3. Collective Identity:
• Collective identity refers to a person's sense of
belonging to a group. The identity of the group,
or the 'collective,' becomes a part of the
person's individual identity.
• Why might shared identity be particularly
important to foster care youth and alumni?
5. Consumer & Social Movements
• Civil rights movement
• Women’s suffrage
• Disability rights
• Faith movements
• GLBTQ
6. Foster Care Movement
• Youth in Care Canada
• California Youth Connection
• Statewide youth advisory boards
• Foster Care Alumni of America
• International foster care movement
11. • Local and statewide,
national conferences
• Op-eds and interviews
• Discussions about child
welfare policy
• Brainstorming sessions
about IL classes and
aftercare
“Nothing about us,without us.”
22. 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.
28. Reminder from morning presentation
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.
31. Establishing
Structure
• Code of Conduct
• Mission Statement
• Recommendations
• Strategic Plan
• Marketing Plan
• Logo, Mascot
• Group Identity
32. Sample
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
The idea behind consumer movements is that the consumers of a service should be involved in its design and delivery, and should be given opportunities to evaluate their experience.
We are the consumers of foster care, and any time that a new law is passed that effects foster care, it needs our input
Consumers of a service should be involved in its: (WHITEBOARD)
• Design
• Delivery
• Evaluation
Each of these consumer and social movements have left their fingerprints on our lives
The idea behind consumer movements is that the consumers of a service should be involved in its design and delivery, and should be given opportunities to evaluate their experience.
We are the consumers of foster care/adoption, and any time that a new law is passed that effects foster care, it needs our input
Consumers of a service should be involved in its: (WHITEBOARD)
• Design
• Delivery
• Evaluation
LISA: History of foster care movement:
Canadian Youth in Care (CYC) now called the Youth in Care Network – led to the creation of California Youth Connection (CYC)
The success of the California Youth Connection led to legislation requiring states to create youth advisory boards
The need for foster care alumni to ALWAYS have a voice and community that they can never “age out” of led to Foster Care Alumni of America
Foster Care Alumni of America is a national organization, created in May 2006
There is an international foster care movement as well
ADRIAN: One person is blindfolded. Audience tries to navigate them to the front of the room. Each person in the room can give them a different instruction, but only one instruction
This activity demonstrates how vital it is to empower young people, rather than having them be “powerless” and uninvolved with decisions impacting their lives.
Regarding foster homes, "Every place we live has different rules - but we are getting ready to age out of foster care. Shouldn't we be developing our own rules?"
Youth in foster care want to speak to the judge personally about their case They want to be present when a move is being considered or custodial decisions are being made. Any adult would want to meet his or her lawyer before a trial – and youth desire meaningful interaction with their CASA/GAL as well.
ADRIAN: One person is blindfolded. Audience tries to navigate them to the front of the room. Each person in the room can give them a different instruction, but only one instruction
This activity demonstrates how vital it is to empower young people, rather than having them be “powerless” and uninvolved with decisions impacting their lives.
Regarding foster homes, "Every place we live has different rules - but we are getting ready to age out of foster care. Shouldn't we be developing our own rules?"
Youth in foster care want to speak to the judge personally about their case They want to be present when a move is being considered or custodial decisions are being made. Any adult would want to meet his or her lawyer before a trial – and youth desire meaningful interaction with their CASA/GAL as well.
KIERRA: When families break down, relationships become complex and complicated.
Sibling relationships might include biological siblings who were relinquished or removed at birth, half-siblings, step-siblings or current/former foster siblings.
Not all couples are married, so a sibling could include: "Mom's ex-boyfriend's daughter."
This diagram illustrates sibling shared experiences: (created by Lisa)
Shared biology
Shared memories
Shared history
Common identity
KIERRA: KIERRA: 'Nothing about us without us' is Foster Care Alumni of America’s motto. When 'experts' hold discussions about changing child welfare policies, procedures and/or legislation, youth and alumni should be there.
Youth in Ohio have shared their voices as part of the Kids Are Waiting Campaign (explain the “I Am Waiting” shirts – what they say on the front and on the back).
Youth and alumni in Ohio have presented workshops and participated in panels during local, statewide and national conferences. We have written op-eds and been interviewed by newscasters.We’ve been involved in discussions about child welfare policy, including Marcus Fiesel legislation, Medicaid until age 21, and protesting cuts to TANF-Independent Living funds.VISION Board youth have contributed to the curriculum of Independent Living classes, and helped teach those classes.
ADRIAN: Will mention the role of Ohio foster care alumni and youth in:
- Marcus Fiesel legislation
- Extending Medicaid to age 21
- Protesting TANF-IL cuts
- FCAA Alumni Leadership Institute 2007 & 2008
ADRIAN: Will mention the role of Ohio foster care alumni and youth in:
- Marcus Fiesel legislation
- Extending Medicaid to age 21
- Protesting TANF-IL cuts
- FCAA Alumni Leadership Institute 2007 & 2008
ADRIAN: Will mention the role of Ohio foster care alumni and youth in:
- Marcus Fiesel legislation
- Extending Medicaid to age 21
- Protesting TANF-IL cuts
- FCAA Alumni Leadership Institute 2007 & 2008
“LEARN BY DOING” ACTIVITY
When you offer experiential learning opportunities that are developmentally appropriate and appealing to young people at the different ages and stages of their lives, you provide environments proven to foster positive youth development. (Advisor-Explorer Relationship… and the importance of Reflecting afterward)
Do
• Young people experience an activity, which involves exploring or discovering something related to the learning topic. (Exploring meets developmental needs of adolescents: choosing values and lifelong commitments)
Reflect
• Young people share by describing what happened or what they experienced. When young people share what they’ve learned, they not only stimulate their own growth, but the growth of their group as well.
