Progress 08/15/14 to 08/14/19
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of this project was teens in state custody in Alaska. This included teens in care of the state through the Office of Children's Services (foster care) as well as incarcerated youth in the Fairbanks Youth Facility. The teens participating in the proogram represented most hub areas of the state. Age of the teens ranged from 14 - 20. More than 50% of the youth were Alaska Native. The teens were reached through weekly/monthly trainings/workshops on specific topics. Topics were identified by the team of state employees (case workers and youth facility staff). As well as the guidelines from Child Welface Information Gateway for independent living for youth in foster care. Efforts were also provided via individualized plans working with case workers. Changes/Problems:Although not a major delay or problem, Co-Project Director Bacsujlaky was on extended Family Medical Leave during Year 5 of the grant. This resulted in considerable salary savings during the last award year, which supported the inclusion of an additional, unplanned leadership training for at least 10 foster teens from Site 1. Prior to this award, Alaska 4-H had no existing relationship with the Fairbanks Youth Facility; in particular the manager of the residential treatment unit was uncertain that 4-H, as he and other state Department of Justice personnel understood the organization, would be able to adapt 4-H programming to a secure facility. However, at the end of this five award, we are now committed partners with the Fairbanks Youth Facility, and 4-H is viewed as an integral component of the menu of group and therapeutic programs that the youth on the treatment unit participate in. We will also be expanding our 4-H programming to the short-term detention wing as well. Additionally, it was in part through the success of our programming and collaboration with facility staff that other programs, such as trauma-sensitive yoga, and Playback theatre, are operating at the facility. Co-PIs invited to participate on national committees for Access, Equity and Belonging Champions groups for youth in foster care and incarcerated youth. Acknowledgement of the ground breaking work that happened through this grant. Also, a change in community and case workers thought processes about mentoring from community members. Willingness to think outside the institutional box for restorative justice and a variety of methods to learn life skills. ?ILP Program: Implementation Monthly group meetings on topics teens proposed from the lists of life skills identified by Alaska Office of Children's Services. We utilize a number of curriculum resources. National One Circle Foundation curriculum, 4-H work force development, National Endowment for Financial Education, Boys Town Press, etc. Individual meeting with teens as necessary also occur. Example: needing help filing taxes, filling out banking applications, etc. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Annual 4-H Professional Development Retreat National Mentoring Summit National 4-H National Mentoring Program training & professional development Annual CYFAR Professional Development Conference National Health Outreach Conference (presented on CYFAR work) National Urban Extension Conference 8 webinar trainings on relevant youth development topics QPR Institute (Train the Trainer) Mental Health First Aid- train the trainer Western Region Leaders Forum Strengthening Families Training, Alaska Child Welfare Academy International Trauma Conference National One Circle Foundation - Girls Circles and Councils for Young Men and Boys Outstanding Youth: Confident + Unstoppable How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Programming activities and outcomes at the Fairbanks Youth Facility have been disseminated regionally and nationally through conference attendance and presentations, and through participation of Bacsujlaky, Co-Project Director in the USDA's Vulnerable Populations working group, and chairmanship of the Incarcerated Youth Champions subcommittee. Programmatic approaches, challenges in working within a secure facility, and best practices for working with a young protected class have been shared by program staff as well at other youth development and professional development fora, among them the National Mentoring Summit, the Health Extension Outreach Conference and the Urban Extension Conference. We have also share our work with other local organizations, which has led to opportunities for current and future collabortions. Information has aslo been presented at CYFAR Professional Development meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Our project aims to bring life skills and positive adult mentoring to a population of youth in transition (and their families as well). We work primarily with youth who are or have been involved with the juvenile system and youth who are transitioning out of foster care often which are overlapped. This year we continued to provide programming for youth at the Fairbanks Youth Facility (FYF), Office of Children's Services Independent Living Program and also The Door, which is a homeless shelter for teens where we found a number of youth in state custody or who had been in state custody. We try to engage the youth with a variety of life skills programming that they find most useful and we also serve as mentors to our youth. Gardening, art and cooking are some of the activities that we focus on. We have also worked on leadership skills and social emotional learning through 'The Council' curricula (One Circle Foundation). With The Council, we try to help youth foster a positive relationship with each other in addition to modeling a positive adult mentor/relationship. We have tried to engage families in a variety of events, usually centered around food. For example, the young men at FYF were able to help design and prepare a Holiday meal (and party) for their families. We partnered with a local organization that had worked with the youth earlier in the year in delivering a culinary class. The young men were given an opportunity to put their skills to work and to share the result of their hard work with their families and care givers. We are also working with the teens at The Door on meal preparation, which involves choosing and preparing a low cost, nutritious meal together (along with their staff) and of course sharing the meal together. Not only do these activities provide an opportunity for the youth to learn practical skills, they also create opportunities to engage with adults and other youth in a positive, comfortable and familiar setting. We work with the youth in the Independent Living Program to be self-sufficient by development life skills and workforce development skills based on their input of needs. Financial Literacy continues to be their number one request. Nearly all of the youth that we work with are overcoming some sort of trauma that they've experienced (or are experiencing) and the ability to provide consistent and stable programming is key in this process.
