Pathways to Success Connecting Foster Youth to High School Career Development Opportunities October...

Pathways to SuccessConnecting Foster Youth to

High School Career Development Opportunities

October 28, 2009

WELCOMEHosted by

New Ways to Work

Co-Sponsored by

Casey Family Programs

California Youth Connection

California Department of Education

Child and Family Policy Institute of California

Foster Youth Education and Career Network

Foster Youth Career Development and Employment Task Force

California Career Resource Network

California Workforce Association

Supported by

Casey Family Programs, Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles, and The San Francisco Foundation

2009 Foster Youth Forum

Today’s Agenda

10:00 Welcome and Overview

10:15 Career Development Opportunities and Resources

11:15 Break

11:30 Panel Discussion

12:30 Lunch

1:00 Strategy Session

2:30 Report Out

2:45 Next Steps

3:00 Adjourn


New Ways to Work

Builds community connections that prepare youth for success

• 25 years building comprehensive youth-serving systems nationally

• Focuses on effectively targeting public resources to prepare youth for the future

• Connects efforts to economic development• Pioneered the All Youth-One System approach• Since 2004 a focus on foster youth transitions


New Ways to Work

Where New Ways Works• Supporting connections between schools, community,

and the workplace across the nation• Building connected transition systems for all youth in

California• Building community capacity through customized

technical assistance locally


New Ways to Work

Current and Former Initiatives • Communities and Schools for Career Success

• Diploma Plus

• Intermediary Network

• Partners on the Breakthrough Series Collaborative on ILP Transformation

• Targeted Technical Assistance – New York City and Chicago

• Youth Council Institute

• Youth Transition Action Teams


Youth Transition Action TeamsYTAT

• Launched in the summer of 2004 with 18 counties participating by 2008

• Addressing the issue of transition for youth aging out of foster care

• Consisting of leaders from child welfare, education, workforce development, and other local systems

• Improving outcomes for youth aging out of the foster care system in the following areas:

• Educational achievement and aspiration

• Workforce readiness

• Employment

• Support networks


2009 Projects

• Foster Youth Career Development Access and Success

Funded by the San Francisco Foundation to work within the Bay Area to increase the awareness and access of foster youth to existing career development opportunities.

• Foster Youth Summer Jobs Plus

Funded by the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles to work in partnership with the LA YTAT to assist 100 foster youth in connecting their 2009 summer jobs experience to their career and educational goals


Who’s in the Room?

• Which systems are represented?

• What you hope to get out of this session?


Why Are We Here?

The Need to Increase Awareness and Access

• California’s high schools offer an array of career development programs and services

• Foster youth participation in these programs is low

• Foster youth and those that work with them need to be aware of their options


What is Career Development?

• A sequenced continuum of activities and experiences that address career and college awareness, exploration, and preparation.

• Includes a series of classroom activities, workplace exposures, and community experiences over time.

• Seek out programs and services that provide a range of opportunities for students to develop their interests and explore options for their future.


Career Development Continuum


What is Career Development?

Key PrinciplesThe following key principles support a comprehensive career

development system:

• Provide meaningful career development opportunities

• Develop youth-centered and developmentally appropriate experiences

• Engage parents, guardians, and caregivers

• Provide real world experiences

• Build a connected system

• Allow for flexibility and adaptability

• Measure success and solicit feedback


An Overview of High School Options and Opportunities for

Career Preparation• Multiple Pathways

Provide a variety of academic and career related choices

• Career Technical Education (CTE)Curriculum standards designed to address the needs of California’s 15 identified industry sectors

• Career Pathways ProgramsIncludes a sequenced set of academic and hands-on course work


Overview Continued

• Regional Occupational Centers and Programs (ROC/P)Career and technical education for high school students 16 years of age and older

• Academy ProgramsSmall learning communities that provide college preparatory curriculum with a career theme


Overview Continued

Specialized Programs for Youth with Disabilities:

• WorkAbilityA transition program designed to prepare special education students for the workplace and independent living

• Transition Partnership Programs (TPP)Funded by the California Department of Rehabilitation to prepare special education students in their last two years of high school to be competitive for the job market upon their transition from high school


Other School Types and Programs• Magnet Schools• Alternative Schools of Choice• Model Continuation High Schools• Smaller Learning Communities• Charter Schools• Advancement Via Individual Determination

(AVID) Program• Service Learning• Career and Technical Student Organizations


Addressing the Information Gap


Addressing the Information Gap

The Guide to Career Development Opportunities in California’s High Schools

• Supported by the San Francisco Foundation and Casey Family Programs

• A resource for foster youth, social workers, caregivers, and others working with foster youth

• Can be found at www.newwaystowork.org


http://www.newwaystowork.org/

Connecting to Employment• Begin planning early (7th or 8th grade)

• Identify interests

• Determine whether or not college will be required

• Set short and long term goals

• Assess work maturity and employability skills

• Seek part-time employment or volunteer opportunities to gain skills and experience

• Create a resume

• Connect with existing programs that will assist with career and/or employment preparation


Supporting Career Development

California Career Resource Network (CalCRN)

John Merris-Coots, Executive Director

www.CaliforniaCareers.info


http://www.californiacareers.info/

Other Opportunities that Support Career Development

• Workforce Investment Act

• Career Ladders Project

• The Gateway Project

• Career Advancement Academies

• Guardian Scholars

• Chafee Education and Training Vouchers

• California College Pathways

• Foster Youth Success Initiative

• Adult Education Programs

• California Connected by 25 Initiative

• Others?


How We Can Support Foster Youth in Connecting to Next Steps

Find out who and what they are connected to already:

• Caregivers

• Social Worker

• CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate)

• Mental Health Counselor

• Educational Liaison

• ILP Case Manager

• Case Plan

• Individual Education Plan

• Transitional Housing Program

• Transitional Independent Living Plan


Local Strategies

Our Panelists

• Catherine Giacalone Youth Development Services Manager, Contra Costa County Office of Education

• Maya WebbFoster Youth Services Coordinator, San Francisco Unified School District/Student Support Services

• Darnell Johnson and Emily VillasCalifornia Youth Connection


Mapping Existing Career Development Opportunities and

Challenges


• Identify specific career development opportunities that already exist in your community

• Identify what gets in the way of foster youth getting connected to these opportunities

• Define what you can do or dodifferently to ensure that fosterare connected

Next Steps

What needs to be in place for effective career development in your community?

• What do you already know?

• What do you need to find out more about?

• How are you going to get the information?

• Who do you need to connect with?

• How will you engage and empoweryouth and caregivers?

• What is your strategy for gettinginformation to foster youth, caregivers,social workers, education liaisons, ILP, and others working with foster youth?


“We should dream of and plan for a day when fewer children require foster care.

But until that day comes, we have a moral responsibility to prepare young people leaving foster care to become whole

adults who can fulfill their potential and build bright promising futures.”

President Jimmy Carter


Pathways to Success Connecting Foster Youth to High School Career Development Opportunities October...

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