• Trust, healing
Benefits for Youth
Develop a Sense of Community
Celebrate Success
National FCAA Postcard Project
Assist Professionals in Their Work
Benefits for Professionals
Assist Professionals in Their Work• First-hand expertise • Valuable insights• Organizational goals• Add value to conferences• Better outcomes for youth• Revitalize your work• Legislation
Benefits for Professionals
Source: Honoring Emancipated Youth
Youth Serving Agencies Youth Led Agencies
Youth are viewed as the recipients of programs, services, tools and resources.
Youth act as developers , facilitators and evaluators of programs and services.
Youth are showcased as a “Success Story” to promote a program.
Youth act as agency representatives, and promote positive impact to community.
Youth receive pre-packaged issues and topics.
Youth have the opportunity to research multiple issues and decide on final projects
Youth do not receive formal education or training about advocacy movements and systemic change.
Youth receive strategic education and training about advocacy and its impact on larger social issues and systems.
Youth Boards and Role of Adults• Adults become facilitators
and allow teens to take on more of a leadership role.
• Adults become mentors or advisors, helping to arrange new experiences for teens, yet letting the teens take more responsibility.
What Does It Look Like?
What Does It Look Like?
Experiential Learning:
“Learn By Doing”
Establishing Structure• Code of Conduct• Mission Statement• Recommendations• Strategic Plan• Marketing Plan• Logo, Mascot• Group Identity
Structure of the Board
Governance Models• President• Vice President• Secretary• Treasurer• Media Spokesperson• Parliamentarian
• Operations Chair• Communications Chair• Youth Outreach
* Customize your leadership structure; make it a reflection of the skills, insights and talents of participants
Holding elections• Speech regarding
qualifications
• Secret ballot
Sample Activities
• Panels• Workshops• Legislation• Mentoring• Artwork
Share Your Voice“Nothing about us,
without us”• Local and statewide,
national conferences• Op-eds and interviews• Discussions about child
welfare policy• Brainstorming sessions
about IL classes and aftercare
Legislative Advocacy
Diplomacy skills
Appreciating your strengths and guarding
against overuse
Handling emotions in the moment
Handling emotions in the moment
Handling emotions in the moment
effective requests
1.What do you want?
2.Who do you want it from?
3.What is the timeframe?
4.Do you both agree on what the outcome should look like?
5.Might require negotiation: yes vs. no vs. counter-offer
Barriers to Success• Low Attendance• Tokenism• Transportation Issues• Personal Issues• Time Management• Financial Issues• Lack of Experience
Sustaining the Board
Overcome Barriers• Outreach• Strength in Numbers• Transportation Support• Peer Mentoring• Delegation• Stipends• Training
Sustaining the Board
Tools for Communication• Phone• Email• Website• Blog• Wiki• Facebook• Newsletter
Sustaining the Board
Conference Calls• Upcoming events
• Funding opportunities, grants
• Shared vision
• Defined roles
• Share challenges, support one another
• Share successes, celebrate one another
Positive Partnerships
Media AwarenessKnowledge builds
credibility:• Which journalists are
interested in writing about foster care issues?
• What local radio stations might be interested?
• Have youth been trained in Strategic Sharing?
Promising PartnershipsLocal and statewide:• Foster parent organizations• Independent living
coordinators• Support groups for kinship
caregivers• Social worker agencies• Universities
Sustaining the Board
Tips for Healthy Collaboration• Joint ownership; shared power
• Consultation, participation, involvement
• Clear purpose; shared responsibilities
• Mutual accountability, defined roles
• Proactive communication
• Credit recognition, shared success
Positive Partnerships
Ecocycle
Group Dynamics
Helpful Publications
Honoring Emancipated Youth has created a Step-By-Step Guide to Creating A Youth Board (47 pages).
Youth Leadership Advisory Team: An Innovative Approach to Systems Improvement in Maine (60 pages).
Engaging Youth in Policymaking Improves Policies and Youth Outcomes, California Center for Civic Participation. Youth testimony, meeting with policymakers, reviewing legislation.
Practicing Youth Advocacy: Youth Transition Funders Group. Defines Four Types of Youth Advocacy as: Self, Local ,State and National.
Learning for Life: Developing a Community of Youth Leaders.