Recommended
Recommended
More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (12)
Similar to Meet our mission-pp_twmusic
Similar to Meet our mission-pp_twmusic (20)
Meet our mission-pp_twmusic
- 1. MEET THE MISSION An Introduction to Youth Advocate Programs, Inc.
- 2. Goal To provide all staff with a basic orientation into Youth Advocate Programs, Inc.
- 3. Objectives YAP History: 1975- Present YAP’s Mission and Approach to Youth and Families The YAP Program YAP Team
- 5. Life on Mars Tuning in to the Times: 1974
- 7. Cost of Living: 1975 New House: $34,900.00 Income per Year: $13,900.00 Monthly Rent: $185.00 Gallon of Gas: $.55 New Car: $3,750.00
- 8. PA Camp Hill
- 9. Bobby Nestor
- 11. Bobby Nestor
- 13. Nearly 30,000 Juveniles were Returned to Community
- 14. PA’s JJ System in 1974
- 15. PA’s JJ System in 1975
- 16. Tom Jeffers, YAP Founder (1975)
- 17. YAP Mission Our mission is to provide individuals who are, have been or may be subject to compulsory care with the opportunity to develop, contribute and be valued as assets so that communities have safe, proven effective and economical alternatives to institutional placement
- 18. Living the Mission Transforming Systems One Biography At a Time
- 19. Have you or someone you know… Been arrested? Been through divorce? Had substance abuse issues? Had trouble in school? Had Money Issues? Had Mental Health issues?
- 21. Why are our families H2 O? Have not been able to successfully navigate through their situations with existing coping skills or resources Lack of Access to resources and supports Significant Barriers to resources and supports Perceptions/own views about choices limit them Perceptions
- 22. Out-Of-The-Box Thinking “There are ways we talk about people so that they are separated from and less than us. Those ways usually have labels that go with them. Labeling is a way of throwing someone out of the club. The idea of clienthood has reduced people's humanity.” -Dr. John McKnight
- 23. What is Advocacy? Helping people help themselves.
- 24. Advocacy for YAP’s Mission YAP advocates to keep young people and families together through: Prevention of out-of-home placements Reunification of youth from placements back into their family homes and community
- 25. Advocacy through Programming Juvenile Justice Child Welfare Mental Health Education Other Systems
- 26. Juvenile Justice Programs Alternative to Detention/Incarceration Reintegration Gang Intervention and Prevention Family Assessments and Parenting Community Service Forensic Assessment Work with Status Offenders Work with Sex Offenders Supported Work
- 27. Child Welfare Programs Family Preservation/ Family Support (Intake) Prevent Out of Home Placement (Ongoing) After Care/Reunification/ Reintegration Systems Change/Capacity Building Respite Foster/Kinship Care Support Independent Living/Life Skills Supported Work
- 28. Mental Health Licensed Family Based Mental Health Services In Home Therapy Clinic Based Services Aftercare Prevention of Hospitalization/RTC Court Evaluations Programs for Youth and Adults with Developmental Disabilities Life Skills for Youth with Disabilities In-Home Support for Children with Autism
- 29. Education Truancy Drop-Out Prevention Alternative to Out of District Placement Alternative to Suspension/Expulsion In-School Support
- 30. Other Systems Homeless HIV/AIDS Indigenous Groups and Populations TANF Drug & Alcohol Addicted Adult Probation & Re-Entry
- 31. YAP US Locations MA AL NY LA PA TX OH NM IL AZ NJ NV MD CO Wash, DC VA SC FL Over 120+ Programs across the US 5,000 Families day/Over 10,000 Families a year
- 32. YAP Ireland
- 33. The National Movement for Street Children
- 34. Sierra Leone YAP
- 35. Technical Assistance & Training England Hawaii Scotland
- 36. System Reform New Jersey New York City
- 38. YAP’s Approach The Theories & Principles that Shape our Work With Youth and Families
- 39. Theories Supporting Our Mission Wraparound Approach Person-Centered Planning Co-Production Strength-Based Perspective Positive Youth Development
- 40. Wraparound Approach Family-led Individualized Service Needs and Strengths Formal and Informal Supports as Team Community
- 41. Person-Centered Planning Activities, services and supports are based upon dreams, interests, preferences, strengths and capacities Meaningful choices are presented, and individual makes decisions based on his or her experiences Activities, supports and services foster community inclusion, dignity and respect Planning is a collaborative, recurring and involves an ongoing commitment to the person
- 42. What is Co-Production? 'Co-Production' is about working together to deliver a strong sense of community and more effective social services. “When we tap all that people can do, we deal with abundance, not scarcity.”
