In January 2009, Lisa Dickson conducted a national survey of existing programs that enlist foster care youth/alumni as child welfare trainers. She worked with Charlotte Osterman and others to make recommendations to the OCWTP Steering Committee to engage Ohio foster care youth and alumni in the training system.
In 2021, the OHIO YAB began working with Sarah Tornichio to map out a Life Skills training pathway for foster parents and kinship caregivers. The youth themselves have identified Essential Elements of Interdependence and Essential Resources. They have also designed Training Badges, with the help of foster care alumna artist Ashley Williams.
The OHIO YAB will be reviewing existing OCWTP trainings, to see if they are eligible for training badges. In anticipation for the need for additional trainings, ACTION Ohio and the OHIO YAB are currently working to map out ideas re:
In the meantime, Lisa is inviting current OCWTP foster care alumni trainers to share her approved trainings, starting with:
Emotional Resiliency
a.) Training Outline
b.) Link to Powerpoint Presentation
c.) Handouts:
d.) Additional Resources:
Higher Education:
1.) Overview/Big Picture:
– Tool for Small Group Exercises: Know Your Student
– Academic Achievement: What Did the Foster Parents Do?
2.) National Resources
– Overview of the Every Student Succeeds Act
– Checklist for the Every Student Succeeds Act
– Flowchart for the Every Student Succeeds Act
3.) State and Local Programs
– Resource List
– CCMEP
– Short Term Certificate Funds
4.) Building Local Partnerships
– College Programs
5.) Action Steps
– Top 10 College Survival Strategies for Former Foster Youth
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