Speak Up & Be Heard: The Power of Youth Voice & Civic Participation

Posted on February 17, 2012 by NCWD Youth
District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray speaks at a podium on stage in front of a packed room of citizens during the One City Summit.

District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray speaks to citizens during the One City Summit.

On February 11th, Washington, DC’s Mayor, Vincent Gray, held the inaugural One City Summit. DC residents were given an opportunity to tell their government exactly what they were thinking, directly. I was one of those residents, and I found the event fascinating and awe inspiring. To see so many residents of my city excited and motivated to dedicate their entire Saturday afternoon to this summit (from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm) was truly amazing. I couldn’t help thinking, this is democracy in action; this is citizen engagement.

The purpose of the Summit was for the city government to get ideas from its citizens on how to make DC more livable and inclusive for everyone. The conversation was framed around four topic areas: 1) Diversifying and growing our economy; 2) Early success: Thriving in the first years; 3) Educating our youth for the economy of tomorrow; and, 4) Aligning resident’s job skills with our growing economy. Two of these topic areas mention youth directly and all have serious implications for the city’s young people.

With this focus on preparing young people for work and growth in our changing economy, I couldn’t help but wonder, why aren’t there more young people participating in the Summit? Polling during the summit showed that of approximately 1,800 attendees, 60% of them were at least 45 years old and only 14% were under the age of 25. Young people were the least represented age group at the event. Maybe they’re just less likely to rise early on a Saturday morning, but that’s not a good excuse.

This lack of youth representation is especially alarming when considering the current statistics on youth employment rates. Data from December 2010 indicates that all youth, ages 16 to 19, had an employment rate of only 25 percent while youth with disabilities in the same age group had an employment rate of 11.9 percent. For youth ages 20 to 24, the employment rate was 60.6 percent for youth without disabilities and 32.7 percent for youth with disabilities. Today’s youth are going to become the city’s taxpayers and leaders in the future, so shouldn’t they be trying to shape it?

No matter your age, letting government hear your voice is incredibly important to a democracy, and all youth, including youth with disabilities, need to make sure that their voices are heard. I was fortunate to be sitting at a table with a diverse group of people, including some with disabilities, spanning all age groups. Two were young people; one was a college age student attending on behalf of a group that advocates for the rights of college students in DC and the other was a high school student who is taking part in the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Institute. Both were quick to comment and offer opinions, and I was glad that they were there to weigh in on topics that so directly affect their lives.

While the One City Summit is a great annual event that allows DC residents to speak to their government, there are plenty of opportunities throughout the year for people all over the country to get involved and engage in democracy. Exercising your right to vote whenever you have the opportunity is extremely important, but for people under the age of 18, this is not an option. Fortunately, there are many other ways in which people of all ages can have a voice and influence the policies that affect their lives. For example, you can attend city council meetings, city forums, town hall meetings, school board meetings, and contact members of your government through phone calls, emails, letter writing, or going directly to their office.

The government is there to serve you and they should value your input. What do you need and want from your school, your city council, your mayor, your members of Congress? Your words have power. Speak up and be heard.

Related Resources

Youth can use the following resources to learn more about having a voice and to become civically engaged locally and nationally:

By Jason Farr, Program Associate, with the National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability for Youth at the Institute for Educational Leadership’s Center for Workforce Development.

Posted in Events | Leave a comment

Love is in the Air: Helping Youth Learn Healthy Relationship Skills

Posted on February 16, 2012 by NCWD Youth

A young couple with arms outspread touch hands and gaze at each other Valentine’s Day – whether you love it or loathe it, it probably causes you to reflect to some degree on your own relationships – past, present, or future. Whether they are currently dating or not, you can bet that the young people you work with or know are reflecting too, which makes this a great time to talk with them about healthy relationships.

Dating and finding love are major pre-occupations during the teen years. This quest for love and happy relationships that begins in adolescence continues throughout our adult lives. Are we preparing youth for the quest? How are we helping them develop skills and knowledge they need to develop and maintain healthy, loving relationships and to prevent unhealthy ones?

While we may take it for granted, developing healthy relationship skills is a part of positive youth development. It shows up in two of the five areas of youth development: Connecting and Thriving. Connecting refers to the development of positive social behaviors, skills, and attitudes that we all need to develop and maintain positive relationships with others throughout our lives. Thriving refers to the development of attitudes, skills, and behaviors we need to maintain optimal physical and emotional well-being.

The quest for happy, healthy relationships isn’t just a societal norm. Research supports the conclusion that we’re “hard-wired to connect”– we all have a basic need for connection that is essential for our health, productivity, and well-being. When we have healthy, supportive relationships with others – romantic or not – we are more likely to feel good and do well in all areas of our lives. This includes doing well in school and at work. The flip side of this is that when we lack supportive relationships or are engaged in unhealthy relationships, we are at higher risk for poor physical and emotional health and experience more barriers to doing well in other areas of life. All this is to say that helping youth develop healthy relationship skills and behaviors now will equip them for success in their daily lives today and into adulthood.

