The Outreach Committee is responsible for connecting ACYCP to youth workers and youth serving organizations across the country. Recently, the Committee has been moving forward with a number of projects that aim to publicize the goals and activities of ACYCP as a whole; provide opportunities for professional development and networking; expand membership in the organization; and, celebrate the contributions of individual youth workers. Current projects include updating the ACYCP website, promoting Thank A Youth Worker Day, exploring the utility of social media, and creating professional development webinars. This newsletter itself is also a new initiative started within the Outreach Committee. An overarching goal in many of the projects is to more fully utilize the technologies available to us.

 

The Outreach Committee is always excited to have new volunteers! There are lots of ways for you to get involved. One great way to show your support is to host a Thank a Youth Worker Day party at your work site. In this way you are taking time to celebrate your success, while also raising awareness for both ACYCP and the field of youth work in general. Also, tech savvy youth workers could get involved in website renovations as well as contribute to conversations around networking and advertising through social media. If you are interested in helping with an existing project, have new ideas, or both, please feel free to contact the Outreach Committee Chairperson, Jeff Kreeb ([email protected]).

 

At the finance committee, we have been keeping a watchful eye on the green that helps keep our group blazing new trails. First of all, we have established and been maintaining a website linked application process that includes online payments (we now have a PayPal account) to make it much more convenient and fluid to keep the green blood flowing, particularly as we expect a significant surge from the Outreach Committee's efforts. We currently have a steady trickle of people joining our membership. Together with Jody Rhodes, we process the newcomers and welcome them aboard. We also briefly discussed and sent the seed money for the 2012 Tenth International Child and Youth Care Conference in Canmore, Alberta Canada. We are grateful to support our brothers and sisters to the north.

 

It is relieving to say that we just turned in our 2011 tax returns on time, even though I will say it was a most expedient process (Jean says we have broken a record of timely submissions - 3 consecutive years). The anticipation of the unknown preparation for me was the most stressful. We have consulted on contracts as they come up, the last involving the provision of Journals through the University of Oklahoma. The contract was renewed. We are also working and expect to complete the MOU with the Certification Board by May. We continue to work on a financial structure and process to support ACYCP activities in a cost effective, financially responsible, and growth supporting manner.

 

Hector Sapien, Treasurer.

John: Can you tell me a bit about how you entered the field of Child and Youth Care?

 

Theresa: I've worked with youth since college, in a number of capacities. Two different group homes for four years, while I was getting my degree in Psychology. I wanted to work within the Foster Care system but found no successful route to a sustainable position. I ended up getting a Masters Degree in Education and taught at both the Middle School and High School levels for six years. During that time I also served as a coach for Drill Team, and worked with our AVID program (AVID stands for "Advancement Via Individual Determination, and is an educational support and empowerment program geared for underserved and under-represented students, particularly those who may become the first generation in their family to attend college). I loved working with the students inside and outside the classroom, and did additional activities like a kid-managed Saturday Night AM radio show, the school newspaper, and other opportunities that came my way, or needed to be filled.

 

John: What kind of work do you do now?

 

Theresa: I am currently an instructor at Western Washington University's Woodring College of Education, for the "Compass 2 Campus" mentoring program. This is a youth mentoring program that fits multiple needs, training college students to serve as mentors, and then matching them up with kids in high-poverty elementary and middle schools to mentor and support children and youth. One of the primary goals is to ensure the children feel connected to school and empowered to succeed. My passion relates to increasing high school graduation rates, and this job is a perfect match for that. We help place enthusiastic college students in some of the "dark corners" of our community where all too often our children and youth are virtually left behind - from an academic and even social perspective. For instance, we place our mentors in schools that have a traditionally high level of free and reduced lunch, that have high levels of transient and migrant youth, and general high poverty-rate schools. They are great schools, with great kids, but statistically and traditionally their students are at greater risk of being left behind. As a past English teacher, I believe strongly that helping catch kids up academically, by connecting them with college-aged mentors helps set them up for success. We provide direct academic tutoring as well as social and emotional support and engagement, while also giving the children and youth exposure to higher education.

 

John: What particular strengths do you think you may bring to ACYCP?

 

Theresa: I bring a variety of perspectives to the table. I get to work with two levels of people here, college students who will graduate, and go on to do a variety of types of youth care work, or engagement in the community, as well as the younger children and youth who get to make early positive connections to college. I feel strongly in the need to consider the link between youth work and schools, and this is a professional focus I bring. I see youth work as a social justice issue, especially when working with marginalized or disempowered youth.

 

John: What excites you about the field of child and youth care?

 

Theresa: I believe in the professionalization of the youth care workforce. This is important work for truly supporting disenfranchised youth. I am excited to see where this work goes.

 

Dr. Karen Vander Ven, Professor Emerita, University of Pittsburgh, and long-time leader in the field of Child and Youth Care recently received a lifetime achievement award from the American Association of Children's Residential Centers (AACRC) in recognition for her significant contributions to our field.

Among her many roles, Karen formerly served on the ACYCP Board and was integral in the development of the Professional Competencies that guide our work. She has also authored numerous articles related to the use of activity in youth work, and is currently on the Editorial Boards of Reclaiming Youth, Relational Child and Youth Care, the Journal of Child and Youth Care Work, the Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, Child and Youth Services, and the International Journal of Child and Family Welfare.

Congratulations Karen!