- 43. Strength-Based Approach Individual Community Learn the Strengths, What already exists? Dreams, Talents, Individuals Abilities Voluntary Known Associations, Hidden Local Institutions Build upon them to Reconnecting and Re- meet individual, family mobilizing by using an and community needs Asset Lens
- 44. Positive Youth Development Connecting youth with caring adults Promoting positive relationships with peers Emphasizing youths' strengths Providing opportunities to learn healthy behaviors Empowering youth to assume leadership roles in programs Challenging youth in ways that build their competence
- 45. The Advocate Model Growth & Change Relationship
- 47. Principles Individualized Service Planning Strength-Based Work Partnership with Parents Wraparound Cultural Competence Person-Centered Team Approach Planning Community-Based Care Unconditional Caring Corporate and Clinical Integrity Giving Back
- 48. Principles Individualized Service Planning Strength-Based Work Partnership with Parents Everyone in the Cultural Competence community has Team Approach capacities. Community-Based Care Unconditional Caring From these capacities: Corporate and Clinical power of community is Integrity built Giving Back relationships endure
- 49. Principles Individualized Service Planning Strength-Based Work Partnership with Parents Wraparound Cultural Competence Co-Production Team Approach Person-Centered Community-Based Care Planning Unconditional Caring Corporate and Clinical Integrity Giving Back
- 50. Principles Individualized Service Planning Zip Code Recruitment Strength-Based Work Partnership with Parents Cultural Competence Team Approach Community-Based Care Unconditional Caring Corporate & Clinical Integrity Giving Back
- 51. Principles Individualized Service Planning Strength-Based Work Partnership with Parents Wraparound Cultural Competence Strength-Based Team Approach Work Community-Based Care PYD Unconditional Caring Search Institute Corporate & Clinical Integrity CoProduction Giving Back
- 52. Principles Individualized Service Planning Strength-Based Work Partnership with Parents Wraparound Cultural Competence Person-Centered Team Approach Planning Community-Based Asset-Based Care Community Unconditional Caring Development Corporate & Clinical Integrity Giving Back
- 53. “Community-Based” We provide services to our families within the community Our offices are located and our staff live within the community We contract with different referring authorities from the community to provide a specific service We partner with other organizations and people within the community
- 54. Principles Individualized Service Planning No Eject, No Strength-Based Work Reject Policy Partnership with Parents Cultural Competence Team Approach Community-Based Care Unconditional Caring Corporate and Clinical Integrity Giving Back
- 55. Principles Individualized Service Planning YAP’s Integrity Compliance Strength-Based Work Plan Partnership with Parents Cultural Competence Team Approach Community-Based Care Unconditional Caring Corporate and Clinical Integrity Giving Back
- 56. Principles Individualized Service Planning Strength-Based Work Positive Youth Development Partnership with Parents Cultural Competence Team Approach Community-Based Care Co-Production Unconditional Caring Corporate and Clinical Giving Back: Integrity Partners & Participants Giving Back
- 57. Valued Attributes Optimism Flexibility Non-Judgmental/Blaming Life Skill Development Creativity Mutual Support Whatever It Takes!!!
- 58. Principles in Practice: Putting the Pieces Together!
- 59. How YAP Works The YAP Program
- 60. Phases of Service Referral Each program has at least one contract with one referral authority Probation, Child Welfare, MH, Medicaid, School, etc. Eligibility is based on criteria specified in contract Referrals come from approved sources identified within contract
- 61. Phases of Service Assessment Meet youth, family and other important stakeholders Use YAP’s 4 Core Assessments Building the Child-Family Team Introduce Staff (Frontline Worker) Develop Safety Plan
- 62. Phases of Service Service Delivery Child-Family Team Individualized Service Plan/Treatment Plan Weekly Work on Goals Revise Plan regularly with family Child-Family Team continues to evolve based on changing needs and progress Group Activities as Appropriate Prepare for Discharge/Graduation -Supervision -Training
- 63. Phases of Service Discharge Plan with Family After-Care and Follow-Up Supports Alumni Group Outcome Measurement Follow-Up
- 64. The YAP Team Overview of Agency Structure
- 65. Supporting the Mission Each employee of YAP plays a vital role in our ability to live our mission
- 66. Field Staff Advocates/TSS’s Behavioral Health Staff Clinical Supervisors Program Coordinators Court Liaisons Case Managers Administrative Managers Assistant Directors Directors
- 67. The Support Center Staff Communications Contracts Employee and Program Development Fiscal Human Resources Information Technology Monitoring and Auditing Physical Plant Procurement Program Services Performance & Quality Improvement Research & Innovation
- 69. Core Corporate Values Communication Collaboration Commitment Consistency Character Cultivation
- 70. Advocacy In Action: Meet George
- 71. Summary Who We Are: YAP’s Mission, Vision, & History Why YAP Works: Theories Informing our Practice What We Do: Living the Mission How We Do It: The YAP Program Who Does It: The YAP Team
- 72. “YAP represents the best of efforts nationally to keep kids out of institutions and to maximize the odds that they’ll have healthy and productive futures.” Bart Lubow – Program Director Program for High- Risk Youth of the Annie E. Casey Foundation
Editor's Notes
- 1. Welcome participants and review housekeeping details (i.e. location of bathroom, fire exits, expectations about breaks, lunch and duration of training) 2. Introduce yourselves and explain your role at Youth Advocate Programs. 3. Using prepared flipchart, draw up ground rules for session to include: Confidentiality Timekeeping Cell phones limitations Respecting all perspectives 4. Have a prepared Parking Lot Page. Explain it and hang it in visible place to list ideas, feedback, and new issues that will be addressed at a later date. PPM Gold Standards PQI Plan Health and Safety Manual Core Corporate Values Mission Core Principles PayRoll Deduction Agency Goals
- The goal of this training is to provide all staff with a basic orientation into Youth Advocate Programs.
