How Can Youth Power Help Your Organization Implement Youth Peer Services? January 11, 2018 PRESENTERS: AZARIA WITTEKIND AND MICA GONZALEZ YOUTH POWER!
How Can YOUTH POWER! Help Your Organization Implement Youth Peer Services?
What is YOUTH POWER!? YOUTH POWER! is the New York State network of young people who have been labeled and are seeking change. Together, we have decided to speak up about our experiences because no one knows what it is like for us better than we do. Through peer to peer mentoring, we empower young people to be active citizens that are aware of government operations, their rights and the ability to use their voices to influence policies, practices, regulations and laws. We are young people helping other people, ensuring availability of self-help and peer support while changing systems so that young people get the support they need with the respect and dignity they deserve. NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US!
WORking acROss sYsTEms and disabiliTiEs Ment al Healt h Development al Disabilit ies Special Educat ion Independent Living Fost er Care Special Healt h Care Juvenile Just ice Y out h Development Addict ion
PROmOTEs YOUTH EngagEmEnT On all lEvEls Of sERvicE Individual support s and services Communit y/ count y planning and oversight Regional St at ewide Federal Int ernat ional
Goals of YOUTH POWER! 1: To expand and strengthen the YP! network while remaining youth run 2: To successfully advocate for systems change to ensure better opportunities for young people 3: To increase empowerment, skill building, leadership and advocacy opportunities for young people with disabilities and system specific labels 4: To improve quality of youth peer advocacy & involvement by offering technical assistance and training opportunities to young people and adult allies 5: To practice and promote cultural competency & diversity
Network Leadership = YP! Board Young people wit h • disabilit ies Guiding t he work of YP! • Recruit ing and engaging • members Leading t he Working • Groups Fundraising • Advocacy for our Priorit y • Agenda
Creating an accessible, empowering network Ensuring accessibilit y • Disabilit y hist ory & • pride Y out h-friendly is • people friendly Import ance of ident it y • S ense of belonging •
Priority Agenda • Top advocacy issues for the year • Gain input from young people through events, surveys, and direct outreach • Action working group contributes to the development and advancement of the agenda • Finalized by the YP! Board • The 2013-15 agenda was brought to a meeting with President Obama. • Began producing an advocacy agenda in 2008
YP! grow th 2005 hired S t at ewide Y out h • Coordinat or 2007 t ook name YOUTH POWER! • and formed t he Board 2008 received funding from t he • NYLN 2009 Juvenile j ust ice prevent ion • funds 2011 reached over ½ million • annual budget 2017 reached a million annual • budget from diverse sources
YOUTH POWER! Structure
YP! bRings YOUTH PERsPEcTivE “ If you had a problem in t he black communit y, and you brought in a group of whit e people t o discuss how t o solve it , almost nobody would t ake t hat panel seriously. In fact , t here ’ d probably be a public out cry. It would be t he same t hing for women ’ s issues or gay issues. But every day, in local arenas all t he way t o t he Whit e House, adult s sit around and decide what problems yout h have and what yout h need, wit hout ever consult ing us. ” Jason, 17 years old, Y out h Force Member Act for Youth: “ Profiles of Youth Engagement and Voice in New York State: Current Strategies ” , pg 3
Building on other Peer Movements Family Peer Advocate Adult Peer Specialist Independent Living Movement Youth Peer Advocate
Youth Peer Advocate Expertise Knowledge of the Provider System Knowledge of Community Resources and opportunities Knowledge of peer movements & resources for self-advocates Personal Recovery/Resiliency Story
YPA Base Qualifications • Be an individual 18 to 30 years old who has self-identified as a person who has first-hand experience with social, emotional, medical, developmental, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges • Be able to use lived experience to assist in supporting youth in their resiliency/recovery and wellness • Have a high school diploma, high school equivalency preferred or a State Education Commencement Credential (e.g. SACC or CDOS). This educational requirement can be waived.
