Honoring Emancipated Youth (HEY)HEY in the News

Emancipation Research Project now Available at HEYsf.org

Dana Mandolesi — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:37:25 +0000

HEY is pleased to announce that the Emancipation Research Project, 2007-2009 Compilation of Findings: A collection of best practices and recommendations for change from research about aging out of foster care in San Francisco, is released and ready for download at www.heysf.org. During the last two years, HEY conducted The Emancipation Research Project (ERP) to examine the transition process from foster care to independence in San Francisco County.

The Emancipation Research Project consisted of 27 in-depth interviews and more than 20 informal conversations and group discussions held in 2008-2009 with professionals and youth involved in the county’s dependency system. These professionals included current and former foster youth, advocates, policy makers, managers, line staff and others. This report is a collection of the twelve “HEY Trends” and “HEY Tools” that have resulted from the data analysis. HEY Trends are short informative articles; they are in-depth and meant for people working in child welfare at all levels. HEY Tools are quick reference sheets with simple definitions and other information meant for direct line staff and those working with youth. This research is useful for redesigning programs according to best practices, when writing grants and when advocating for better outcomes for youth.

With the Emancipation Research Project, HEY seeks to guide practice with research – so the way the community serves youth is based on best practices. This is the purpose of each of these articles and tools found in the compilation. The recommendations are meant to be real-world and easily implementable improvements to how the community serves youth.

We are reaching out to you today to let you know about this important research – but also to ask you to support these recommendations. Throughout the compilation, HEY makes suggestions for improved practice, and some ideas are simple enough that they can be integrated into our everyday work without major policy change. We know some other suggestions will take more effort, but we hope that in the spirit of collaboration, we can work together to improve the lives of youth aging out of foster care.

HEY is Featured this month on IssueLab!

Dana Mandolesi — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 22:04:47 +0000

IssueLab archives research about social issues, shares it with a broader audience, and advocates for the use of open licenses and open access standards in the nonprofit sector. A few months ago, HEY uploaded a few of our research documents about aging out of foster care. This month, IssueLab is featuring the issue of youth who emancipate out of foster care with their ‘IssueLab CloseUp: Aging Out of Foster Care’ and they have chose to highlight HEY and our recent publications about statistics, systems and best practices to serve youth aging out of care. HEY is proud to work with IssueLab and to provide our resources to the most amount of people possible!

Volunteer opportunity in Keeping the Promise Event

Josefina — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:00:59 +0000

Come join us to raise awareness about Foster Care and child abuse prevention in San Francisco. Over 1,300 abused and neglected children in San Francisco, and over 65,000 in California, currently reside in temporary foster and group homes.

HEY will be joining National CASA, California CASA and SFCASA at Civic Center Plaza for this special event called Keeping the Promise to shine a light of this important issue.

Dates: April 7, 8, and 9, 2010

On Wednesday, 7th, there will be a ceremony with speakers including the Honorable Donna Hitchens, Superior Court Judge in the Unified Family Court, guests from the Board of Supervisors, the Judicial Council of California and the foster care system. 433 cardboard cutouts of children will be on display representing the number of San Francisco children who entered Foster Care in 2009.

HEY along with some other partners will be tabling at the event. If anyone is available to volunteer and help table on those dates, that would be a great support. Thanks.

Welcome to HEY’s Newest Volunteer – Josefina Bolufer

Dana Mandolesi — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:53:03 +0000

Josefina contacted us about a month ago because she saw a posting we had at VolunteerMatch.org for someone to help us with our website. HEY’s website and newsletter really needed someone with an eye for design, and our staff just didn’t have the capacity to give it the attention it needed. We were so excited to have her contact us and join our team. She works in the HEY offices with us twice a week and provides support and advice on making heysf.org even better. Here’s what she has to say!

“My name is Josefina Bolufer, I am a graphic design senior student at San Francisco State University. Originally, I’m from Spain; however, I’ve had the opportunity to live in other countries such as Germany, England and now the US. When I arrived here, I was impressed with the level of commitment that students dedicate to help their communities. It really inspired me. I decided to contribute by doing what I love to do most: design. Right now I’m volunteering for Honoring Emancipated Youth (HEY) and for Native American AIDS Project (NAAP).”

HEY can offer volunteer and internship positions for students looking to add to their experience or portfolio. If you are interested in volunteering with us, contact heysf@uwba.org.