A conversation with youth may start off by discussing what qualities of a relationship are healthy (mutual respect, trust, honesty, compromise, individuality, good communication, anger control, problem solving, fighting fair, understanding, and self confidence) and what qualities are unhealthy (control, dependence, dishonesty, disrespect, hostility, intimidation, physical violence, and sexual violence). From there, you can help youth understand what each of the healthy qualities looks and feels like and what they can do to develop relationship skills such as effective communication skills, problem solving, and conflict resolution. You can also help them learn about warning signs of unhealthy relationships and what to do if they find themselves in an unhealthy relationship.

If you aren’t accustomed to talking with youth about dating and healthy relationships, you’re in luck because various resources are available for families and adults who work with youth on how to address this topic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer lots of information and resources for helping youth learn about healthy relationships and prevent unhealthy relationships and dating violence, including emotional abuse. One of the CDC’s resources is the Dating Matters online course for educators and other adults working with youth. The course includes guidance on talking with youth about the importance of health relationships and how to recognize and intervene when youth are experiencing dating violence. CDC’s Choose Respect initiative also provides guidance and tools for parents, caregivers, educators, and other caring adults on preventing dating violence and helping youth form healthy and respectful relationships.

Loveisrespect.org is another online resource that provides information to youth and the adults who support them about healthy versus unhealthy relationships. For example, the Dating Basics section of the website includes tips for creating and maintaining a healthy relationship and what to look for in a girlfriend or boyfriend. Youth can take quizzes that assess how healthy their dating relationships are and watch videos to learn more about dating violence and abuse prevention. Loveisrespect.org also connects youth with peer advocates through live chat, text messaging, and hot lines.

Finally, ACT for Youth offers various guidance and even curriculum on helping youth develop healthy relationships. The fact sheet, Adolescent Romantic Relationships, is a good place to start to understand more about the importance of healthy relationship development during the teen years and what skills and guidance youth need to develop in this area of life.  See ACT for Youth’s webpage on Helping Youth Build Relationship Skills for links to curricula, lesson plans, and tools you can use with youth.

While teens are hard wired to connect, they need some help learning how to connect in healthy ways. Take some time to help them learn healthy relationship skills now so they may have many Happy Valentine’s Days to come.

Related Resources:

By Mindy Larson, Senior Program Associate, with the National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability for Youth at the Institute for Educational Leadership’s Center for Workforce Development.

Photo courtesy of: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Communicating with Youth, Guideposts for Success, Healthy Relationships, Tools, Youth Development | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Individualized Learning Plan as a Tool for School Counselors

Posted on February 9, 2012 by NCWD Youth

Poster for National School Counseling Week shows students of various ages in the classroom and with friends. This poster was created by the American School Counselor Association.It’s National School Counseling Week! This is a great opportunity to highlight the tremendous impact school counselors can have in supporting the college and career readiness skills of all youth. School counselors often play multiple roles within a school including helping students understand their options and make decisions about their academic courses, postsecondary education, and career pathways. NCWD/Youth has been working with school counselors and other school staff on using Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) to help students define their personal interests and goals for careers and postsecondary education and to plan their high school courses and activities to further those interests and goals. This week seems like a great time to share what we’re learning about ILPs and how school counselors and schools can use them.

An ILP is a document that a student in secondary school develops and regularly reviews with support from the school counselor and their parents or family; however it’s more than just a document. An ILP is also a process that encourages students to explore their interests, skills, and values while also establishing career goals and developing skills related to career navigation.  Ideally, the ILP process guides students through the steps necessary to align their course taking patterns with their career interests and goals. Also, the ILP orients students toward productive work-based learning experiences that foster the skills necessary to manage a successful work life in these economically competitive and challenging times.

In many schools across the country, ILPs are being used by school counselors and advisors to help students increase their college and career readiness skills. They’re doing this by engaging students in a three phase process of career development: Self-Exploration, Career Exploration, and Career Planning and Management. During the Self Exploration phase, students are engaged in learning about themselves through validated assessments of interests, skills, and values and discovering the many ways their interests, skills and values match with career opportunities. Career Exploration consists of experiences at school and in the community that help students to (a) identify how their interests, values, and skills relate to careers of interest; (b) learn what skills and activities are associated with working in those careers; and (c) identify the postsecondary education and training programs needed to successfully pursue those careers. The final phase, Career Planning & Management, involves acquiring the job search skills needed to secure employment, continuously developing general and career-specific workforce readiness skills, and developing dispositions associated with possessing a lifelong commitment to seeking new opportunities for gaining skills and experiences that maximize their employability.

When they are used properly, ILPs are an extremely helpful tool for school counselors. A common problem that school counselors face is finding a way to bolster academic motivation in students by showing them how their current schoolwork is relevant to their life goals. The ILP accomplishes this by engaging students in a process of aligning their courses with their stated career interests and goals. It helps connect the dots between what a student does during high school, plans for postsecondary education and training, and their desired career. When counselors are able to tangibly show students the direct link between high school performance and future goals, students become aware of the relevance of their courses and motivation increase. By allowing students to take the lead in the ILP process, school counselors help students take ownership of their goals and build a sense of personal competency. In some schools this is evident in the practice of student-led parent teacher conferences in which students articulate their goals to parents and educators and explain the steps necessary for success.