- This training is designed to inform new employees of 4 key aspects of Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. By the end of the training, you will: Be familiar with YAP’s history and development over the past 33 years. Know a little about our youth and families, and the mission and principles that guide our work. Learn the four phases of service in YAP’s Program Model. And finally, you will be oriented to the YAP Team
- We’re going to start this morning with a quick Warm-Up. You and your teammates have 10 minutes to come up with a team name, a slogan for your team, a logo and also to learn and share what strengths each of your teammates brings to the table that will make a positive impact on your work at YAP. (give them 10-15 minutes. Have someone from the team share what they came up with. Then ask questions: -was it hard choosing a name, Logo and slogan? Was there easy agreement among members? How did you negotiate differences? -What do you think is important about having a team name, logo and slogan? -Why is it important to know your teammates strengths? Thank you all very much, and well done. Remember what you have started here today, and may you only work harder to grow stronger as a team. Today, we’re going to talk about Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. and what makes
- Did anyone watch the short-lived ABC show “Life On Mars”? Well, it’s about a NYC cop from 2009 who is transported back in time to 1973. We’re going to take a similar trip to 1974)
- Let’s take a trip back in time to see what was going on in the United States in 1974. Click PPT America was winding down our involvement in a very controversial Vietnam War. Click PPT Richard Nixon was forced to resign as President after the infamous Watergate Scandal. Click PPT The global energy crisis included a severe fuel shortage, with cars lining up for blocks to fill ‘er up. Click PPT Texas Instruments produced the first ever Pocket Calculator. Click PPT Telly Sevelas was TVs tough cop with a cool car, and Click PPT yes, Martin Scorcese’s Godfather II continued the saga story of the Corleon family. Let’s see how much it cost to roll in 1974.
- Allow participants to review and share thoughts (can make jokes). Can you dig it? Are you with me? Are you feeling 1974 in America? OK, well now we’re going to talk about another part of American culture at the time.
- Specifically, our story begins in Camp Hill, PA. Camp Hill is a small and quaint town established by a Christian congregation and with roots tied to the Civil War. Camp Hill is just outside of Harrisburg, PA.
- Our story is about a young man named Bobby Nestor. Does anyone here know who Bobby Nestor is?
- Bobby Nestor 16 years old when his mom found a marijuana roach in his jacket. Already concerned about some of his behaviors at home and in school, his parents asked the local police chief for advice about what to do. The chief suggested that his parents “teach him a lesson” by having him arrested. Bobby was arrested and placed in a juvenile detention facility, but when he and an older boy ran away, Click PPT Bobby found himself in Camp Hill Prison, an adult correctional facility, where he was confined to his cell for nearly 23 hours a day.
- Even with only an hour a day of interaction, within four months of his incarceration Click PPT Bobby Nestor was gang raped, and took his own life.
- Jerry Miller read about Bobby Nestor’s death in a corner of the Harrisburg Patriot newspaper and, incensed, got into his car and drove to the prison, launching the investigation that ultimately resulted in the historic change in PA law that deemed it unconstitutional for juveniles to be housed in adult prisons. You might be asking, “Who is Jerry Miller”?
- Dr. Jerry Miller came to Pennsylvania on the heels of having closed 4 of the 5 Massachusetts-run institutions for juvenile offenders. In four years, as Commissioner of the Department of Youth Services, he reduced the population of kids in institutions from 30,000 to 30 by investing in community-based alternatives. As Special Assistant to Governor Milton Shapp, Dr. Miller pioneered a similar change in Pennsylvania
- In 1974, the only two options for juvenile offenders were probation- which often did not provide enough supervision or support- or prison. As a result, of the 400 youth imprisoned at Camp Hill, 95% were evaluated as high or medium risk by a panel of professionals representing a number of profession.
- Dr. Miller realized this was the dilemma that forced many professional decision-makers to send kids to institutional settings, so he oversaw the development of over 75 community-based options. One year later, he reassembled the panel of professionals and asked them to re-evaluate each youth in Camp Hill, and gave them the option of community-based alternatives and the remit to do what was in the best interest of each individual youth. This time, only 10% of the youth were evaluated as high or medium risk. It was in the development of Pennsylvania’s Community-Based alternatives that YAP’s story begins.
- Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. was founded in 1975 by Tom Jeffers. Let’s listen as Tom tells the story of how he knew Dr. Miller and the events that led to YAP’s founding. (watch video).
- As Mr. Jeffers shared, from our very first program, YAP demonstrated a commitment to safely and successfully maintaining youth within their community. That commitment has translated into the mission of the organization. YAP’s mission is at the heart of every program we run, every contract we pursue, every piece of legislation that we organize around, and every systems- change initiative that we coordinate. (Read mission) So what does it mean? It means that we believe that kids develop best within the context of a home, a family, and a community, and not within a residential placement, such as a prison, residential treatment facility, or group home. It means that we believe that every youth has untapped potential and can, with support, guidance and opportunity, develop that potential and channel it in positive, healthy and productive behaviors in their community; It means that we believe if systems invest in their youth and in their communities through our program, tax-payers dollars will stay in their local community through building infrastructure and resources, nurturing the talent of the next generation, and employing local constituents. Any thoughts or questions?
- Ok, so now that we know how YAP came to be and the agency’s mission, let’s talk about what our mission looks like in practice.
- Before we talk more about YAP, let’s take a moment and think about our lives. Have you or someone you know ever… been arrested (read other examples) (Participants can share or not) What types of feelings might these situations bring out? ( solicit feedback and write on flip chart/whiteboard ) Look at all of these feelings. They don’t paint a very pretty picture, do they?
