Transitional Youth Project Committee Meetings

The Cuyahoga County Transitional Youth Project group has formed two sub-committees:  Youth Space and Policy and System Change.  The idea of the Youth Space will generate opportunities in which youth can network, communicate and access information, programs and services.  Per members of the youth focus group, some of the programs and services and conveniences of the Youth Space will include but not limited to:  young adult role models; help with transitioning to independence; accessibility, safe place to socialize and access recreational activities, educational support, workforce development opportunities, healthcare and housing services.  Robin Martin, Director of Family and Children First Council shared the level involvement FCFC will add in the Youth Space option and increase participation of youth through the Youth Council and appointed Nicole Debose, Program Officer 4, as chairperson of the committee.  The next meeting of the committee has been scheduled for Wednesday, October 3, at 2:00p.m. at the Magnolia House (located at Magnolia Clubhouse 11101 Magnolia Drive, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 in the University Circle area).

The Policy and System Change committee chaired by Joan Englund of the Mental Health Advocacy Coalition (MHAC) and Amy Swanson of Voices for Ohio’s Children, had outlined the following next steps for the policy and system change discussion. 

1. Formalize a strategic alliance between Voices and the Mental Health Advocacy Coalition(MHAC) by identifying a leadership team from Voices and the MHAC to lead t his project;
2. Hold facilitated discussions/retreat to develop a Transitional Youth Project work plan. These discussions, facilitated by consultant Marcy Levy Shankman who has facilitated our initial meetings, would include:
• building a multi-system policy agenda
• developing strategies and a timeline to build political and public will on this issue
• identifying values and guiding principles for the Transitional Youth Project as well as shared goals for youth transitioning to adulthood
• agreeing on governance and decision-making structures and practices for the Transitional Youth Project
• developing a plan to disseminate this policy and program agenda in strategic ways that will enable community advocates to educate elected and appointed officials about the policy and program needs of transitional youth:
• Continue building a matrix of services available to transitional youth, including an inventory of existing programs and funding;
• Plan and convene a community symposium on issues facing transitional youth, and; preparing a summary report on the symposium to share with community stakeholders;  
• Monitor and track new projects for transitional youth, including a proposed one-stop youth center initiative by the Family and Children First Council;
• Develop a youth resource directory;
• Work with the proposed one-stop center to hold provider trainings on networking with transitional youth and developing peer-to-peer learning;
• Provide education, data, and advocacy networks that can answer the need of public policy makers, business and corporate leaders, the media, and families who need resources on transitional youth issues, policy and services;
• Maintain and increase a strategic presence and leadership in local and statewide partnerships, coalitions and ad hoc alliances working for community-based programs that address transitional youth needs in developmentally appropriate ways.

All members are invited to attend the first meeting of the committee on Thursday, October 18, at 10:00a.m. at Voices (located at 4019 Prospect Avenue, inside the administration building for the YWCA of Greater Cleveland).

For more information, please contact Delphia Bey at info@vfc-oh.org.

Juvenile Justice Initiative

The next meeting of the Juvenile Justice Initiative will be held on Thursday, November 8, at 12:00 – 3:00p.m. at the DYS Training Academy (located at 7990 Dublin Road, Delaware, OH 43015).  The agenda will include updates on the new initiatives of the Department of Youth Services by Director, Thomas Stickrath and panel discussion of county leaders and stakeholders most involved in the transformation process of the juvenile justice system in Ohio.  The panelist will be asked to participate in the following conversation, “Local Efforts to Reform the Juvenile Justice System in Ohio,” which will allow treatment providers, advocates, officials and others to think on the outcomes and next steps as a collective group.  For more information or to sign on as a member, please contact Yvonne C. Hunnicutt at yhunnicutt@vfc-oh.org.