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Progress 08/15/17 to 08/14/18
Outputs
Target Audience:The project targets teens, ages 14-21, who are in state custody. The two sites include Interior Alaska Office of Children'sService Independent Living program for teens who are in state custody and site two are teens incarcerated at the FairbanksYouth Facility rehabilitation program. The population is socially and economically disadvantaged in most all instances andqualify for state aide. The population is ethnically diverse. FYRR's outcome is that teens will demonstrate knowledge, skills,attitudes, and behavior necessary for fulfilling contributing lives. The project uses the 4-H experiential learning model to helpteen participants recognize their strengths, gain confidence and build their capacity to enter the workforce. Long-term outcomes include a) increased number of teens are work-force ready and employable, b) decreased number of teens at riskfor homelessness, and c) increased number of teens with improved decision-making skills. Notable accomplishments include teens participating in job searches, interviews and gaining employment - both seasonaland throughout the school year. Teens at both sites participated in Girls Circle and Boys Council (One Circle Foundationprogram curriculum) designed to increase positive connection, personal and collective strengths, and competencies throughresiliency activities. Teens increased their knowledge in financial literacy with focus on W2s, W4s, 1040 tax form, credit anddebit, banking, and interest rates. Teens also continue to respond at a higher rate when emotional support dog is present during programming. When available, emotional support dogs are brought to programming time at the Fairbanks Youth Facility. The increased attentiveness and participation among the teens at the Youth Facility highlights the need for continued social-emotional support. Changes/Problems:No major changes/problems to report. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We provided professional development opportunities for partners at sites. This asisted in program delivery with a strong male role for the young men at the youth facility. Topic focuses: suicide awareness, communication, positive relationships, social media, journey of the warrior, and art therapy. Additional professional development for site staff included a training through the National Health Symposium and Strengthenign Families. Topic focuses: communication, building relationships of trust, promoting selfefficacy, ethics and 40 developmental assets. The project provides monthly professional development for participants as well. These opportunities included filling out Alaska Housing applications, dressing for a job interview, applying for jobs based on skill assessments, financial literacy (credit cards and bank accounts), tax preparation, FAFSA preparation, as well as participating in Facing Foster Care in Alaska leadership trainings. Teens with the Independent Living Program have also had a number of volunteer opportunities to include jr. mentor to younger youth in foster care, Fairbanks Health Fair. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Information from the project is shared at partnership meetings within Interior Alaska as well as statewide conferences. The teens participating in the Independent Living Program through Office of Children's Services participate in statewide awarenesscampaigns during National Adoption month and Foster Parent Appreciation Month to raise awareness as well as assist in recruiting foster parents. Teens also gave testimony to the Alaska legislature. Sharing the Youth Facility Program with Youth Court judges/team has raised awareness in skills sets necessary and the need for mentors once released from custody. Participation in regards to the curriculum being used in the program was also shared at the 4-H Military Partnerships. The program has also been shared with Bethel, AK Youth Facility and Independent Living Program statewide coordinator. Staff have also been invited to present at 2 conferences this year regarding trauma informed yoga. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Additional staff will attend Girls Circle training to become certified trainers in the program. This will aid in ability for further local staff to become trained, creating momentum for sustainability. Continued work with the teens in the Independent Living Program will include additional mentor training opportunities, volunteer opportunities and working one-on-one to achieve workforce prep goals. Professional development will also continue in the area of working with youth in state custody with specific focus on juvenile justice. Trauma informed care, adverse childhood experiences, and building resilience for reduced recidivism will be focused on. Sustainability for the program will start with branching out where other homeless youth and teens and foster care might reside - the homeless shelter. We will provide additional training and programming at these locations as branches of the two sites. We also are testing a "support group" effort using an app for communication that hides our contact information and provides group messaging in a safe forum. A youth released from custody might choose this communication tool to reach out to the support team.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Teens who are aging out or being released from state custody often have challenges with stability. This might includeemployment, finances as well as securing living accommodations. Some may not have a home or family to return to oncereleased from state custody. This increases the potential for the teen to become homeless. Provided programming for combined total of 36-40 individuals. Assisted 3 teens in completing their taxes (EZ104) and FAFSA for future college plans, 7 teens becoming gainfully employed, and zero teens released from the program reported entering homeless status. Social-Emotional Health and Well-Being: Using the Girls Circle and Boys Council curriculum (National One Circle Foundation), we provided weekly opportunities for healthy emotional development, self-esteem building, healthy relationships,acceptance of self and others. Work force development skills included financial literacy workshops with a specific focus on Alaska assistance funds, applyingfor housing through Alaska Housing Authority, EBT Card (food stamps application), credit card applications, learning aboutcredit and interest rates, opening a bank account, how to budget and cost out food servings, driver's permit studying/testing,interview skills, resume building, searching for jobs, and interview etiquette. We have also incorporated trauma-informed yoga and theatre into the social-emotional development support. Teens also attended job fairs and learned about the ALEXSYS job application system through Alaska Job Center.