HEY’s Youth Empowerment Guide – Now Available

Leslie Brown — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:39:59 +0000

****************NOW AVAILABLE*******************

The HEY Guide: Youth Empowerment was designed to support agencies and staff interested in engaging and empowering young people as they transition into leadership and healthy adulthood. The practices, strategies and tools presented in this step-by-step guide will provide a framework to support the growth and empowerment of your agencies youth and staff.

Request a Copy of the HEY Guide: Youth Empowerment

Cost: FREE

To request the Empowerment Guide simply e-mail Sara Razavi at srazavi@uwba.org or call at (415) 808-4284. Please be sure to include the following information in your e-mail: Name, Institution, Address (including country), phone number and e-mail address.

HEY on KDIA Christian Talk Radio

Sara Razavi — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:00:28 +0000

HEY’s Executive Director, Sara Razavi, was recently interviewed by Bob Gourley of KDIA (1640 AM). HEY was especially excited about this opportunity because KDIA is part of network of Christian stations with a mission to support members of the Chrisitian community. HEY is keenly aware of the prevelance of the Church in many of our foster family homes and communities and we hope some individuals who work with current and former foster youth but who are otherwise unaware of HEY, or the network of supporters available to foster youth, will hear the interview and contact HEY for more information. The interview will air on “Issues of Today” program with host Bob Gourley on Sunday, November 22nd. Please visit www.kdia.com for details.

Childhood Matters: Caring for a Foster Child

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:06:03 +0000

Read about HEY’s involvement with Childhood Matters: Caring for a Foster Child.

Foster parents can make it possible for children to grow up in safe and loving environments, giving them the chance to thrive. There are tremendous rewards and frequent struggles as parents and children learn to live together. Guests on the May 27, 2007, show: David Channer, Mental Health Program Director at A Better Way, and Lanette Scott, HEY Emancipated Youth Advocacy Board (EYAB) Member 2006-2007. Childhood Matters with Rona Renner, RN, is the radio show for parents and all who care about kids.

Exceptional Recognition

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:48:36 +0000

In May 2007, HEY was recognized for exceptional support of the San Francisco mental health community by the Mental Health Board of San Francisco at the Mental Health Board of San Francisco Awards Recognition Event. Related posts:HEY Celebrates National Foster Care Month! Program Director, New Leaders Initiative, Earth Island Institute Childhood Matters: Caring for a Foster Child Related posts:

Interview with HEY’s Executive Director, Sara Razavi

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:44:53 +0000

Comcast Local Edition HEY’s Executive Director, Sara Razavi speaks with Comcast Local Edition News Makers anchor, Jack Hansen about the difficulties faced by former foster youth. Related posts:HEY Guide-Housing and Sara Razavi Featured on KCBS Radio Important Announcement from Executive Director: Updates About HEY CYC Has a New Executive Director! Related posts:

HEY Continues to Publicize how Budget Cuts Affect Youth

Dana Mandolesi — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:32:22 +0000

from Dana Mandolesi, HEY Project Manager

In our last newsletter, HEY’s EYAB member Shavonte Keaton wrote an HEY Trend to Watch about her reaction to California’s budget cuts, and to the article, ‘Aged Out Foster Youth at Terrible Risk in the SF Gate on September 2. HEY attended a rally in Sacramento on September 11, 2009.

Whilethe rally was unsuccessful in that it resulted in $80 million worth of cuts to the state’s child welfare system, HEY and our partners continue to build champions and advocates in the community and in the media. At the rally, HEY’s Research Assistant Intern, Nicole Hudley, who also was representing California Youth Connection, spoke passionately about how continued funding and support for child welfare workers benefits transitioning youth. Also, see her letter to the editor of the SF Gate article here, or read it below.

Foster care cuts

“In the editorial “Young people at risk” (Sept. 2), editors discuss the real cost of the $124 million in cuts to the cash-strapped foster care system.

When I was a foster youth, I was lucky enough to have a social worker who took the time to make sure I had caring adults in my life. When my journalism teacher and mentor offered to be my guardian, my social worker led the exhausting bureaucratic process that allowed me to live in an eight-member housing cooperative according to state licensing regulations. Because of her, I thrived in that co-op, and years later, I went on to get a master’s degree in public policy.

Today, less than half of emancipated foster youths will graduate high school, and 1 in 4 will become incarcerated within two years. The governor’s cuts to child welfare services, which will result in laying off social workers, just doesn’t add up. Each year that a social worker can save a foster child from jail or welfare, we save the state at least $49.6 million. Let’s all remind Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of two very important words: opportunity cost.”

NICOLE HUDLEY

California Youth Connection

Oakland