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.