Finally, the ILP can be used to help students identify and connect to work-based learning opportunities and resources within their community (i.e., connecting activities) that help them cultivate practical work skills. Work-based learning opportunities include, but are not limited to, shadowing professionals in a field of interest, part-time jobs, summer internships, and other hands-on opportunities to learn and practice soft skills (e.g. teamwork, communication skills, problem solving, professionalism).

Through a multi-year initiative and study of ILP use in 14 schools in four states (Louisiana, New Mexico, South Carolina and Washington), NCWD/Youth and its partners are finding that students, educators and parents are overwhelmingly positive about using ILPs. We’re finding that students using ILPs who become more competent in self-exploration, career exploration and career planning and management are more motivated to attend school, become confident learners, actively set goals, and record better grades.

When asked about challenges of using ILPs, educators point to the need for whole-school buy-in to effectively implement ILPs and have indicated they could benefit from an ILP curriculum and implementation guidelines. In response to this feedback, NCWD/Youth has developed a new resource called “Promoting Quality Individualized Learning Plans: A How to Guide Focused on the High School Years.” This ILP How-to Guide will be available soon on NCWD/Youth’s ILP webpage.

To learn more about ILPs, visit the NCWD/Youth ILP webpage and stay tuned for the release of the new ILP How-to Guide.

If you’re using ILPs, please share your experience by leaving us a comment.

Related Resources:

Written by David Paine, Doctoral Student in Counseling Psychology, Boston University. Boston University is a partner in NCWD/Youth’s ILP Research & Demonstration (R & D) Project.

Posted in Assessment, Career Exploration, Career Preparation, Education, Events, Guideposts for Success, Individualized Learning Plan, Soft Skills, Tools, Transition, Work-based Learning | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Groundhog Day and Beyond: Career Exploration Comes Out of the Shadows

Posted on February 3, 2012 by NCWD Youth

Photo of a groundhogWhat’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “Groundhog Day”?  Is it Punxsutawney Phil, who may or may not see his shadow thus determining how soon we can all put away our cute boots and pull out the flip flops?*  Or is it the 1993 comedy where Bill Murray relives the same day over and over again so he can become a better person?**

Increasingly, youth service professionals, educators, employers, youth, and families are associating Groundhog Day with job shadowing opportunities for youth.  Job shadowing is designed to give youth a closer, more in-depth look at the world of work. During a job shadow experience, a young person accompanies an employee while he/she performs his/her work in order to learn about a specific occupation or industry.

Job shadowing is a great way to engage employers and other community stakeholders in the career exploration and workforce preparation of youth.  It doesn’t take much time or money and almost every business, agency, or private individual in the community has some workforce experience to offer.  Many times people want to be involved with the youth in their community but have no experience with teenagers and don’t have the scheduling flexibility to commit to a weekly, semester long, or year long program.  Job shadowing fits nicely for these community members because it is just a one-day (or sometimes even a half-day) commitment and the youth usually comes to the host’s place of work.  There is also no required financial investment – although if the host wanted to buy lunch, I don’t think the youth would object!

Another advantage to being a job shadow host is there is no special youth development knowledge required.  The youth just wants to learn about the host’s typical work day, educational requirements for the job, and their career pathway to get there. They also want a chance to make contacts and build personal networks that can open doors for future internships or potential jobs.   The host may also want to talk to the youth about other professions at the organization or similar jobs a young person could do with the same education and skills.  (See some sample job shadowing questions from NCWD/Youth’s KSA Training Module 5).

Job shadowing and other career exploration activities have great benefits for the youth involved.  They can see how the skills they are learning in the classroom are being applied in the real world (“A NASA engineer uses my same physics formula to build a robot that explores Mars!”); learn all the possible careers related to those skills; and more easily envision themselves in the work environment.  According to America’s Promise, career exploration can help youth improve academic performance; increase the likelihood that youth will graduate from high school and attend post-secondary education; and improve youth’s attitudes about their careers – motivating them to persevere!

Job shadowing is also fairly easy for educators, youth service professionals, and programs to implement.  Almost any community stakeholder is a job shadow hosting candidate and this is a good way to engage new employers and organizations in your work with youth.  It is a good idea to prepare both the youth and the employer prior to the experience.  Provide youth with information on workplace dress codes, the specific professions at the place they are visiting, and the purpose of their job shadow opportunity.  Youth can even be provided with a worksheet or job shadow report to complete during their visit which has questions about the profession and organization they visit, as well as any ties to their own interests and skills.

It is also important to provide employers an overview of career exploration, the purpose of the job shadowing opportunity, and some suggested job shadowing activities.  If the youth have a worksheet or report to complete, give employers a copy prior to the visit so they can be sure the youth gets the information needed.

If youth are unable to physically go on a job shadow, they can still experience a day at most jobs they are interested in through websites with career videos or by searching “day in the life” plus their career of interest on YouTube.

Although job shadowing is now associated with Groundhog Day (I’m sure it will be the first thing you think of the next time you hear the phrase), keep in mind that it’s than just a single activity that occurs one day a year.  Connect job shadowing to a full-range of career exploration and workforce preparation activities, including interest assessments, labor market information, guest speakers, college tours, mock interviews, mentoring, and career-related group projects.