- The families that we work with deal with many situations, some of those we discussed, and many others we did not. But regardless of their individual situations, we often say that YAP families are H2O: Click PPT : Hopeless Helpless And Overwhelmed
- Our families are H2O not only because of the immediate situation or stressor, but also because they have not been able to successfully navigate through their situations with existing coping skills or resources. The reasons for this vary, but most often include that they have lack of access to resources and supports, or that significant barriers exist to prevent them from easily accessing the resources and supports that they need or that their perceptions of themselves or their situation limit their choices. Can you think of some of the barriers or challenges that many families might face? ( process with group ) These realities put our families in a box that keeps them stuck and has led them to our services.
- As a YAP worker, one of our major goals is to help the youth and families, and those that know them, begin to see themselves outside of the box that they are in, and to ultimately break free of it. To break out of the box, our youth and families must see themselves as “more than” their problems and deficits and to think and often behave differently. It also requires a similar transformation in the minds of the caseworkers, teachers, and general community that may also view this family in a particular box. So how do YAP staff facilitate these changes? We do it through Advocacy.
- Advocacy, in its essence, is helping people help themselves. As YAP staff, you are change agents. We use advocacy as the medium through which we empower our youth and families by helping them develop skills, competencies and relationships to successfully negotiate their needs and solve their problems without system involvement but rather through the natural supports in their community and within themselves. This approach is supported by the Search Institute’s Developmental Assets.
- YAP uses advocacy on a more macro-level, too, in terms of our programming and other system reform efforts. As we learned from our mission, YAP programs work to keep young people and families together through prevention of out-of-home placements and through reunification of youth from placements back into their family homes and community. . As you might suspect, there are many youth who need this type of advocacy, and they aren’t just from the Juvenile Justice system. Can you think of some other systems that our youth might be involved with?
- YAP currently has programs in 4 main systems: Juvenile Justice, Child Welfare, Mental Health and Education. However, we do have a few programs in other systems that fit our mission. Let’s spend a few minutes discussing each.
- From our first program in Camp Hill, YAP’s Juvenile Justice programs have diversified in nature. YAP now has developed a number of Juvenile Justice programs. These programs are typically county or city funded and adapted to each community’s needs. (instructor can talk more about this with group as relevant and time permits)
- Similar to our Juvenile Justice involved youth, our Child Welfare Programs are typically funded through the State, County or City Child welfare agency. (instructor can talk more about this with group as relevant and time permits)
- YAP’s programs for individuals involved in the mental health and developmental disabilities systems are typically funded through County dollars and also through state Medicaid Dollars. The majority of YAP’s mental health programs are our behavioral health programs. As it stands now, our Behavioral health programs account for about 50% of our total programming. However, YAP has also developed a very innovate and humane approach to working with individuals who are on the Autism Spectrum that is beginning to gain momentum by changing hearts and minds of families, referring authorities, and schools. WE are moving in a similar direction with regard to work with individuals- including both youth and adults- with developmental disabilities.
- YAP has recently begun to more purposefully approach the Educational Systems with programming types. As we are well aware, kids who do not attend or graduate from school are at an extreme disadvantage as adults in obtaining legitimate employment and receiving “living” wages. School non-attendance also makes youth vulnerable to other risky behaviors that can ultimately result in their involvement in other systems, particularly the juvenile justice system. Moreover, we know that sending kids to special schools or out of community-schools is bad both for the young person and for the taxpayer.
- YAP has also piloted various programs in our history to support other needs prevalent in certain communities. Our approach has worked successfully with each of these groups. The Second Change legislation that has recently passed through Congress has helped fast-track our efforts at identifying ways that YAP can help expedite the successful transition back to community for Adult Probation and Re-Entry.
- In less than 35 years after our founding, Youth Advocate Programs is now located in 17 states and Washington DC, and has programs in over 120 communities across the United States. We serve over 5000 families a day and 10000 families a year.
- Our success nationally has also led to development of YAP programs in Ireland. In 2000, YAP partnered with the Irish Health Boards to help maintain youth safely in two communities- Dublin and Galway. Our success in those initial programs has evolved to ten programs throughout Ireland.
- In addition to YAP programs, we have two special initiatives that we support through fundraising and direct advocacy. As a YAP employee, you, too can choose to help support these worthwhile causes through having a specified amount of your paycheck deducted automatically to help benefit these causes. The first is a partnership with Carlos Toledo, a recipient of the Reebock Humanitarian Award, in support of his organization, the National Movement for Street children. Carlos offers shelter, counseling, education and genuine caring to youth and teen parents who have been orphaned or abandoned.
- Our second sister program is in Sierra Leone. Started by Sanusi Kargbo, a YAP New Jersey Advocate who came to the US during Sierra Leone’s brutal Civil War, Sanusi returned to open a program for orphaned or abandoned youth, as well as Ex-Child Combatants, to help reintegrate them into their ravaged communities.
- YAP has also provided technical assistance and training to a number of organizations, including Hale Kipa in Hawaii; Juvenile Justice support to three counties in England; and to a Child Welfare organization in Glasgow, Scotland named Kibble. In these instances, YAP helped other organizations adopt our model to provide effective community-based programming.
