Youth Workin' It

Consultancy and Resources for Youth Workers and Organizations Worldwide

Pursuing Your Dreams, Especially As A Youth In Foster Care, Can Be Scary

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Foster Care YouthOur faithful readers may have begun to notice that on holidays, like Labor Day and Columbus Day, we spotlight the accomplishments of deserving youth who are making a difference in the lives of others. If you’d like to read a Halloweeny post, check out this one.

Today we put the spotlight on Ashley John-Baptiste, a youth who grew up in the foster care system in the UK, went to Cambridge, was a part of a group on the X-Factor and helped organize an event called ‘B Inspired’ for youth in care and leaving care.

The event was designed to raise the academic aspirations of youth in care and leaving care. Here’s an article about Ashley’s experiences as a youth in care and his time at Cambridge.

Did you know that in the US

” 70% of teens who emancipate from foster care report that they want to attend college, but less than 50% complete their high school graduation and fewer than 10% of who graduate from high school enroll and go to college, and of those less than 1% graduate from college” Honoring Emancipated Youth

And in the UK

“When the IOE researchers’ report was published in May 2005, there were still no national statistics on the proportion of care leavers going on to university. The best estimate was about 1 per cent. Many local authorities had never supported a young person in care through a degree course.” Institute of Education, London

I’ve had the opportunity to work with youth in foster care in the US and UK, so this is a subject near and dear to my heart. Youth in foster care need mentors, CASA’s and other advocates in their life to help them succeed. Click to learn more about the foster care system in the US and UK.

Ashley received the support he needed, from the adults in his life, which helped him achieve his goals.

Question: How can you help youth in foster care? Or do you already work with foster youth? Share your experiences in the comments below.

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1, 4, 9, 2 – Celebrating Youth Achievements And Volunteering On Columbus Day

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Columbus Day youth workIn 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue… that’s how the little rhyme goes right? And just to be clear we’re not talking about this Chris Columbus but rather, this one.

Today is Columbus Day in the US and just like on Labor Day we’re going to celebrate by spotlighting some incredible youth and their accomplishments in making the world a better place.

One Goal

  • To make a difference

Four Teens

  • Shannon McNamara – When Shannon was 15 she visited Africa and discovered ‘book famine’. Share provides books and educational programs for girls in Africa.
  • Alex Epstein – Co-founded New York 2 New Orleans when he was 17. NY2NO’s goal is to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged teens in both NYC and NOLA.
  • Matt Pierce – While a Senior in high school, the BP Oil Spill happened in the gulf of Mexico. Matt wanted to make a difference and started Teenagers Care to show that teenagers care about the environment  and can make a difference through philanthropic efforts.
  • Craig Kielburger – When Craig was 12, he read about Iqbal Masih who died standing up for Children’s Rights. Craig joined 11 of his other 7th grade friends to start a network of children helping children. Free the Children builds schools and school rooms to help educate children around the world.

Nine Steps

Tips and steps to guide youth when starting their own non-profit from Idealist.org. If you’re in the UK, you’ll want to check out the user-friendly website of the Charity Commission.

Tips:

  • All non-profits are local – even the international ones
  • Local supporters are necessary – non-profits are not started in isolation
  • Non-profits can be and should be business-like by keeping good records
  • Sometimes starting a non-profit isn’t the best way to serve – you can start doing good work sooner by partnering with organizations that are already serving the community
  • Plan for the long term – you need a clear plan for how to create a sustainable organization if you want to make lasting change to big problems
  • You need a board of directors
  • You need governing documents or bylaws
  • You need 501(c)3 (in the US) or charitable status (in the UK)
  • You need a clear and specific mission and vision
* In the UK you also need around 5,000 GBP through your organization to apply for charitable status.

Two Ways To Help

  • Do – Do something, anything! Volunteer your time, send out info, tweet about it, FB your friends, send a text, raise some money – moo-lah, dosh, pesos…
  • Donate – Find a charity you love to support and give it financial backing. Charities and non-profits need money to do the good work they are there for.

1, 4, 9, 2 – see what I did there?!

Question: How can you use 1, 4, 9, 2 to inspire your youth to get involved in making a difference? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Hoops Of Hope – Celebrating A Hardworking Young Person On Labor Day

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Labor Day youth Austin GutweinToday is Labor Day in the US. Labor Day has its roots in celebrating achievements made by worker’s unions and thus rewards hardworking employees with a day of rest (unless of course you work in retail).

Labor Day is also celebrated in six other countries and International Worker’s Day is celebrated on or around May 1st by over 80 countries. Please feel free to read this post today, then again in October, March, May and June to celebrate those Labor Days as well!

Today I’d like to spotlight a hard working young person. He’s now 16, but when he started Hoops of Hope he was only 9. According to his biography, Austin Gutwein learned that over 15 million children are orphaned by HIV/AIDS and that 12 million of them live in sub-Saharan Africa.

Austin didn’t get discouraged by the enormity of the task, he decided to do what he could do. Austin could shoot free-throws. He was sponsored to shoot “2,057 free throws representing the 2,057 children who would lose their parents during a school day”.

What started with a 9 year old shooting free throws has grown and has now provided more than $2,000,000 to help orphaned children in Africa. In the last seven years, Hoops of Hope has done amazing things including building schools and medical centers and providing bikes, backpacks and medical caregiver packs.

Pearl S. Buck, an American Novelist, once said

The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible – and achieve it, generation after generation.

Austin is in a long list of young people throughout history who have achieved seemingly impossible things for themselves, their families, their countries and for the good of others. To learn more about how to support Hoops of Hope by holding your own event check out this page.

Don’t want to hold your own event? Join another event in the US or overseas.

Question: Do you know a young person who is doing something great? It doesn’t have to be as high-profile as Hoops of Hope; maybe they’re volunteering at the Senior Center around the corner or helping their younger brothers and sisters with their homework. Share their story in the comments below.

 

 

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