More resources for career exploration can be found in the Youth Service Professionals Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) Online Study Guide under Competency Area 6: Career Exploration. NCWD/Youth’s KSA Training Modules also provide guidance and resources for engaging youth in career exploration and workforce preparation activities (Learn more about the training modules). So if you missed Groundhog Day, it is not too late…Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day is in April and career exploration can happen all year long!

But so as not to leave anyone hanging on those other possible Groundhog Day connections:

*Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow on February 2nd which is supposed to mean six more weeks of winter.  However, Staten Island Chuck and twelve other prognosticating rodents (who knew there were so many?) did not see their shadows.  (Staten Island Chuck is also predicting a Superbowl win for the NY Giants… but that is a whole ‘nother blog!)  So we shall see in a few days or six weeks how reliable these small mammal predictions turn out to be.  However, there is one prediction that I know will come true – Job shadowing and other forms of career exploration will lead to better prepared young people who see the real-life connections to their school work and can envision their future!

**In “Groundhog Day”, Bill Murray’s character eventually learns to play the piano and speak French; save people from choking and falling tree branches; avoid puddles and insurance salesmen; and win the love of a beautiful woman.  Now I can’t promise that job shadowing will deliver all of that but youth will learn valuable employability skills, as well as what NOT to do on the job, and if they do a great job, they will earn the respect and admiration of all their coworkers!

Share your own job shadowing tips, resources, and experiences by leaving us a comment.

Related Resource:

By Patricia D. Gill, Senior Program Associate, National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability for Youth at the Institute for Educational Leadership’s Center for Workforce Development.

Photo courtesy of: chrisroll / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Career Exploration, Career Preparation, Community Partnerships, Employer Engagement, Events, Guideposts for Success, Job Shadowing, Tools, Transition | Leave a comment

Equal Access to Education

Posted on February 1, 2012 by NCWD Youth

This blog entry is a cross posting from the White House Blog written by Russlynn Ali, the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in the Department of Education. We encourage our readers to read the U. S. Department of Education’s  Dear Colleague letter and Frequently Asked Questions discussed in this blog to become informed about the various obligations of school districts under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (Amendments Act).  

Access to a high-quality education is critical for empowering all Americans to lead rich and productive lives.  Every day, the U.S. Department of Education and my office, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), work to ensure that all students, including those with disabilities, have equal access to that important benefit.  OCR does this by enforcing federal nondiscrimination laws, including two that specifically protect individuals from discrimination on the basis of disability: the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504).

OCR has issued new tools that educators, parents, students, and others can use to help ensure that all elementary and secondary students with disabilities are provided an equal opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, a public education.

In two guidance documents, a Dear Colleague Letter and accompanying Questions and Answers document, OCR discusses the effects of the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (Amendments Act) on public elementary and secondary education programs.  The ADA and Section 504 define “disability” as (1) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity; (2) a record of such an impairment; or (3) being regarded as having such an impairment.  The Amendments Act, which became effective January 1, 2009, emphasizes that the definition should be interpreted to allow for broad coverage.  Students who, in the past, may not have been determined to have a disability under the ADA and Section 504 may now in fact meet the definition of disability under these laws. These amendments allow educators to focus on whether a school district’s actions and obligations ensure equal education opportunities, rather than on the technical issue of whether a student has a disability.

The documents we released also provide additional guidance on the requirements of Section 504 and the ADA in elementary and secondary schools. They reiterate the legal obligation of school districts to evaluate students for disability, provide a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities, and provide procedural safeguards for identification, evaluation, and educational placement. And they remind school districts that even if it is determined that a student does not need special education or related services, they must still consider whether the student is entitled to a reasonable modification of policies, practices, or procedures.

As Education Secretary Duncan said in support of President Obama’s proclamation of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, “with a high-quality education, children with disabilities will be self-sufficient and will be able to work and live independently.”  We at OCR are passionate about making sure that students with disabilities receive that high-quality education so that they may achieve their dreams and make positive and lasting contributions to our communities.

Read or download the Dear Colleague letter and FAQ online.  

Posted in Accommodations, Assessment, Education, IEP, Inclusion, Parents & Families, Self Advocacy, Transition | Leave a comment

How Mentors Have Supported My Professional and Personal Growth

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Admin

In celebration of National Mentoring Month, we asked guest blogger Emalie Fogg to share her experience with mentors. As a young professional, Emalie credits the individuals who have mentored her as she transitioned to adult life with helping her build skills and become who she is today. Emalie’s own experience illustrates that all young people need mentors and other supportive relationships with caring adults (one of the components of the Guideposts for Success in the area of Youth Development and Leadership).      

I have had many relationships that I consider to be mentor/mentee relationships over the years. They were never formal mentoring arrangements with set meeting times and signed agreements. I was lucky enough to meet people who had skills and talents that were just what I was looking for without even knowing I needed them. Three of these are people I consider instrumental in shaping me into the person I am today. While supervisors aren’t always mentors, the three mentors who stand out for me were my direct supervisors in either a paid work setting or in an internship. They became my mentors because they took me “under their wing.” They all gave me different types of support in my time with them.