- YAP has also worked with systems to help them create more effective and humane policies and practices with regard to youth and families. Two examples of these efforts occurred in New Jersey and New York City. In New Jersey, we helped to draft the Bring Our Children Home Act, which returned over 1400 New Jersey youth from out-of-state placements. YAP also provided training to Child Welfare staff, as well as providers across the state, on our model. In New York City, YAP helped the Administration for Children’s Services, their Child Welfare agency, return over 600 adolescents to family-based settings through modeling our approach to workers and working directly with youth, coaching ACS workers on their caseloads and through providing to ACS staff, as well as other community providers on the YAP model.
- Based on our international success, and commitment to our mission, YAP has developed a separate 503c dedicated to international advocacy. The International Youth Advocacy Federation is united in a common mission of using family and community advocacy to help vulnerable young people and their families lead safe and productive lives in their communities.
- Now that we know a little about YAP’s history, mission and programming, we’re going to spend some time looking at YAP’s approach to working with youth and families.
- Does anyone remember the definition of “Advocacy”? (have someone share it) Key point: Helping people help themselves. There are lots of schools of thought out there about how to best work with youth and families. Those that we are about to share here we find to be the most dignified, humane and effective. Let’s start by talking about what we mean by Wraparound Approach.
- Wraparound is a family-led approach to case planning where an individualized service plan is built around the interconnected needs and strengths of each young person and family by accessing and mobilizing formal and informal supports from within the youth’s natural community. It is grounded in ensuring that families have voice in developing their plan, access to their plan and making changes as needed, and that they have ownership in their plan, and it requires a true commitment by all supports to work together in the family’s best interest. The Wraparound approach is fundamental to how we work with youth and families. It takes a holistic look at families, and is respectful towards and empowering of youth and families to take the lead in the decisions affecting their lives from within their community. This model has been pioneered most notably by John Vandenbergh, a former consultant to YAP, and has been highly successful.
- Person-centered Planning, which was developed by Dr. Michael Smull, builds upon the Individualized service component of the Wraparound Approach. Person centered planning has four core components to it: (read bullets) This approach was designed for individuals with disabilities, but it is relevant for how we plan with families. Person-centered planning really speaks to ensuring quality of life: the right of every family we work with to self-determination and true integration within their community.
- Co-Production, developed by YAP Board Member Edgar Cahn, is another model that has is compatible with the Wraparound philosophy, and really emphasizes the recognition of youth and families as equal partners with gifts and talents to share. At its simplest, Coproduction means that services are successful only when the people being served are engaged in their services and in their plan, and that their voices are heard. CoProduction values our interdependence and the reality that each of us has gifts and talents, and that those gifts should be valued and can be shared to build stronger communities. One of the primary ways that CoProduction has influenced our work with families is with regard to finding opportunities for youth and families to give back. Youth and Families become partners and participants in building successful outcomes and stronger communities. Helping youth not only identify their strengths, but also to identify how to use their strengths to help others is a critical step towards building ownership and investment between the youth and community. Staff truly engage in advocacy and systems change through these efforts, as former labels are challenged, as we change the way the community views our youth and families, as well as how they view themselves.
- 17. Another critical element of our work with youth, families and communities is inspired by Dr. John McKnight, a consultant to YAP. Dr. McKnight has pioneered the strength-based approach to working with youth and families, and in communities. 18. Looking at the individual, a strength-based approach means that workers actively seek to learn the strengths, dreams, talents and abilities of their young person throughout the life of their work with that young person, and that as strengths are discovered, they are built into the plan to help meet individual, family or community needs. 19. Asset-Based Community Development, or ABCD, believes that every neighborhood and community is rich in resources and strengths that often are ignored by focusing on the deficits, or what’s wrong. Community development looks to the individuals, associations and institutions within communities and reconnects and mobilizes them as problem-solvers and change agents within their own communities.
- "Positive youth development" or PYD is a term that describes an approach to developing programs for children and youth. It emphasizes building skills and assets in youth in addition to preventing common negative outcomes. YAP Programs incorporate all of these aspects into our work with youth and families. In particular, and fundamental to our approach with youth and families, is the role of the YAP Workers as a caring adult in the life of their youth. Research on Resilience and Positive Youth Development consistently support that the presence of caring adult role models in the life of youth can have a significant impact on their development.
- To be successful in your advocacy efforts, we believe that the YAP worker must first develop an authentic and trusting relationship with their youth, because this relationship provides the foundation for true growth and change. We take a positive approach in our work with youth, focusing on co operation and personal growth. We do not tell them what to do or try to control them; rather, we seek to understand and work with them to help them move from where they are to where they can- and want- to be.
- YAP has really incorporated elements of all of this best thinking into the development of our Core Principles. These principles guide our every interaction with youth, families, and community stakeholders. Let’s take a look at each principle.
- We know that the Wraparound approach and person-centered planning both emphasize the importance of creating an individualized service plan for each family. At YAP, Individualized Service Planning means that interventions and activities are tailored to each youth and family’s unique needs, strengths, wants, and interests. While youth may share some of the same goals, their plans will not look the same because their team and interventions will reflect their uniqueness.
- All of the theories we reviewed earlier talk about the importance of focusing on the youth’s strengths, but Professor John McKnight, a YAP Consultant, has focused his professional efforts exclusively in the area of individual and community-based asset development. His main philosophy is captured in the box to the left. YAP embraces and makes Strength-Based Work actionable through ensuring that Goals and interventions build upon and further develop the youth’s, family’s and community’s strengths. These strengths are used to meet or address the needs or risk behaviors. As a YAP worker, it is critical that throughout your work with youth and families, you are constantly assessing for potential strengths in the family and in their community, particularly in non-traditional settings. YAP has a ten minute rule- any staff person should be able to talk for at least 10 minutes about the strengths of any young person that they work with.
