Transcript NJ Family & Youth Leadership Academy

NJ Family & Youth
Leadership Academy
1 ST YEAR REPORT
National, State and Local Partnership
Families and Youth of New Jersey
Academy Goals
 Develop a Family and Youth Leadership Academy in partnership with local, state and national
partners for those involved in the divisions/offices of the NJ-Department of Children and Families
with mental health needs
 Ensure that family, youth and young adults lead the development, implementation and facilitation of
Leadership Academy
 Create three cohorts of 25 youth/young adults and 45 family members, inclusive of 20% fathers and
boys/young men
 Enhance current workforce
Objectives:
 Increase knowledge of NJ’s child-serving systems
 Increase knowledge and skill related to advocacy
 Increase knowledge and skill related to leadership
 Serve as a catalyst for change in families, communities and systems
Academy Highlights
 Host organizations nominate youth, young adults and families serving as local support to
participant and Leadership Challenge implementation
 4 in-person events, including a Graduation Celebration, where participants come together with
each other in addition to coaches and faculty
 Personal coaching for each participant via in-person, phone, electronic
 Weekly support provided via phone, web-conference and email
 Stipends available to support travel, childcare, loss wages
 Meals provided at every event
 Coaching and facilitation available in Spanish
 Stockton Faculty and Students participated in events
Understanding the Leadership Challenge
 Opportunity to make change in his/her own life OR the lives others (personal v community/system)
 Provides support in areas where mentees may have struggled to make change in the past
 Developed by the mentee with their coach based on their personal experiences and interests
 Leadership Plan created with coach who supports development and implementation
 Practice implementation of newly acquired advocacy and leadership knowledge to further enhance skill
 Coach can facilitate and/or negotiate with Host Organization or other partners as needed to implement
Leadership Challenge
Staff Structure/Responsibilities
Administration
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Principal Investigator- Paulette Mader: grantee, liaison to SAMHSA
Director- Nadia Cayce-Gibson: direct academy, TRAC, liaison to staff, partners,
Grants Manager- Madeline Lozowski: financing, deliverables, contracting
Program Manager- Jessica Santiago: logistics, marketing, liaison to participants
Lead Developer- James Sawyer: manage curriculum development
Development Team
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Nadia Cayce-Gibson
James Sawyer
Ellen Kagen
Raphael Richardson
Jerard Johnson
Roles and Responsibilities
FACULTY
 Develop/Manage curriculum
 Facilitate in-person training events
 Disseminate group information
 Enhance advocacy and leadership knowledge
COACHES
Recommend adaptations/enhancements to
curriculum
Attend in-person training events with mentees
Reinforce information individually
Support implementation of advocacy and
leadership skills through Leadership Challenge
Faculty and Coach Composition
FACULTY- FAMILY TRACK
COACH- FAMILY TRACK
Ellen Kagen- Family, Georgetown
Kate Patten- Family, Youth MOVE
Theresa King- Family, Georgetown
Jerard Johnson- Natl Youth Advocate, Alliance
FACULTY- YOUTH TRACK
James Sawyer- Natl Youth Advocate, Alliance
Ebony Saxton- Youth, Youth Partnership
FACULTY- YOUTH TRACK
Nadia Cayce- Family Member, Alliance
Kate Patten- Family, Youth MOVE
Jessica Santiago- Youth, Alliance
Jerard Johnson- Natl Youth Advocate, Alliance
Jerard Johnson- Natl Youth Advocate, Alliance
Carlos Garcia- Youth Partnership Alum
Ebony Saxton- Youth, Youth Partnership
Raphael Richardson- Natl Youth Advocate, Youth MOVE
Staff Demographics
12 Total
Gender: 9, 75% Females
Race: 4, 33% Black
Age:
3, 25% ages 18-24
4, 33% ages 25-34
2, 17% ages 36-45
3, 25% ages 46+
3, 25% Males
5, 42% White
2, 17% Latino/Hispanic
1, 8% Other (Bi-racial)
Participant Information
Participant Overview- Cohort 1
77 participants
69 graduates (41 youth/young adult track, inclusive of Youth Coaches, and 28 family track)In instances when an in-person event was missed, coach facilitates information individually
100% retention of youth/young adults
89% retention of family members. 8 were not able to complete Academy due to:
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1 death in family
1 return to school
3 increased employment obligations
1 moved out of state
2 unknown
Outcomes
 86% of participants increased their KNOWLEDGE OF CHILD SERVING SYSTEMS
by at least 25%
 73% of participants increased their KNOWLEDGE OF ADVOCACY by at least 50%
 89% of participants increased their ADVOCACY SKILL by at least 50%
 99% of participants increased their KNOWLEDGE OF LEADERSHIP by at least
75%
 86% of participants increased their LEADERSHIP SKILLS by at least 50%
Leadership Challenge Outcomes
60% of Leadership Challenges were personal challenges,
changes that impact their own lives
40% of Leadership Challenges were system/community
challenges, changes that impact the lives of others
59% of participants completed their leadership
challenges early
Examples of Personal Leadership
Challenges
 Find employment- 3 people secured employment
 Return to college- 2 enrolled in college
 Secure a supervisor position
 Improve grades in school
 Decrease fighting with parents
 Improve relationships with others
 Improve self esteem
Leadership
Challenge:
FATHERS UNITED
John struggled to parent his daughter
as a single father with previous
involvement in child and adult
systems.
