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 impact 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 2019 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, we invite you to fill out the Ohio YAB Officer in Training Application. This provides an opportunity to shadow and work with current officers, and be involved in statewide decision-making and implementation of youth ideas.
The OHIO YAB welcomes insights and invitations from our allies. We have established protocol if you would like to invite youth to participate on a panel, or if you are interested in sharing information at one of our statewide quarterly meetings.
Recently Completed Video Project:
The OHIO Youth Advisory Board recently created a video to recruit community members to serve as foster parents for teenagers. The video application is closed, and we are happy to announce that this project is complete. You can watch the finished video on YouTube.
The OHIO Youth Advisory Board has also created a menu of ways that community members can help improve outcomes for the foster care population. We encourage those who want to empower youth voice to learn more about best practices when it comes to engaging foster care youth and alumni.
The OHIO YAB created a flyer specifically to invite Bridges young adults to participate in statewide quarterly meetings, and liaisons/agencies to transport them.
Overcoming Hurdles in Ohio Youth Advisory
Officers
Vice President: Samantha Dillon, Athens County
*Supported by Vice President runner-up Justiynn Stoneknight, Hamilton County
Media Spokespersons: Christian Warren, Greene County and D’Marco Shaw, Montgomery County
Parliamentarian: Stevie Hayslip, Greene County
*Supported by Von’Celis Leonard of Montgomery County and Matthew Williamson of Hamilton County
Secretary: Evelyn Self, Lucas/Sandusky County
Treasurer: Roman Sandhu, Allen County
Officers-in-Training Sue Eledkawi, Montgomery County and Kyajah Rodriguez, Franklin County