My first mentor was the professor who taught the disability history class I took in college. He helped me to see that I really did have a talent for writing and that I was a good scholar. He helped to build my academic confidence by frequently praising my work. He also gave constructive feedback when I needed it. He encouraged me to explore my interest in disability history and gave me the opportunity to do so with a paid work study position during my senior year of college. When I told him I wanted to pursue an internship in Washington, he was completely supportive, even suggesting that I try to contact someone he knew who studied disability history here. His guidance served to give me a fantastic footing when I did move to DC.

My next mentor was my supervisor during my first internship in DC. She helped me grow into an even better scholar. I did research for several projects and she let me find the answers on my own. She was always willing to be my sounding board for challenging questions that arose during my work and in the end could always steer me in the right direction. She gave me freedom while also teaching me skills that are vital to being in the “real world” of work. I learned time management, organizational and other soft skills from her. As I began to do serious interviewing for other positions, she gave me advice on everything from how to dress to how to answer questions in the most positive way. The things she taught me play a major role in how I have developed professionally.

My third mentor was my supervisor during my time as the Patricia Morrissey Fellow at IEL. While she helped me to continue developing skills I had been cultivating, she showed me that it was possible to be successful if you have a disability. While I have always believed that to be true, I needed her example to truly believe that I could be a success. I am now more informed about political and social issues important to the disability community. I am proud to be a member of a vibrant and thriving community. My mentor fostered a sense of self-confidence that allowed me to fully accept my status as a person with a disability.

Mentors have played a crucial role in my life. Impactful mentoring relationships are important for all young people. Through mentors, young people can learn important skills, but as my experiences show, some of the greatest gifts mentors can give are intangible. Mentors can help young people discover qualities within themselves that may have remained hidden otherwise. For young people with disabilities, strong mentors with disabilities can serve as role models of what success can look like.

Have you had a mentor or have you been a mentor? Tell us about your own mentoring experience by leaving us a comment.

To learn more about career-focused mentoring and find resources for implementing mentoring programs for all youth, including youth with disabilities, check out Paving the Way to Work: A Guide to Career-focused Mentoring.

Related Resources:

Written by guest blogger Emalie Fogg, a past Patricia Morrissey Disability Policy Fellow at the Institute for Educational Leadership.  Emalie currently works as an administrative assistant at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of External Affairs in Washington, D. C.

Posted in Career Preparation, Disability History, Events, Guideposts for Success, Mentoring, Soft Skills, Transition | Leave a comment

Responding to Youth Housing Needs and Homelessness – Strategies from Latin American Youth Center

Posted on January 23, 2012 by NCWD Youth

All youth need access to a range of services and resources in the local community that meets their individual needs and goals to successfully transition to adulthood, (See “Connecting Activities” in the Guideposts for Success). Safe and stable housing is a critical need for youth who are homeless due to any number of circumstances. Guest blogger Matt Haygood, Program and Clinical Supervisor of Safe Housing Programs at  the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) in Washington, DC stresses the need for housing and related social services and shares some of the ways LAYC is assisting homeless youth. 

During the holiday season there is typically an outpour of community service and charity work done for those most in need (e.g. coat donations, toy drive). Yet, as the post-holiday calm sets in, most of us return our focus to our personal and professional challenges, goals and demands. . We at the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) know the need and the winter is still not over. For our Safe Housing Programs, winter can be an overwhelming time, as outside temperatures drop and runaway and homeless youth find less resources and places to stay. For these young people, the daily challenges are unchanging: stable housing, food, and some sort of income.

LAYC’s Safe Housing Program goal is simple: To provide safe and stable housing to runaway and/or homeless youth. We do this through three housing programs; Hope’s House, which is a nine-month transitional housing and support program for young mothers between the ages of 18-24 who are pregnant or have one child under the age of five; and the Extended Housing Program (EHP), a six-month program for individuals between the ages of 18-24; and Host Homes, a two-week emergency shelter program for females between the ages of 12-17. Hope’s House and EHP provide life skills, case management services, and parenting classes. The youth are required to pay rent into a savings account, which is returned to them upon their completion of the program. Our goal is for each program graduate to transition to independent living with some savings to improve their chances for long-term self-sufficiency. Host Homes provides youth with counseling services, case management, and other necessary referrals, with the hope that they can safely return to their homes and prevent future instances of homelessness.

LAYC finds most of the youth through our street outreach program (SOP) that works with youth ages 13-24. SOP conducts street outreach, visits other youth serving organizations, and receives referrals for youth that have no place to go. Even if there is no room in our programs, we find them a safe place to stay and provide emergency services (e.g. food, clothing, hygiene).

Some people may assume that individuals are homeless because they are lazy, mentally ill, or have made immoral decisions that have led to their circumstances. In our experience, youth become homeless for many reasons. Their parents may have issues with substance abuse, economic insecurity or unemployment. The youth may be escaping sexual, physical, or mental abuse. Some have aged out of foster care with no supports. Others have mental health needs or struggle with substance abuse. Many identify as LGBTQ youth and have been kicked out of their homes or do not feel accepted. Typically, the youth we work with experience several of these issues simultaneously.

