Developing Sound Strategies for Working with Culturally Diverse Populations
Youth of color are disproportionately represented in both the foster care and juvenile justice systems, and involvement in either system increases the chances for later homelessness. How do we ensure that programs serving homeless youth are culturally competent and appropriate? This workshop will present two types of service models: programs that are culturally specific and programs that strive to provide culturally appropriate services to diverse populations. The strengths and challenges of both approaches will be discussed.
Farah Dews – Bayview Hunters Point Foundation
Jesus Yanez – Instituto Familiar de la Raza
Ivan Alomar – At the Crossroads
Steph Eunha Lee - Asian Pacific Islander Wellness Center
Moderator: Rae Suber
Addressing the Behavioral Health Needs of Transition Age Youth
Homeless youth are impacted to a high degree by behavioral health issues. This workshop will discuss the challenges that mental health and substance use issues present to service providers in helping homeless youth to successfully transition to stability. The importance of early intervention and prevention will be stressed. Strategies for implementing effective models of care will be covered, along with strategies for integrating youth development into these models.
Mark Purcell – Edgewood Center for Children and Families
Brad Harms – New Leaf Services for Our Community
Bethany Brown – Community Behavioral Health Services
Joi Niles – Larkin Street Youth Services
Moderator: Joi Niles
In Our Own Words: Youth Perspective
This panel will provide the youth perspective on the issues they and their peers face as homeless youth. The panel will discuss what they want from service providers, what has been most helpful for them in moving their lives forward, and what additional assistance they may need. This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from the youth.
Drew Balcazar – San Francisco Youth Commission
Chio Saetern – Honoring Emancipated Youth - Emancipated Youth Advisory Board
Marquita Jones – Community Behavioral Health Services Youth Task Force
Meribe Martinez – Larkin Street Youth Services
Moderator: Lara Tannenbaum
Successful Transitions for Foster Care Youth
Foster care youth who remain in care until emancipation are often forced to abruptly transition into adulthood with little preparation, guidance, or support. Programs that serve foster care youth will present their models of care. Participants in this workshop will learn about the tools and specific resources available to help foster youth successfully transition to adulthood.
Christy Saxton – First Place for Youth
Arlene Hylton – San Francisco Independent Living Skills Program
Peggy Perry – Larkin Street Youth Services
Moderator: Peggy Perry
Skills-building Workshop for Program Managers
This workshop will focus on the issues that impact program managers in their daily work. The facilitators will cover a variety of topics including: staff retention, burnout prevention, team building, staff supervision, and leadership development.
Michelle Gislason – CompassPoint Nonprofit Services
Moderator: Sharla Walker
Youth and the Criminal Justice System
Youth involved in the juvenile justice system are at increased risk of later homelessness. We know these youth face obstacles to employment and stable housing. What are the additional challenges for youth impacted by the system? This workshop will describe the unique challenges and suggest ways to reconnect these youth.
Oscar Peña, Jr. – Transitional Age Youth San Francisco
Denise Coleman – Huckleberry Youth Program
Kimo Uila – Center on Juvenlie and Criminal Justice
Moderator: Ruth Nuñez
The Path to Independence: Youth Workforce Development
Employment is the cornerstone of financial stability and re-engagement of disconnected youth to the workforce and is crucial to moving them toward long-term self-sufficiency. In this workshop, leaders from various workforce development programs will share their models for working with transition age youth.
Ciara Wade – New Door Ventures
Katherine De Vinna - San Francisco Conservation Corps
Jamie Fountain – Larkin Street Youth Services
Moderator: Pete Gerharz
Mind the Gap: 2009
Effective Strategies for Meeting the Needs of Transition Age Youth
On January 15, 2009 Larkin Street hosted Mind the Gap: Effective Strategies for Meeting the Needs of Transition Age Youth, its first conference on youth homelessness.
Over 170 participants from the Bay Area, Sacramento, Central Valley, and Southern California attended this day long conference. The morning plenary was a panel with speakers from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the California Coalition for Youth and TAY (Transitional Age Youth) SF who gave an overview of national, state and local policy issues impacting homeless and runaway youth and charged the audience to get involved in advocating for the needs of the youth they serve. The day also included 12 workshops designed to improve skills and build knowledge in order to best meet the needs of runaway and homeless youth.
Workshop Descriptions
Who Are Homeless Youth and What Are Their Needs?
The opening plenary will set the stage for the day by providing a comprehensive overview of the issues and needs of homeless youth. Panelists from national, state, and local organizations will provide their perspectives on homeless youth sub-populations, service needs, and strategies to address these needs. Advocacy at the federal, state, and local level will be included.
LaKesha Pope – National Alliance to End Homelessness
Heather Dearing – California Coalition for Youth
Rachel Antrobus – Transition Age Youth Initiative, San Francisco
Moderator: Sherilyn Adams
Creating a Wider Net: Building an Advocacy Strategy for Homeless Youth
In recent years, there has been increased attention drawn to the needs of youth coming out of the foster care system. As a result of these advocacy efforts, there are more resources available to assist these youth in their transition to independence and self-sufficiency. Homeless youth who have not been in foster care do not differ significantly in their life histories, presenting issues, or service needs. What lessons can we learn from the foster care advocacy movement and how can we apply them to meeting the needs of all homeless youth?
Sara Rasavi – Honoring Emanicpated Youth (HEY)
Alecia Hopper – Mental Health Services Agency
Michelle Byrnes – John Burton Foundation
Moderator: Ruth Nuñez
Meeting the Needs of Marginalized Populations: Queer Youth
Research has shown that there is a disproportionate number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth (LGBTQQ) among the homeless youth population. LGBTQQ youth often land on the streets of San Francisco because they fled from the discrimination they encountered in their homes or communities based on their sexual and/or gender identity. This workshop will outline some of the unique needs of this sub-group and offer strategies for providers to work more effectively with LGBTQQ youth
Denny David – Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center (LYRIC)
Dafna Wu – Dimensions
Adele Carpenter – New Leaf Services for Our Community
Aimee Armata – Larkin Street Youth Services
Moderator: Aimee Armata
In Our Own Words: Youth Perspective
This panel will provide the youth perspective on the issues they and their peers face as homeless youth. The panel will discuss what they want from service providers, what has been most helpful for them in moving their lives forward, and what additional assistance they may need. This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from the youth.
Drew Balcazar – San Francisco Youth Commission
Chio Saetern – Honoring Emancipated Youth, Emancipated Youth Advisory Board
Marquita Jones – Community Behavioral Health Services Youth Task Force
Meribe Martinez – Larkin Street Youth Services
Moderator: Lara Tannenbaum
More than Just a Roof: Effective Housing Models for Homeless Youth
Housing programs offer homeless youth more than just a roof over their head, they provide a range of services needed to help youth become self-sufficient. There are a range of housing models for homeless youth, with varying levels of support, community integration, and expectations. In addition there are population-specific housing models. This workshop will offer a description of various youth housing models, and a discussion of the benefits and challenges of each type.
Toby Eastman – Larkin Street Youth Services
Steven Shum – Corporation for Supportive Housing
Moderator: Toby Eastman
Using Data to Demonstrate Program Effectiveness
How can you use data to tell your program’s story, demonstrate success, and make programmatic and organizational decisions? This workshop will provide an overview of real world program evaluation for social service providers and offer strategies for using data to enhance and improve programs.
Dina Wilderson – Larkin Street Youth Services
Steven LaFrance – LFA Group
Don Cohon – Edgewood Center for Children and Families – Institute for the Study of Community-Based Services
Moderator: Dina Wilderson