Service Components • Skill Building • Coaching • Self-Advocacy, Self-Efficacy & Empowerment • Community Connections and Natural Supports
What is next for Youth Peer Services? CRP A-Y OMH Waiver YP A SP A-YPST YP A
New York State System of Care Y out h Peer Advocat e Wraparound team
Waiver YPA Training Requirements Online In person Enhancements
YPA Credentialing – Level 1 YPA Level 1 (Provisional) Requirements ● Has complet ed Level One (online) t raining for YP As. ● S ubmit s 2 let t ers of reference ● Agrees t o pract ice according t o t he YP A Code of Et hics. ● Demonst rat es qualit ies of leadership Keep in mind YPA must meet qualifications : ● Meet lived-experience requirements ● Proof of Age ● High S chool Diploma or GED or equivalent
YPA Training & Credentialing YPA Level 2 Requirements ● Complet ed Level 1 & 2 t raining for YP As. ● S ubmit s 3 let t ers of reference ● Agrees t o pract ice according t o t he YP A Code of Et hics. ● Demonst rat es qualit ies of leadership ● Document 600 hours of experience ● Complet e 20 hours of cont inuing educat ion every 2 years ● 3 consult at ion calls
Anticipated 2018 Timeline • Level 1 YPS T – YP A Online Training Available April 2018 • YP As able t o obt ain provisional credent ial • Level 1, 2 & In person YPS T YP A t rainings available • YP As able t o obt ain full credent ial July 2018 • S ervice becomes Medicaid billable
Consider your readiness
What have you done t o prepare for Y out h Peer Services? Ensure organization understands the YPA role Address attitudinal barriers Identify recruitment sources Identify and train supervisors and other supportive staff such as HR Prepare orientation materials Work with young leaders to produce marketing and informational materials on the new service Connect to external supports Consider burn out prevention
Youth-Guided Practice Youth-initiated and directed Degrees of Participation Youth-initiated, shared decisions with adults Adult-initiated, shared decisions with youth Consulted and informed Assigned but informed Tokenism Non-Participation Decoration Manipulation Adapted from Hart, R. (1992). Children’s Participation from Tokenism to Citizenship Florence: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre.
What does YP! provide? Technical Assist ance Net working Educat ion and support
TEcHnical assisTancE YP! Provides Technical Assistance in three key areas: Supporting Self-Advocacy Implementing Youth Peer Services Increasing Youth-Guided Practice (Participation in the planning and oversight of agencies/organizations
YOUTH POWER! has supported YPAs and agencies to integrate services by: Providing t rainings t o agencies on Y out h Guided Pract ices S upport ed t he creat ion of t he YP A j ob descript ion S upport ed agencies wit h int erview quest ions and orient at ion of YP As S upport ed YP As in st ruct uring yout h support groups Collect ed feedback from YP As t o improve service Brought agencies t oget her t o encourage st rengt hening YP A services Creat ed an assessment for t he int egrat ion of YP As int o agencies
TEcHnical assisTancE These forms are meant t o: Assess t he agencies readiness Recognize areas of need for support Creat e a t imeline Delegat e responsibilit ies of YP! and t he agency Track success and changes Contact your Regional Youth Partner to get started!
For Youth Peer Advocates: PEER lEadER sUPPORT and dEvElOPmEnT With YOUTH POWER! ’s Regional Youth Partners Regional youth peer workforce coalition meetings for YPAs and their supervisors are also being developed across the state (YPALs active in Western!)
June 23-26, 2018 • Premiere youth peer conference • 4 day conference modeled after the college experience • Major in Systems Advocacy or Peer Advocacy • Leaders’ Dinner with state government officials • Will be an opport unit y for Cont inuing Educat ion credit s
Tip sheet s Do’s and Don’ t s of S yst em Advocacy S t art ing a Y out h Advisory Council S upport ing and Fost ering Y out h Involvement Guides Y out h Involvement t oolkit S upport ing S elf Advocacy The How To’s of Y out h Guided Pract ice Webinars Videos
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