For example, a youth may have left his or her home country in Central America to escape an abusive household and pursue economic opportunities in the U.S., but upon arrival he or she found little work opportunities and limited resources.  This scenario is all too common as the immigrant population in U.S. cities continues to rise.

While youth face diverse challenges, we know all of them need the skills to live independently, find housing, obtain employment, develop a support system, and address any mental health or substance abuse issues that may be an obstacle.  We also try to support them in their goals and encourage them to continue the many positive things they are already doing in their lives.

Our hope for this year is pretty straight forward: we want less work. We hope that more jobs and affordable housing units are created in the District of Columbia and Maryland so youth and their families have an affordable place to live and an income to support themselves. We hope local governments dedicate more funding to housing programs and emergency shelters so less young people sleep in the streets or move from couch to couch. During the year, LAYC will advocate for these changes, and our youth will be part of the process. We are optimistic about the future of the youth in Washington, DC and have faith in their power. We are excited for what lies ahead and hope others will join us in our advocacy and outreach efforts.

Related Resources:

By Matt Haygood, Program and Clinical Supervisor of Safe Housing Programs at the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) in Washington, D.C.

Posted in Events | Leave a comment

When Vocational Rehabilitation & Schools Work Together to Improve Youth Transition – Innovative Strategies from Iowa

Posted on January 19, 2012 by NCWD Youth

In our recent blogs on individualized education programs and transition planning, we mentioned that Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services agencies can play a role in helping youth with disabilities prepare for and find employment opportunities. Today’s blog looks at how schools and the VR agency can work collaboratively with one another as well as with students and families to support the youth’s career development, planning, and preparation for transition to employment.

While the public school system is legally mandated under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to provide transition services to students with disabilities as they prepare to complete high school, the Vocational Rehabilitation Services agency may also offer some services to eligible high school students with disabilities.  When these two systems work together, students can benefit from the combined expertise, support, and resources each has to offer. While working together is easier said than done, collaborative efforts between the VR and school system in Iowa illustrate how it can work.

Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS) works in partnership with Iowa Area Education Agencies and Local Education Agencies to provide guidance, training, and technical assistance to all schools and local VR agencies on how to implement a “career based transition process.”  IVRS’ collaboration with the school system is guided by its vision that “Iowa IVRS Transition Services are continuously transformed to create a career based transition process that allows youth with disabilities to participate in various opportunities that lead to their ability to compete for and gain meaningful employment in the 21st century.”

One of the ways that IVRS is realizing this vision is through the Transition Alliance Program (TAP). TAP is a partnership between the local school system and the local Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS) that helps high school students or graduates, ages 16 to 25, who are eligible for VR services prepare for and transition to employment, independent living, and postsecondary education. Currently, 13 schools in six school districts have the Transition Alliance Program (TAP) and IVRS is planning to expand to more school districts over the next two years.

While a student’s school delivers certain transition services mandated by IDEA, the TAP provides enhanced assessments and career preparation experiences to fill any gaps in what the school offers.  A TAP coordinator, a school district position that is partly funded by VR, provides the enhanced services. TAP services may include eligibility assessment for VR services, intensive vocational rehabilitation assessments, job placement assistance, and follow-up support until age 25.

Students who are eligible for TAP start participating in the first semester of their junior year of high school. Participation starts through the IEP planning process. The TAP coordinator works directly with the student’s IEP team and other school personnel, such as the school’s work experience program, to determine what gaps TAP can fill to improve the student’s career exploration opportunities and transition outcomes. For example, the TAP coordinator at Waterloo Community Schools worked with the school’s work experience program to assist students with finding work experiences that match their specific career interests. The school’s work experience program enables all students to receive credit for completing part-time work experiences during the school day. With the TAP coordinator’s help, one student with an interest in graphic design was able to find a local business that does graphic design work that was willing to provide a work experience.

Many students who participate in TAP explore career options through job shadowing experiences. Using information from career assessments, TAP coordinators help students identify some local employers where they could learn more about a specific career interest. For example, Katie Kimber, the Waterloo Community Schools TAP coordinator, helped one student who was interested in working with cars to obtain a job shadowing experience at a car dealership. During his job shadow, the student had a chance to learn about various jobs at the dealership including changing engine oil, auto detailing, and working with the auto parts department.

After a job shadowing experience, the TAP coordinator discusses with students what they learned and what next steps they can take to further explore their interests or pursue their career goals. Through this reflection, TAP aims to help students use what they learned during the career exploration activity to develop their plans for postsecondary education and training.

TAP coordinators also help students use what they learn from career exploration experiences to make job search decisions. For example, one student who completed a job shadowing experience at a local nursing home was initially interested in both housekeeping and dietary aid job opportunities. Following her job shadow, she decided she didn’t want to work as a dietary aid. With this insight, the TAP coordinator helped the student focus her job search on housekeeping positions. She has since obtained a job matching her interests.