- Clearly emphasized throughout best practice is the importance of partnering with parents. YAP Staff work closely with the parents/guardians to identify needs and strengths and to achieve goals. Parents are consulted in every aspect of planning and regularly provide feedback on how things are going, any new needs or other changes. Parents are empowered to self-advocate and advocate for their youth, through modeling, coaching, information sharing, and through taking the lead in various situations.
- With regard to cultural competence, we recognize the importance of demonstrating respect for and knowledge of different cultures and values in practice. Furthermore, Staff are recruited from the community in which our youth and families live, and are matched as closely as possible with families based on the family’s needs, strengths and interests as well as the strengths and interests of the staff person. We call this “Zip Code Recruitment”.
- All of the theories we’ve discussed underscore the importance of working collaboratively as one unified team with a family. YAP employs a Team Approach with each youth and family largely through our Child-Family Team Process. We work with the family to identify 4-10 individuals who know and care about the youth. We actively seek to engage all formal/professional supports, as well as non-professional, informal supports to work together in helping the family achieve their goals.
- As you recall from our mission, YAP is dedicated exclusively to maintaining youth safely within their communities. In practice, this means a number of things:
- YAP is a community-based service provider. It means that our offices are located within the community in which we work, and that our staff live in the same community. It means that we contract with different referring authorities from the community to provide services to a specific population within the community. It means that we partner with other organizations and people within the community.
- Pioneer Karl Dennis out of Chicago first advocated for Unconditional Caring in practice with youth and families. As a YAP worker, you are expected to show consistent positive regard for families despite resistance or non-compliance. The agency also maintains a No Eject No Reject policy that supports this principle. No family that is referred will be rejected because of case history or difficulty; and furthermore, we will not eject a family from our services due to non-compliance or resistance. This does not mean that we do not maintain boundaries or hold our youth accountable for their behavior- it simply means that we will support them in dealing with the consequences of their behaviors, and never give up on them.
- YAP has identified core principles that guide the way that we work with our youth and families. Corporate and Clinical Integrity: Staff maintain professional relationships with youth and families and other systems. Staff report accurate hours and maintain ethical practice.
- YAP has identified core principles that guide the way that we work with our youth and families. Giving Back: All youth and families have strengths and talents that they can contribute to improving their community. We build upon those strengths and help to connect the youth and family with these natural opportunities to give back within their community. ACtivity
- Is there a way to tie this into H2O; Insert Activity ptimism: Staff are supported to be optimistic and hopeful that small successes can be achieved. In study after study, families have indicated that worker optimism was more significant in their self-perceived progress than any other intervention. As such, we recognize the importance of believing in our youth and families so that they, too, can believe in themselves. Flexibility : Staff meet youth and families at times and places convenient for them. Staff also demonstrate a willingness to change their approach and the youth’s plan as the needs of the family change. Non-Judgmental/Non-Blaming : Staff present a spirit of partnership with the family and recognize that every human being has strengths and weaknesses, and works on the assumption that people do the best they can at any given moment. It is not our job to judge or blame families for the situation that they are in, but to reach out to them where they are and ask how we can support them in their journey to where they want to be. Life Skill Development: Skills are taught in several life domain areas to help youth function independently and develop sound decision-making and problem-solving skills. Creativity: Staff look beyond conventional and traditional methods and identify interventions with available resources. Mutual Support: As peers often have a lot of influence on one another, we recognize that group work can be a powerful and positive source of change. As able, we group clients for their mutual benefit and support. In recognizing and embracing that each family and individual are different, our staff demonstrate these core principles to meet their individual needs as opposed to asking them to conform to our rules or a standard format, therapeutic modality, or program. At YAP, we truly live a “Whatever It Takes!” approach in our work with families to help them be successful.