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Progress 08/15/16 to 08/14/17
Outputs
Target Audience:The project targets teens, ages 14-21, who are in state custody. The two sites include Interior Alaska Office of Children'sService Independent Living program for teens who are in state custody and site two are teens incarcerated at the FairbanksYouth Facility rehabilitation program. The population is socially and economically disadvantaged in most all instances andqualify for state aide. The population is ethnically diverse. FYRR's outcome is that teens will demonstrate knowledge, skills,attitudes, and behavior necessary for fulfilling contributing lives. The project uses the 4-H experiential learning model to helpteen participants recognize their strengths, gain confidence and build their capacity to enter the workforce. Long-term outcomes include a) increased number of teens are work-force ready and employable, b) decreased number of teens at riskfor homelessness, and c) increased number of teens with improved decision-making skills. Notable accomplishments include teens participating in job searches, interviews and gaining employment - both seasonaland throughout the school year. Teens at both sites participated in Girls Circle and Boys Council (One Circle Foundationprogram curriculum) designed to increase positive connection, personal and collective strengths, and competencies throughresiliency activities. Teens increased their knowledge in financial literacy with focus on W2s, W4s, 1040 tax form, credit anddebit, banking, and interest rates. Teens also continue to respond at a higher rate when emotional support dog is present during programming. When available, emotional support dogs are brought to programming time at the Fairbanks Youth Facility. The increased attentiveness and participation among the teens at the Youth Facility highlights the need for continued social-emotional support. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We provided professional development opportunities for 3 site staff who attended a One Circle Council for Young Men and Boys curriculum. This asisted in program delivery with a strong male role for the young men at the youth facility. Topic focuses: suicide awareness, communication, positive relationships, social media, journey of the warrior, and art therapy. Additional professional development for 1 site staff included a training through the Youth Academy, focusing on working with youth in custody and treatment programs. Topic focuses: communication, building relationships of trust, promoting self-efficacy, ethics and 40 developmental assets. The project provides monthly professional development for participants as well. These opportunities included filling out Alaska Housing applications, dressing for a job interview, applying for jobs based on skill assessments, financial literacy (credit cards and bank accounts), tax preparation, FAFSA preparation, as well as participating in Facing Foster Care in Alaska leadership trainings. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Information from the project is shared at partnership meetings within Interior Alaska as well as statewide conferences. Theteens participating in the Independent Living Program through Office of Children's Services participate in statewide awarenesscampaigns during National Adoption month and Foster Parent Appreciation Month to raise awareness as well as assist in recruiting foster parents. Teens also gave testimony to the Alaska legislature. Sharing the Youth Facility Program with Youth Court judges/team has raised awareness in skills sets necessary and the need for mentors once released from custody. Participation in regards to the curriculum being used in the program was also shared at the 4-H Military Partnerships. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Additional staff will attend Girls Circle training to become certified trainers in the program. This will aid in ability for furtherlocal staff to become trained, creating momentum for sustainability. Continued work with the teens in the Independent Living Program will include additional mentor training opportunities, volunteer opportunities and working one-on-one to achieve workforce prep goals. Professional development will also continue in the area of working with youth in state custody with specific focus on juvenile justice. Trauma informed care, adverse childhood experiences, and building resilience for reduced recidivism will be focused on.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Teens who are aging out or being released from state custody often have challenges with stability. This might includeemployment, finances as well as securing living accommodations. Some may not have a home or family to return to oncereleased from state custody. This increases the potential for the teen to become homeless. Provided programming for combined total of 36 individuals. Assisted 2 teens in completing their taxes (EZ104) and FAFSA for future college plans, 4 teens becoming gainfully employed, and zero teens released from the program reported entering homeless status. Social-Emotional Health and Well-Being: Using the Girls Circle and Boys Council curriculum (National One Circle Foundation), we provided weekly opportunities for healthy emotional development, self-esteem building, healthy relationships,acceptance of self and others. Work force development skills included financial literacy workshops with a specific focus on Alaska assistance funds, applyingfor housing through Alaska Housing Authority, EBT Card (food stamps application), credit card applications, learning aboutcredit and interest rates, opening a bank account, how to budget and cost out food servings, driver's permit studying/testing,interview skills, resume building, searching for jobs, and interview etiquette. 3. Translate those results into broader outcomes in the real world. Engage your peripheral vision in order to remember howthe work you are doing is important to the bigger picture and then explain that simply and directly.