• Young people process what they’ve learned and shared in order to look for patterns or themes, with the goal of building a bridge to new knowledge and skills.
Apply
• Young people generalize from this experience to implications related to their own lives or to broader societal experiences.
• Young people apply or think about what can be done with their newly acquired information or skill.
KIERRA: (Mention and briefly discuss these barriers)
Low Attendance
Tokenism
Transportation Issues
Personal Issues
Time Management
Financial Issues
Lack of Experience
(Mention and briefly discuss these barriers- and how to overcome them)
Low Attendance
Tokenism
Transportation Issues
Personal Issues
Time Management
Financial Issues
Lack of Experience
Overcoming Hurdles in Ohio OHIO YAB
Older adolescents have six interrelated jobs to accomplish
during this stage of their lives:
• Increase and maintain knowledge of self and self-esteem.
• Learn to be increasingly responsible and make complex decisions.
• Set goals and develop strategies to reach them.
• Become increasingly independent from parents.
• Develop strong relationship skills.
• Increase interpersonal communications skills.
Today these life skills are still necessary. If we expect youth to go into adulthood in a positive way, we can plan experiences to help them perform the jobs listed above.
Have a well-planned program.
Such a program requires good organization, strong leadership, and exciting, imaginative programs that are
connected with your members’ lives, needs and interests.
Set clear, simple and consistent behavioral expectations
and consequences.
All individuals need to know the results of their actions. When working with young people, it is essential that expectations and consequences be clear, easily understood
and consistent.
Provide individual attention to your members. Public recognition of positive behavior.
KIERRA: Foster Care Alumni of America has created an ongoing Postcard Project, in which postcards are created by people in and from foster care.
As we build the foster care alumni movement, we are constantly discovering that - regardless of age, ethnicity, geography, education, occupation, or placement history - as alumni of the foster care system we have a great deal in common – and what we share is the culture of foster care.
During this presentation, we will be sharing some of those postcards. These postcards clearly illustrate the stigma of foster care.
Attribution theory: How you interpret events affects how you respond to them.
Older adolescents have six interrelated jobs to accomplish
during this stage of their lives:
• Increase and maintain knowledge of self and self-esteem.
• Learn to be increasingly responsible and make complex decisions.
• Set goals and develop strategies to reach them.
• Become increasingly independent from parents.
• Develop strong relationship skills.
• Increase interpersonal communications skills.
Today these life skills are still necessary. If we expect youth to go into adulthood in a positive way, we can plan experiences to help them perform the jobs listed above.
Have a well-planned program.
Such a program requires good organization, strong leadership, and exciting, imaginative programs that are
connected with your members’ lives, needs and interests.
Set clear, simple and consistent behavioral expectations
and consequences.
All individuals need to know the results of their actions. When working with young people, it is essential that expectations and consequences be clear, easily understood
and consistent.
Provide individual attention to your members. Public recognition of positive behavior.
Knowing the steps to take
ANGIE: Steps for securing group identity
Exercise: Go to parts of the room where signs are – EXPLAIN YOUR DECISION
Print OHIO YAB Officer Descriptions
Customize your leadership structure; make it a reflection of the skills, insights and talents of participants.
LISA: Hand out chart. Who is taking responsibility? Who is making the decisions? Are youth involved in this effort actively engaged in leadership development and skill building?
8) Young people-initiated, shared decisions with adults. This happens when projects or programs are initiated by young people and decision-making is shared between young people and adults. These projects empower young people while at the same time enabling them to access and learn from the life experience and expertise of adults. This rung of the ladder can be embodied by youth/adult partnerships.
7) Young people-initiated and directed. This step is when young people initiate and direct a project or program. Adults are involved only in a supportive role. This rung of the ladder can be embodied by youth-led activism.
6) Adult-initiated, shared decisions with young people. Occurs when projects or programs are initiated by adults but the decision-making is shared with the young people. This rung of the ladder can be embodied by participatory action research.
5) Consulted and informed. This happens when young people give advice on projects or programs designed and run by adults. The young people are informed about how their input will be used and the outcomes of the decisions made by adults. This rung of the ladder can be embodied by youth advisory councils.
4) Assigned but informed. This is where young people are assigned a specific role and informed about how and why they are being involved. This rung of the ladder can be embodied by community youth boards. iii
Not True Participation
3) Tokenism. When young people appear to be given a voice, but in fact have little or no choice about what they do or how they participate. This rung of the ladder reflects adultism.
2) Decoration. Happens when young people are used to help or "bolster" a cause in a relatively indirect way, although adults do not pretend that the cause is inspired by young people. This rung of the ladder reflects adultism.
1) Manipulation. Happens where adults use young people to support causes and pretend that the causes are inspired by young people. This rung of the ladder reflects adultism.
KIERRA: (Mention and briefly discuss these barriers)
Low Attendance
Tokenism
Transportation Issues
Personal Issues
Time Management
Financial Issues
Lack of Experience
KIERRA: (Mention and briefly discuss these barriers)
Low Attendance
Tokenism
Transportation Issues
Personal Issues
Time Management
Financial Issues
Lack of Experience
KIERRA: (Mention and briefly discuss these barriers)
Low Attendance
Tokenism
Transportation Issues
Personal Issues
Time Management
Financial Issues
Lack of Experience
KIERRA: (Mention and briefly discuss these barriers)
Low Attendance
Tokenism
Transportation Issues
Personal Issues
Time Management
Financial Issues
Lack of Experience