- PRINCIPLES IN PRACTICE: PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER Materials Needed : Participant Workbooks, Flip Charts, Markers Special Instructions : Depending on size of class, have one large group or a few smaller groups. Assign participants a case study. Give them 15 minutes to identify some ideas of what they could do to demonstrate the YAP Principles in their work with the family described. Review with group. Case Study One Instructions: Examine the case study Give specific examples of how you would apply/all of the YAP principles in working with this child and family Develop a tentative treatment plan/goals for this child Patty is a 13-year-old female who is currently in the 8 th grade. She lives with her parents and five siblings. Her mom is unemployed and her dad is a part-time truck driver. The family receives ADC. Just about three months ago, Patty was sexually molested by a friend of the family. She entered counseling at that time. Each of her siblings is also in counseling for various reasons. Patty is doing very well in school and is on the honor roll. Although she generally does not have discipline problems, twice last month her teacher made her go to study hall for detention for the rest of the day for talking back to her. Mrs. D reports that Patty does not shower daily and that her siblings accuse her of having “greasy hair.” She refuses to do any chores, ever. Patty is constantly fighting with and teasing her siblings. Since she was molested, she has become very rebellious toward her dad. She “hates men.” She is much more difficult to manage than other girls her age, and her behavior is getting worse. Mrs. D feels that if things don’t change soon, Patty may not be able to stay in the house. Since Patty refuses to obey rules, there is no way to control her activities. Patty has run away from home overnight twice in the last three months. One time she was picked up by the police the next evening in a nearby city. She said that she was “just walking” and had nowhere in particular that she was headed. Mrs. D is convinced Patty has shoplifted on more than one occasion. She has found jewelry and clothes hidden in her room several times. Patty claimed that they were given to her by friends, although she refused to give their names. The only contact she has had with the police was when she ran away. At the time, she was released with a warning about curfew violations. Mrs. D says that Patty is very impressionable and that she has lately begun to “hang around with friends who are bad news.” She gets along well with others, outside of her family. She is quarrelsome and argumentative at home. Patty is always crabby at home. Since she was molested, she has been anxious and worried at least half of the time, and more than Mrs. D feels she should. She does not seem to enjoy the things that she used to and complains that nothing is fun anymore. She has been very irritable and has low self-esteem. She has worn only very dark colors for the last three months. Patty has had nightmares about twice a week since the molestation and has trouble going to sleep. No indication of self-harmful behavior is evident. Mrs. D thinks that Patty uses alcohol and drugs every weekend. Over the last month, most of her friends have changed to being drug users. Patty says that being with friends and partying on the weekends relaxes her and that she would never allow herself to “lose control.” No impairing thought disturbances were reported. All material needs are satisfactorily met. Even though the family is poor, Mrs. D makes the children’s clothes and manages with the household money. Mrs. D describes family life as “chaotic, we live in a zoo.” Every child is in counseling and “we are poor.” All of the kids “hate each other,” and there is constant fighting in the house. Mrs. D feels that it is very hard to know when Patty comes and goes and that she cannot supervise her daughter. She feels that since Patty refuses to obey rules, there is no way to control her activities. Patty’s dad yells at her a lot and hit her once, bruising her arm. Patty was molested by a friend of the family who offered to drive her home from school and instead took her to his apartment. The incident was not reported to the authorities, but was handled “between friends.” The man agreed to leave town and never contact Patty or her family again. Patty felt very betrayed by the friend and has shown contempt for all men, including her dad, since that time. Case Study Two: Simmy is a 17 year-old African-American female preparing for discharge from a group home. Simmy was placed on a Person in Need of Supervision for truancy, neglecting her curfew, and for suspicion of dangerous behaviors while out in the community. Simmy lived with her mother Anna in Brooklyn up until two years ago when she was placed in care. She adores her mother, although they haven’t had a stable relationship for two years. Last time they visited, her mother accused her of stealing jewelry from her (which Simmy denies; however, she was put on probation for the charge). Simmy feels that their relationship has decompensated since her involvement with her newest boyfriend. Her father Joe has recently begun to express interest in caring for Simmy and she visits him at his 1 BR home in the Bronx on weekends, although on some home visits she has returned to the group home early when they have had disagreements. Simmy has an older-half sister named Keisha (Brooklyn) that she loves, but gets frustrated with when she “judges” Simmy or tries to be her mother. Simmy states that she is close to a few other people. She sometimes visits her mom’s ex-boyfriend Roy, who lives in Manhattan with his new wife and her teen-age daughter. Roy states then when Simmy visits with his family, she helps around the house and follows curfew. Simmy is also close to her 22 year-old cousin Shaima, who lives in Manhattan with Simmy’s paternal aunt; and her 27 year-old cousin Rodney who lives in the Bronx. Simmy’s best friend Monique lives in the Bronx with her mother, but Simmy admitted that she barely gets to visit with her. Simmy stated that she had no significant other at this time, but she has been known to have boyfriends and girlfriends (one of the suspected major issues between Simmy and her mother). Simmy is 17 but only in 9 th grade. She is very aware that she can only utilize public schools until the age of 21. Simmy used to attend Harlem School of the Arts, and loved the singing, writing and performing aspects of the school. She also enjoyed history (she likes to hear stories of other people), English (she likes to read and write), and earth science. Simmy acknowledges that she is very far behind in school and that she will need a tutor to help her with her studies. Other than a regular educational setting, Simmy is just beginning to express interest in Job Corps and states that she is interested in becoming a corrections officer (she has an older female cousin who lives in the Bronx that is a corrections officer). She may also consider a GED program. Simmy took a job training class while in care and is interested in employment. Simmy likes to sing, listen to music (R&B), read (most recently “No Disrespect”), and write poetry. She is good with little kids and shared that she would like to babysit. She also shared that she is interested in being a counselor someday. She is also good at doing hair. Simmy used to go to a Baptist church with her family, but commented that it is not important to her to attend regularly. Simmy is able to verbally express herself and shared that she is ready and interested in receiving counseling. Simmy is interested in becoming involved with singing again. She is also interested in joining a gym and working out. Simmy likes to have her hair and nails done. She also likes to shop. Most of all, Simmy wants to be part of a family where everyone is OK with her being there (including other kids) and where she is loved and shown patience. Ultimately, she would like to return to her mother, and hopes to rebuild that relationship.
- In this part of the training we’re going to discuss the phases of service in the YAP Model. As we learned from the previous section, there is much diversity in the program types that we offer. Regardless of the specific terms you may use within your specific program, there are activities common to all YAP Programs which will be introduced in this section.
