Youth Advocate to Advocate for Youth - Pathways RTC

24 Pages·2013·0.5 MB·English

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