The Overcoming Hurdles in Ohio Youth Advisory Board (OHIO YAB) is a statewide organization of young people (aged 14-24) who have experienced foster care.
We exist to be the knowledgeable statewide voice that influences policies and practices that effect all youth who have or will experience out of home care.
Statewide Quarterly Meetings
The OHIO Youth Advisory Board meets on a quarterly basis. Here is our 2017 Statewide Meeting Schedule and our 2018 Statewide Meeting Schedule.
If you are a foster care youth or alumni who is planning to attend or an adult who will be transporting young people, please RSVP to info@fosteractionohio.org. (We want to make sure that youth and alumni are included in the lunch count).
If you are a youth who wants to get more involved in the statewide board, consider filling out the 2017 OHIO YAB Officer in Training Application.
The OHIO YAB welcomes insights and invitations from our allies. We have established protocol if you would like to to invite youth to participate on a panel, or if you are interested in sharing information at one of our statewide quarterly meetings.
Three Upcoming Video Projects:
1.) The OHIO Youth Advisory Board invites foster parents of teens and foster youth who have had a very positive experience in foster care to fill out our Video Application to create a future video to recruit foster parents for teens and host homes for young adults.
2.) The OHIO Youth Advisory Board invites foster care youth and alumni who want to share their insights about things they wish someone had told them to prepare for life after foster care as part of our upcoming Foster the Future video series.
3.) The Bridges team is partnering with the Ohio Supreme Court to work on a video series as well. Learn more by contacting them at Bridges@jfs.ohio.gov
Overcoming Hurdles in Ohio Youth Advisory
Officers
President Stephfon Kennedy, Cuyahoga County
Vice President Melissa Stroud, Mahoning County
Media Spokesperson Malcolm Hazelton, Montgomery County
Parliamentarian Damahri Carter, Franklin County
Secretary Christian Roman, Montgomery County
Officer-in-Training Ronnie Dotson, Franklin County
Officer-in-Training Dustin Candelas Ruiz, Montgomery County
