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Youth Advocate to Advocate for Youth - Pathways RTC PDF

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Youth Advocate to Advocate for Youth: Next The Transition This document was produced by Primary authors Youth MOVE National in partnership with the Research and Training Cen- Lacy Kendrick Burk ter for Pathways to Positive Futures. Johanna Bergan PATH Contributions by WAYS Jeremy Long FUTURES Rebecca Noelle Rudy Soto www.youthmovenational.org Raphaelle Richardson Elizabeth Waetzig www.pathwaysrtc.pdx.edu Funders This publication was developed with funding from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, United States Department of Education, and the Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (NIDRR grant H133B090019). The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agencies. Youth Advocate to Advocate for Youth: Next The Transition n growing youth movement across and skills to advocating for positive change a the country has developed a within these systems have identified o vast number of youth and young another transition: that of Youth Advocate adult leaders who are passionate to Advocate for Youth. Young adults have and experienced in sharing identified that, as with any transition, i their stories to create positive this change can be a difficult process to t systems change. Many strong youth groups manage. It can also be challenging to c and organizations, authentic youth/adult understand role shifts into adulthood, partnerships, federal grant programs, and and many young adults have struggled to u research and training centers across the understand this process as it occurs. This country support this movement. Even more guide was developed based on the person- importantly, the movement is sustained by al experiences of young people and will d the energy and passion of the young lead- clarify some of the questions and struggles ers and those who support youth voice. experienced throughout the transition. o One primary focus of advocacy across This guide is intended for young people r systems has always been the idea of tran- who have chosen to utilize their lived sition. Transition includes the movement experience as a mechanism to advocate from the child to the adult system as well for positive change. The following seven t as the transition of youth to adult and the Stages were identified by young leaders n role changes involved. Within this context, who are at various stages of making the young people who have lent their voices transition from a Youth Advocate to an I Advocate for Youth. The steps are not defined by age or other demographic but instead by personal experience. The transition period will take varying lengths of time for each individual to complete. While this guide may be useful for those anywhere on this journey, it may be most applicable to those ages 15-30 and adults who support youth voice. 5 Knowing, Owning, and Sharing My Story 1 Successful Youth Advocates have Youth Advocates should also learn from developed, or are in the process of other Youth Advocates in advanced developing, personal knowledge and stages how sharing personal informa- e ownership over their own stories tion in a public way can impact young or experiences within child serving adults personally and professionally g systems. Youth Advocates are actively later in life. It is also crucial for young advocating for personal needs in their people to identify which pieces of their care and recovery journey. At this Stage, story are relevant to the event, and a a Youth Advocate has taken on lead- which parts they are truly comfortable ership roles and is frequently asked to sharing. t serve in youth voice roles, primarily by S sharing his/her personal story, usually through speaking engagements, panels, positions on advisory councils, and in some peer advocate settings. It is essential in this Stage that Youth Advocates identify a supportive adult and receive training on Strategic Sharing and Trauma Informed Training. Resources: » Strategic Sharing Guide 2. http://vimeo.com/69269536 http://www.pathwaysrtc.pdx.edu/ » Youth Voice in Policy pdf/pbStrategicSharingGuide.pdf http://www.youthmovenational. » Strategic Sharing org/sites/default/files/ http://www.casey.org/Resources/ pbYouthVoiceInPolicy_0.pdf Publications/pdf/StrategicSharing.pdf » Strategic Sharing, Youth Leadership » Trauma Informed Care Toolkit http://www.samhsa.gov/nctic/default. http://www.nrcyd.ou.edu/ asp publication-db/documents/youth- leadership-toolkit-strategic-sharing. » Trauma Informed Method of pdf Engagement (TIME) 1. http://www.youthmovenational. org/tools-and-websites 7 Beyond Your Personal Advocacy: Being a Resource for Change 2 A Youth Advocate in the second Stage This is a time to explore the systemic is actively sharing her personal story. themes found in an individual story. These The story is strategically shared, not in questions are answered based on the tokenism or as a power tool or for personal specifics of a youth’s story. Identifying the e development, but to empower and pro- emotional strengths of an individual’s story mote positive system change. The Youth is important. Impact can be increased when g Advocate has learned to use advocacy a specific niche is identified. Questions skills for personal care needs and has now that may be important to explore during a transitioned to successfully share personal this time: experience to make system change. ¹ What specific story should be told? t Personal stories are powerful and can What is the main message I want to S apply to many topics. However, trying to share? address too many aspects with a single ¹ Who would be most likely to make story can dilute the request for change change by hearing my story (e.g., peers, and the impact made. It is important in policy makers, supportive adults)? this Stage to identify the content areas to which the personal experience most ¹ What potential does my story have to applies (i.e. adoption, foster care, men- impact change? What youth popula- tal health, recovery, substance abuse, tions will benefit from my advocacy LGBTQI2-S – there is no end to the list of (e.g., Homeless youth, teen parents, potential topics). foster youth)? ¹ Where do I share my story to make the most impact? Possible places include community forums, schools, and state capitals. For example, experiences of a teen mom could include strategies to prevent teen pregnancy OR to identify ways to support teen parents. The same story could address the mental health needs of teen girls and the importance of treat- ment strategies specific to girls. Implications of foster care and adoption could be discussed, not to mention the impact of peer pressure and education systems on teenage youth. But to do all of these at one time would be overwhelming and ineffective. The importance of identifying personal strengths and strategies becomes essential. Specific focus areas that may be chosen should reflect personal interests of the Youth Advocate. As a Youth Advocate transitions to an Advocate for Youth, it is valuable, and important for long-term advocacy commitment, to select focus areas that align with interests and passions of the individual. 9 A Fork in the Road: Using Experience Personally or Professionally 3 A skilled Youth Advocate by now should her work, often in the form of stipends be comfortable in advocating for personal or honoraria. While this is usually not a needs and should be proficient in strategi- primary stream of income for an individual, cally utilizing a personal story to advocate a young person should be compensated e for system change. Often by this point in some way for her time, effort, and the primary focus of advocacy has shifted expertise. However, many Youth Advocates g from self to a youth population at large share experiences and advocate for change where Youth Advocates can represent not without requesting or accepting monetary a only themselves, but many. These broader compensation. It is up to an individual to implications can be conveyed through not assess the situation and decide whether to only sharing personal experiences but advocate without compensation. t also by providing statistics about the issue S Given the possibility that many people being advocated. Carefully researched and will want a Youth Advocate in this Stage to sourced statistics can help illustrate the share his story due to increased experience larger picture and situate youth experience in speaking, an important question to in a larger framework. be addressed during this time is “When It is probable by this Stage and experience do I say no?” A Youth Advocate who has level that a Youth Advocate is invited to reached this Stage has been recognized as share and advise on projects outside of a youth leader in the movement and may his local community. It is also common for well be experiencing an increased influx a Youth Advocate to be compensated for of requests to advocate on behalf of other

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the energy and passion of the young lead- ers and those who support youth voice. One primary focus of advocacy across systems has always been the idea of
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