- The first phase of service is referral. Every program within YAP has at least one contract with a referral authority. As we discussed previously, frequently the referral authority is the local, county or state juvenile justice, child welfare, mental health or education systems. This referral authority develops a contract with YAP that describes the types of youth and families that we will work with. This is generally defined by attributes such as age, and what is called “presenting issues” or needs. For example, a Reunification Contract developed in New Jersey in partnership with the state Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS), might specify that an eligible youth is any child aged 10-18 currently in a residential placement that is being returned to the community. Finally, after establishing eligibility criteria in the contract, an actual referral for each youth must come from an approved person again specified in the contract. In the example of our Reunification Contract, a worker from DYFS would be responsible for making the referral.
- After receiving the referral, we enter into the Assessment and Initial Planning Phase. We also call this the First 30 Days of Service. During this time, we meet the youth and his/her family, as well as with other important people within their life to begin to identify the needs, strengths, interests and supports within that youth’s life. If the youth is in the community at the time of referral, or if possible while the youth remains in placement, we also begin to introduce the youth to their worker. The main focus of their efforts at this time is to engage in activities designed to build their relationship as well as to address some immediate needs. Another fundamental element of this phase is to develop a Safety Plan with the family. There are two trainings later on in this curriculum that further explore this phase with particular attention on engaging youth and families and safety planning.
- Following the Assessment and Planning Phase is the actual Service Delivery Phase. This is the “meat and potatoes” of our work with youth and families, and is often the longest phase. It is here that we work with the Child and Family Team to implement and revise the Youth’s Service Plan. While supporting them in achieving their goals, we must also simultaneously be thinking ahead to the youth’s graduation from the program, and establishing connections and resources that will continue to support the young person upon our departure. It is also important to note that during this phase, the frontline worker receives ongoing support through weekly supervision and training. We have dedicated 2 training sessions to help further develop your skills and knowledge in this critical area.
- The final phase of service is Discharge, or Graduation. WE often say at YAP that we begin to plan for the end from the first day of service. As such, it is critical that you and your family talk about graduation from the beginning, and work together to ensure that the formal and informal supports that families need are in place prior to their discharge from the Program. All programs must follow up with their youth 6 months after discharge to check in with them and make sure that they continue to do well. Some programs also offer Alumni Groups as a way to keep youth engaged and give them continued opportunities to give back through activities and leadership opportunities as appropriate. A latter training will more deeply explore this phase of service and help you to prepare and plan for a youth’s graduation as best as possible for their continued development.
- Now that we know what we do with youth and families, let’s take a closer look at who does it.
- As we have seen through the earlier chapters, we do a lot of really important work throughout the US and the world to promote positive youth development and the importance of family and community. As you might imagine, it can’t be done without dedicated and committed employees! And at YAP, we’re blessed to have over 2000 employees across the US. Some of us work very closely with our youth and families, and some of us may never meet a youth or family. Regardless of our position, it is important for us to remember at all times that each and every one of us plays a vital role in the organization’s ability to live the mission.
- Historically we differentiate staff as “Field Staff” or “Support Staff”. Field staff are YAP employees who work in local programs. Because of the diversity of our programs, there is a similar diversity in the titles of these staff. We have shared a few of the most common positions for frontline direct service workers on this slide. There are administrative staff in the programs that provide certain elements of program support from within the local program office. These positions can be exclusively administrative or blend administrative with direct service work. Typically, these positions are Administrative Managers and Program Leaders such as Directors and Assistant Directors.
- The Support Center is YAP’s main centralized administrative support system. Located in Harrisburg, PA, The Support Center’s modest staff of 70 play significant and primary roles in the administrative departments reflected in this slide. The field and The Support Center share responsibilities in each of these areas, and good communication and relationships are critical to ensuring that we are successful and have the information we need to do the best that we can within our specific roles and as an organization.
- Regardless of your position or where you are located, the agency has developed standard lines of accountability. As a YAP employee, if you have a question, concern or complaint, you need to know where to go. The first place to go is to your immediate Supervisor. At times, it may be necessary to continue down the chain for assistance. You will learn more about YAP’s process in the Personnel Policy Manual and Chapter 2 of the BAT Curriculum, Our Standard of Practice.
- YAP values every staff person, and as such, has developed a set of values that we have defined with regard to how we are expected to work with one another. Communication: Respectful and clear communication is critical to our collective success. Collaboration : Collaboration between the field and TSC, and across regions, improves and strengthens the quality of our work with our youth and families. Commitment : Our commitment to our youth and families, our peers and our agency drives our ability to succeed in our mission. Consistency: Without consistency, our work, our relationships and our families will suffer. Character : We hold ourselves to high standards. Cultivation : We aspire for and nurture the continual growth and development of our families, our colleagues and ourselves.
- You have successfully made it to the end of this training session! We’ve covered a lot of ground, so let’s take a moment to review: -in the first module, we looked at Who We Are as an agency, including our mission, vision, principles and history -the second module took a look at the individuals and theories that influence the way we work with youth and families -the third module gave an overview of what we do as an organization by providing snapshots of our program types and activities -the fourth module looked at How We work with youth and families by discussing the phases of service delivery. -this final module looked at the people and structures that support the work that we do with youth and families. The next training in this curriculum is called “Our Standard of Practice” and will provide you with a clear understanding of the legal and ethical expectations we have of you as a YAP employee.
- As a parting thought, we’ve concluded with a quote from Bart Lubow, the Program Director for High-Risk Youth at the Annie E Casey Foundation. (read quote) Thank you for making the commitment to work with us. Now that you know what we believe and what we do, go out and do it!