Nicole West Nicole West John ShermanJohn ShermanNorth Texas Youth ConnectionNorth Texas Youth Connection Children’s Home SocietyChildren’s Home Society

Nicole West Nicole West Biography: Biography:

Nicole West has worked with at Nicole West has worked with at risk youth since 1991 and has risk youth since 1991 and has been a Foster parent for 7 been a Foster parent for 7 years. Since 2006 she has been years. Since 2006 she has been a Safe Place Coordinator with a Safe Place Coordinator with North TX Youth Connection. North TX Youth Connection. During that time, her focus has During that time, her focus has been on runaway prevention as been on runaway prevention as a Prevention Specialist and was a Prevention Specialist and was honored in 2008 with the Safe honored in 2008 with the Safe Place Coordinator of the Year Place Coordinator of the Year Award Award

John ShermanJohn ShermanBiography:Biography:

John Sherman has been John Sherman has been working with troubled youth working with troubled youth and their families for the past 7 and their families for the past 7 years. He currently runs 3 years. He currently runs 3 programs for Children’s Home programs for Children’s Home Society of Florida - Safe Place, Society of Florida - Safe Place, Street Outreach and Project 18 Street Outreach and Project 18 mentoring, a mentoring mentoring, a mentoring program for youth in the foster program for youth in the foster care system. He is a certified by care system. He is a certified by NRCYS as a Residential Child & NRCYS as a Residential Child & Youth Care Professional trainer. Youth Care Professional trainer.

Finding Summer AudienceFinding Summer Audience

Summer Activities in the CommunitySummer Activities in the Community

Utilizing Safe Place Sites and PartnersUtilizing Safe Place Sites and Partners

Summer Outreach Events – Ideas, Summer Outreach Events – Ideas, Simplification, and Revitalization Simplification, and Revitalization

Presentation ActivitiesPresentation Activities

Promoting Safe Place Promoting Safe Place

Think about your audience – where do youth Think about your audience – where do youth hangout? hangout?

MallsMallsMovie TheatersMovie TheatersBowling AlleysBowling AlleysSkate ParksSkate ParksWater Parks, Public Pools, and BeachesWater Parks, Public Pools, and BeachesAmusement Parks/ArcadesAmusement Parks/ArcadesCampCampSummer Sport LeaguesSummer Sport LeaguesSummer SchoolSummer SchoolLibraryLibrary

Summer Sporting EventsSummer Sporting EventsCommunity/Church/School FairsCommunity/Church/School FairsLocal Parks Local Parks

Skate Parks, Water Parks, Beaches, etc.Skate Parks, Water Parks, Beaches, etc.

Summer Theater in the ParkSummer Theater in the ParkFireworks – 4Fireworks – 4thth of July Celebrations of July Celebrations

Which means youth are Which means youth are active in a wide range of active in a wide range of activities!activities! YMCA, Boys and Girls YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, Libraries Club, Libraries

Research other youth Research other youth centers in your local centers in your local communitycommunity

The Housing AuthorityThe Housing AuthorityResearch their events and Research their events and participate at oneparticipate at one

Leverage your Safe Place SitesLeverage your Safe Place SitesCan they help with promotion?Can they help with promotion?Can they sponsor an event?Can they sponsor an event?How can you partner together?How can you partner together?

Look at Community PartnersLook at Community PartnersCan you work together on a community event?Can you work together on a community event?Participate in local school orientations Participate in local school orientations Utilize Fire and Police Department contactsUtilize Fire and Police Department contacts

Analyze events you currently have to see how Analyze events you currently have to see how costs can be cutcosts can be cut

Look for in-kind donationsLook for in-kind donationsMaterialsMaterialsVenueVenuePromotionPromotion

Work Smarter, Not HarderWork Smarter, Not HarderCost ShareCost ShareLook for similar community eventsLook for similar community events

Organize summer concert with Organize summer concert with local youth bands and artists local youth bands and artists Summer Fashion Show with Summer Fashion Show with Youth Focused RetailersYouth Focused RetailersHave informational Booth at Have informational Booth at County Fair or Summer County Fair or Summer Sporting EventSporting EventGet involved at Youth Group Get involved at Youth Group Events or School Summer Events or School Summer ProgramsPrograms

Set up Informational Set up Informational Booths at local Family Hot Booths at local Family Hot Spots:Spots:

Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Amusement ParksAmusement ParksMovie TheatersMovie TheatersBowling AlleysBowling AlleysFire and Police Fire and Police Department Safety Department Safety EventsEvents

Possible Venues: Possible Venues: School Event School Event County Fair County Fair Fire/Police Dept. Safety Night Fire/Police Dept. Safety Night Make it interactive!Make it interactive!Provide outreach items, show Provide outreach items, show map of local safe place sites, map of local safe place sites, interact with the communityinteract with the communityNSP has created a manual for NSP has created a manual for coordinators on how to set up coordinators on how to set up eventevent

Turn traditional informational booth into an event!Turn traditional informational booth into an event!

Take a look at events that Take a look at events that have been put on for yearshave been put on for yearsCan a new spin be added?Can a new spin be added?For Example:For Example:

Booths at County Fairs - Booths at County Fairs - Attach Safe Place cards to Attach Safe Place cards to candy or drinkscandy or drinksHand out popcorn with Hand out popcorn with homeless youth stats attachedhomeless youth stats attached Hold a Text Message Contest Hold a Text Message Contest to promote TXT 4 Helpto promote TXT 4 Help

See who can type SAFE and See who can type SAFE and their Address fastest!their Address fastest!

Local Library Summer Local Library Summer Reading ProgramsReading ProgramsBoy and Girl Scout Boy and Girl Scout MeetingsMeetingsJunior Achievement Junior Achievement Summer CampsSummer CampsLocal Back to School Local Back to School OrientationsOrientations

Ask to put up posters and leave Ask to put up posters and leave cards at youth hangoutscards at youth hangoutsHand out information fliers or Hand out information fliers or cards at summer concerts, cards at summer concerts, festivals, or sporting events festivals, or sporting events Ask local water company to Ask local water company to insert Safe Place info with insert Safe Place info with mailed billsmailed billsAsk local cable company to run Ask local cable company to run Safe Place PSASafe Place PSABack Pack School Supply Back Pack School Supply OutreachOutreach