Once a student obtains a job, the TAP coordinator regularly follows up with him or her and the employer for one year to provide support for job retention and advancement. TAP continues to track students’ progress and offer support as needed until they turn 25. Because TAP is a joint program of the VR agency and the schools, TAP students learn about the Vocational Rehabilitation agency’s adult services and how to access them as needed following high school.

Iowa’s Transition Alliance Program is just one example of the collaborative role Vocational Rehabilitation can play in supporting students’ transition planning and preparation for employment. Other states, including California, Florida, and New York, also have collaborative models from which others can learn. For more information about Iowa’s successful model, including other ways the state VR agency and school system collaborate to support transition, visit the Iowa Transition Assessment website and NCWD/Youth’s Innovative Strategies profile of IVRS’ Improving Transition Outcomes initiative.  If you’re interested in building collaborative programs between Vocational Rehabilitation and the school systems, you may find some helpful ideas in the Transition Alliance Program Manual.

To learn more about VR services and how to access them, check out the video, “Can VR Help Me? An Overview for Students,” from the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC).  Professionals who work with youth may find the HEATH Resource Center’s Guidance and Career Counselor’s Toolkit (See Chapters 14 and 15 for information specific to Vocational Rehabilitation) especially helpful.

To find out what services the VR agency closest to you offers to youth in transition, locate your state’s VR agency using the Rehabilitation Services Administration’s online directory. Contact the state VR agency to request information about what services are offered locally.

Find more examples of how programs and states are supporting youth transition by searching NCWD/Youth’s Innovative Strategies online database.

By Mindy Larson, Senior Program Associate, with the National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability for Youth at the Institute for Educational Leadership’s Center for Workforce Development.

Posted in Career Preparation, Collaboration, Community Partnerships, Education, Guideposts for Success, IEP, Innovative Strategies, Transition, Work-based Learning, Youth Employment | Leave a comment

Mentors: Superheroes without the Cape

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Admin

January is National Mentoring Month which makes this the perfect time to talk about what a mentor is (and isn’t) and what it takes to be a great one. When friends, family, and new acquaintances hear that I work with a national mentoring program and have mentored several youth for many years, they always say, “That sound so amazing. I wish I could be a mentor.” My response often takes them off-guard, “It is and you can!”

What is a Mentor?

The word mentor comes from Greek mythology. Mentor was an advisor to Odysseus, as well as a teacher and guardian of Telemachus. Therefore, a “mentor” is often defined as a “trusted counselor or advisor”. When I talk to youth, I usually describe a mentor as an “adult who supports you and wants you to do well”. So, what does it mean to be a trusted counselor or advisor and support a youth in doing well? Many of my friends and colleagues were concerned that they wouldn’t be a good mentor because they don’t have experience working with youth, aren’t good at sports, and can’t recite hip hop lyrics. While all of these things would be useful, youth tell us they are by no means the most important attributes of a mentor.

What is a Super Mentor?

At a recent meeting with youth participating in the Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP), we divided youth into three groups and asked them to draw a “Super Mentor”. They could give this mentor any powers they wanted – lightening speed, super-strong arms, x-ray vision – anything that would help them be the best mentor in the universe. Surprisingly, most of what they gave these Super beings didn’t require any special powers at all. It all comes down to three major attributes: be there, listen and share, and show you care.

The first youth drawing of a super mentor shows a person with wings, big ears, and holding a smart phone and a music player.Be There:

In several of the drawings, the mentor had wings and when we asked the reason, the youth said, “So they can come to us when we need them. “ The drawing without wings had eight pairs of legs so the mentor could “travel to us when needed and keep up with us.” Many of the drawings included a computer or I-Phone so the mentor would always be available. One had steps so the mentor could “step up and challenge us.” They defined “stepping up” as coming forward and taking responsibility for a job.

By phone, computer, legs, or wings, the youth commented over and over again about the importance of getting to wherever they are, taking the responsibility seriously, and being available to them. Although the wings would be nice, they all agreed they would be pretty happy with a regular “check in” call or text to see how they were doing. Most mentoring programs require less than an hour a week of your time – and if you can’t get there physically, many even have e-mentoring options.

The second youth drawing of a super mentor shows a person with a big smile, big ears, wings, a computer, and a smart phone surrounded by musical notes and sports equipment.Listen & Share:

Another common theme was listening to youth’s thoughts and feelings and sharing your own. All of the mentors featured huge Dumbo-like ears of alarming proportion. When asked about these out-sized appendages, all of the youth emphasized the importance of “caring about listening” and “listening to our side.” I thought the wording of these comments was particularly telling – they don’t just want you to listen. They want you to “care” about listening – listen on purpose and with intention and to listen to their side – hear how they feel and think.

One way to do this is by employing “active listening” (See the Active Listening Checklist) acknowledge and encourage the youth for speaking up; paraphrase what the youth is saying to be sure you got it; and ask questions to clarify information, as well as show your interest in hearing more.

But they don’t just want you to listen to them, they want to learn from a mentor too. Super mentors have big heads so they can be wise and understand what’s really going on. In addition, youth gave the mentors I-Phones and computers so they can “research answers when they don’t know it.” The youth didn’t expect the mentors to have all the answers but they wanted mentors who could help figure them out.

