2017 Foster Leadership: Facil i tating Leadership Development

for Foster Care Youth and Alumni

Introductory Skit

Skit: • Five volunteers

What groups do you belong to?

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?

Copyright Lisa Dickson

Culture of Foster Care Postcard project

www.fostercarealumni.org

Consumer & Social Movements• Civil rights movement

• Women’s suffrage

• Disability rights

• Faith movements

• GLBTQ

Foster Care Movement• Youth in Care Canada

• California Youth Connection

• Statewide youth advisory boards

• Foster Care Alumni of America

• International foster care movement

Where Was Your Voice?

• Design

• Delivery

• Evaluation

Blindfold activity

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.

• 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.”

Taylor Model

Copyright Danny Taylor, used with permission.

Post Adoptive Support

Copyright Grace Hilliard-Koshinsky, used with permission

Diplomacy skills

Appreciating your strengths and

guarding against overuse

Reclaim, reframe

What Does It Look Like?

Experiential Learning:

“Learn By Doing”

Youth Boards and the Role of Adults

• Adults become facilitators and allow teens to take on more of a leadership role.

• Adults help to arrange new experiences for teens, yet letting the teens take more responsibility.

Establishing Structure

• Code of Conduct• Mission Statement• Recommendations

• Strategic Plan• Marketing Plan• Logo, Mascot• Group Identity

SampleGovernance 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

Barriers to Success

True or False?

Sustaining the Board

Tools for Communication

Importance of Collaboration

Sample

Partnerships

Media Savvy

Group DynamicsEcocycle

Questions and Answers