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Progress 08/15/15 to 08/14/16
Outputs
Target Audience: The project targets teens, ages 14-21, who are in state custody. The two sites include Interior Alaska Office of Children's Service Independent Living program for teens who are in state custody and site two are teens incarcerated at the Fairbanks Youth Facility rehabilitation program. The population is socially and economically disadvantaged in most all instances and qualify for state aide. The population is ethnically diverse. FYRR's outcome is that teens will demonstrate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behavior necessary for fulfilling contributing lives. The project uses the 4-H experiential learning model to help teen participants recognize their strengths, gain confidence and build their capacity to enter the workforce. Long-term outcomes include a) increased number of teens are work-force ready and employable, b) decreased number of teens at risk for homelessness, and c) increased number of teens with improved decision-making skills. Notable accomplishments include teens participating in job searches, interviews and gaining employment - both seasonal and throughout the school year. Teens at both sites participated in Girls Circle and Boys Council (One Circle Foundation program curriculum) designed to increase positive connection, personal and collective strengths, and competencies through resiliency activities. Teens increased their knowledge in financial literacy with focus on W2s, W4s, 1040 tax form, credit and debit, banking, and interest rates. Teens also continue to respond at a higher rate when emotional support dog is present during programming. When available, emotional support dogs are brought to programming time at the Fairbanks Youth Facility. The increased attentiveness and participation among the teens at the Youth Facility highlights the need for continued social-emotional support. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Assist 5 teens in filling out job applications, 1 teen built a resume/cover letter, and 9 teens participated in job interviewing skills. Provided financial literacy training to 11 teens, 5 opened (or had already) bank accounts. Assisted 7 teens in finding volunteer opportunities. 5 teens attended two Facing Foster Care in Alaska leadership trainings. 1 teen completed 4-H leader training online modules as well as mentor training. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Information from the project is shared at partnership meetings within Interior Alaska as well as statewide conferences. The teens participating in the Independent Living Program through Office of Children's Services participate in statewide awareness campaigns during National Adoption month and Foster Parent Appreciation Month to raise awareness as well as assist in recruiting foster parents. Teens also gave testimony to the Alaska legislature. Sharing the Youth Facility Program with Youth Court judges/team has raised awareness in skills sets necessary and the need for mentors once released from custody. Several of the teens who have been released actively meet with a mentor. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Staff will attend Girls Cirle/Boys Council training to become certified trainers in the program. This will aid in ability for further local staff to become trained, creating momentum for sustainability. Continued work with the teens in the Independent Living Program will include additional mentor training opportunities, volunteer opportunities and working one-on-one to achieve workforce prep goals.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Teens who are aging out or being released from state custody often have challenges with stability. This might include employment, finances as well as securing living accommodations. Some may not have a home or family to return to once released from state custody. This increases the potential for the teen to become homeless. Provided programming for combined total of 42 individuals. Assisted 2 teens in gaining entrance to an in-state college, 2 teens receiving a driver's permit, 5 teens becoming gainfully employed, and zero teens released from the program reported entering homeless status. Social-Emotional Health and Well-Being: Using the Girls Circle and Boys Council curriculum (National One Circle Foundation), we provided weekly opportunities for healthy emotional development, self-esteem building, healthy relationships, acceptance of self and others. Work force development skills included financial literacy workshops with a specific focus on Alaska assistance funds, applying for housing through Alaska Housing Authority, EBT Card (food stamps application), credit card applications, learning about credit and interest rates, opening a bank account, how to budget and cost out food servings, driver's permit studying/testing, interview skills, resume building, searching for jobs, and interview etiquette. 3. Translate those results into broader outcomes in the real world. Engage your peripheral vision in order to remember how the work you are doing is important to the bigger picture and then explain that simply and directly.