The third youth drawing of a super mentor shows a person with big ears, a big heart, and many legs.Show You Care:

Finally, and not surprisingly, youth wanted mentors who cared about them and the things that matter to them. Several of the super mentor drawings featured large hearts so they could be “very caring”. Others had big eyes so they could understand and “read our body language”. One had huge arms with bulging muscles to provide support and “lift us up when we need it.”

All of the mentors were surrounded by headphones, musical notes, boom boxes, or sporting equipment. The youth explained that the mentors should relate to them and care about their interests. Does this mean they have to know all the latest sports statistics and hip hop artists? The youth assured us this was not the case but they had to be open to watching a game or listening to a new song – maybe even share some music of your own.

Showing a youth they “matter”, just involves the old “golden rule” – treat them like you like to be treated when you go to the doctor’s office, your favorite restaurant, or even the post office. Schlossberg, Lasalle and Golec (See “Letting Youth Know They Matter”) say mattering occurs on four levels: let them know they are visible, valuable, have contributions, and are part of a personal and professional relationship. This means, “I see you, I care about you, I want to know what you have to say, and I make our mentoring relationship a priority.” The big eyes and brawny arms are not required but the big heart is a good place to start.

How to Get Started:

So now you may be thinking, “Hey, this mentoring thing is not that tricky after all. I have an hour a week, I can get there (or phone or text), I’m a good listener, and I care.” Good for you! You are well on your way to being a Super Mentor. Now, you just have to go and use your super powers for good.

For more information about being a mentor, you can visit the Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program website, www.ramp.iel.org, which has a mentor job description as well as links to all of the RAMP sites around the country. In addition, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership has a database that allows you to search by zip code for mentoring opportunities around the country as well as general information about being a mentor and a huge list of training tool and resources. The Department of Education also has a series of 12 interactive training sessions for mentors with information on communication, establishing boundaries, goal setting, and much more.

The main thing you have to do to become a Super Mentor is get started, make that first call or send that first email. And if you do a good job, we may even be able to get you a cape!

Related Resources:

By Patricia D. Gill, Senior Program Associate, National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability for Youth at the Institute for Educational Leadership’s Center for Workforce Development.

Posted in Communicating with Youth, Events, Guideposts for Success, Mentoring | Leave a comment

Developing Career Pathways for Youth Workers

Posted on January 10, 2012 by NCWD Youth

Building a professional development system that improves the knowledge, skills, and abilities of professionals working with all youth in a variety of settings nationwide takes collective and collaborative effort. Since it started, NCWD/Youth has been working to promote the establishment of an effective professional development training system for the youth service professionals in the workforce development field (see the recent Info Brief, Core Competencies for Youth Service Professionals: Guiding Youth Toward Employment). At the same time, other organizations like The Next Generation Youth Work Coalition are doing similar work in the afterschool and youth development fields.

NCWD/Youth is pleased to share the following blog from The Next Generation Youth Work Coalition (Next Gen), an organization which brings together individuals and organizations dedicated to developing a strong, diverse after-school and youth development workforce. Next Gen’s latest blog raises some important questions about how we can create career pathways for young people to enter the youth services workforce. To share your own ideas on this topic, visit the Next Gen Blog web page and leave a comment.

Logo of the Next Generation Youth Work CoalitionThere is a perpetual discussion in the youth work field about how to create career pathways and other growth opportunities for staff working in youth programs. We have perhaps millions of people employed across the country in a variety of youth programs ranging from before and after school to out- of-school time to youth development to summer programs and camps. Most of these jobs are part-time, and if they are full-time, the pay is low to moderate and growth opportunities are limited. How do we create more growth opportunities for youth workers? What pathways might we develop to help youth workers pursue a career in the field?

The California Teacher Pathway provides an example of preparing young people who want to become teachers to attend community college and then a California State University for their Bachelor’s degree and teaching credential. To help them gain more experience, the students are matched with part-time jobs in after school programs while taking academic classes. I’ve seen firsthand many struggling students actually do better academically in college when they are also working in a youth program because the work helps inspire their education and motivates them knowing they are role models to the youth they are serving. A recent issue brief published by Ready by 21 as part of the Credentialed by 26 Series titled “When Working Works: Employment & Postsecondary Success,” reinforces this concept confirming that working 20 hours or less per week can benefit college students’ academic performance, especially when it is contextualized to their area of study. Youth work jobs connected to teacher preparation programs are the perfect marriage of work and academic study.

There are significant challenges in developing career pathways for youth work that we will delve into further in next month’s Next Gen blog, but in the meantime do you have other examples to share of successful career pathway programs or resources for youth workers? To spur some further thinking and discussion, read the report: Organizing Pathways for Leadership Development and Social Change. Let’s kick off the conversation and continue to let the complexities unfold in the next months!

By Rebecca Goldberg, Co-Director of Career & Workforce Development at the South Bay Center for Counseling and member of the Next Gen Leadership Council.

This blog is cross-posted with the permission of the The Next Generation Youth Work Coalition (Next Gen).

Posted in Career Preparation, Credentials, Education, Professional Development | Leave a comment