John now hosts Fathers United, a
father’s group with members across
the US in addition to Africa and the
Caribbean. He hosts monthly
conference calls in addition to
Facebook chat… a peer group
providing encouragement and
resources for fathers.
Examples of System/Community
Leadership Challenges
 Create fatherhood movement in the community
 Develop a faith-based support group
 Train educators on what it is like to be in special education
 Develop training for educators on family-driven care
 Develop resources for families who have children/youth with
developmental AND mental health needs
 Educate Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) on child behavioral
health
Leadership
Challenge:
PEACE FOR
JAYDEN
Violence in the black community
continues to have a detrimental
impact on adults, youth and families.
This challenge engaged morticians in
Jersey City and the surrounding areas
to raise awareness about community
violence and rally to support Jayden
Thaxton, a 5 year-old shot by a stray
bullet fired by a 16 year-old in Jersey
City, NJ.
Juvenile Justice Commission
Pilot- Costello Prep
 8 young men ages 17-21 who are currently in detention
 100% struggle with substance abuse
 67% have mental health diagnosis
 1 young man transitioned to new program midway, still completed Academy
Demographics:
 25% White
 25% Bi-racial (White & Black, Black & Hispanic/Latino)
 50% African American
 Counties: Somerset, Salem, 2-Burlington, Essex, Cumberland, 2-Ocean
Costello Prep Outcomes
 2 secured outside employment
 4 maintained outside employment
 75% gainfully employed while in detention
 1 behavioral documented infraction (of all 8 youth adults over 8 month period)
 3 obtained leadership positions within detention setting
 2- released early from detention due to positive behavior including Academy
completion
 50% of families engaged in Academy, 100% increases compared to previous
activities
Leadership Challenges at Costello Prep
Create and implement a staff report card:
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Developed to mirror youth’s level system
Final card reviewed by Superintendent
Recommendations accepted by Graduates
Recommendations for staff improvement given to staff by graduates
Implementation August 1, 2014
Create youth/family friendly space
Increase support to those that do not have regular visitation
Leadership
Challenge: STAFF
REPORT CARD
This report card, designed by young
adults in the program, mirrors the
level system at Costello Prep for the
young men. A letter grade of “A”, “B”,
or “C” will be given based upon the
total score. This tool emphasizes the
positive characteristics and behaviors
of the staff rather than highlighting the
negative. Those that score an “A” will
be celebrated and a community
meeting will be held to discuss all the
positive contributions that staff has
made to create an incentive and
provide “how to”s to other staff.
Additional Transformation Activities in
Costello- Summer/Fall 2014
 Graduates have presented on three occasions on substance abuse and transitioning to the
community. They were compensated and based on report were able to provide resources to
family, purchase clothing and start a savings.
 Staff and Youth Orientation in development.
 Youth and Family Toolkit including: national, state and local resources such as PerformCare
number, 211, and Employment Opportunities.
 Costello Prep will participate in 2nd Cohort along with young adults.
 Current discussions with 4 additional JJC programs.
 JJC presenting at 2nd Annual FSO Board Meeting on 8/19: “Helping Families Navigate the JJC.”
 2 youth that were released early will become staff of the Academy and trainers for the Alliance.
Academy Next steps
 Nominations for 2nd Cohort begins August 2014
 August Planning Meeting Faculty, Coaches and Invited Graduates from
1st Cohort
 In-person orientation added October 2014
Specialized outreach and engagement of grandmothers, girls who
experienced trauma and LGBT
 Booster for JJC participants focusing on Life Skills and Leadership
Development with former NFL Player, Donald Jones, and other NFL and
NBA Celebrities, Feb 2015
 Increase engagement of System Partners in Sustainability
For More Information, Contact:
Jessica Santiago, Program Manager
[email protected]
www.njfamilyalliance.org