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Progress 08/15/14 to 08/14/15
Outputs
Target Audience: The project's target audience is Alaskan teens in state custody between ages 14 and 18 in Interior Alaska. This includes youth in juvenile detention and in the foster care system who reside or are housed in Interior Alaska. The Fairbanks Youth Facility is a male-only facility. Currently we are serving 10 to 12 teens between 16 and 18 at the Youth Facility; four are causasian, two are African-American, and the rest are Alaska Native. The teens who participated in the Independent Living Program through the Interior Office of Children's Services are female. Demographics: 4 white, 3 Native Alaskan, 2 Native American,2 Latino, 2 African American, 3 unknown. The teens in the Independent Living program are considered economically disadvantaged - qualifying for state and federal aid. Teens with Site 2, Fairbanks Youth Facility, is an all male audience ages 14-18. The participants is about 12 each week, depending upon if they are able to participate due to disciplinary reasons, or they may have been released from the program. 4 white, 4mixed race/unknown, 4 Native Alaskan Effortsinclude acts or processes that deliver science-based knowledge to people through formal or informal educational programs. Examples include: formal classroom instruction, laboratory instruction, or practicum experiences; development of curriculum or innovative teaching methodologies; internships; workshops; experiential learning opportunities; extension and outreach. Changes/Problems:We were able to begin program delivery within six months of receiving the award because we have established relationships and networks of collaborators and potential collaborators. These collaborators are familiar with the content and quality of our programming, so it was relatively easy to develop and deliver programming. Additionally, our CYFAR project enhanced and expanded existing mentoring and youth outreach programming. Our ability to hit the ground running validates that successful programming depends heavily upon having established relationships and outreach among various organizations serving at-risk youth. This is also the first programming we have delivered to incarcerated youth. Restrictions upon materials brought in, mobility of participants, and an utter lack of ability to influence or select who will attend our programming does affect our project. Youth rotate in/out of our program depending on their sentences - so we cannot count on any particular length of contact time with specific youth. On the other hand, this is balanced with the fact that we are guaranteed 100% attendance during our programming because it has been incorporated as part of their "group" treatment. We are learning ways to modify curricula, activities and program evaluations so that they fit within the rigid structure of a correctional facility. These same challenges occur with the teens in the Independent Living Program - only soley based on will to participate as well as availability as success has occured in that most of them did have summer employment. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project co-PI attended the new CYFAR grantee training and the CYFAR professional development training in June 2014. Our Fairbanks Youth Facility site coordinator also attended the National Youth At-Risk Conference in Savannah GA in March, 2015. We sent a project team consisting of the PI, co-PI, program evaluation specialist and the Independent Living Specialist from the State of Alaska to the 2015 CYFAR professional development training. We were able to leverage other funds to support the travel of the PI and co-PI so that we could invite our collaborator (from the Alaska Office of Children Services) to participate in the professional development. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?For Site 2, Fairbanks Youth Facility, the co-PI regularly communicates with the residential director of the facility, soliciting feedback about program fit, content, and outcomes from the director. The program is too new within this facility to administer surveys of the incarcerated participants, therefore, feedback from facility staff and observations made by program staff during delivery of programming constitutes the data/results currently being collected/documented for Site 2. The teens from Site 1, Independent Living Program, have shared the programming efforts we have accomplished the Facing Foster Care in Alaska (non-profit group of current and past foster care teens/adults) and have assisted in providing input as to what workforce prep skills they feel are important for them to learn. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Site 1, Teens in Foster Care, Continue to build a repoir with the teens we are working with, planning programs based on the scope of the project that also fit their work force development needs. Have monthly workshops focused on workforce prep as well as weekly sessions based on teen availability and need to focus on specific skills such as filling out a job application, interview prep, etc. Will also include ILP teens in the 8-week therapy dog training with TOPAD. Will also hold a workshop on positive stress management with a PTSD focus, healthy relatiionships, and parenting. Site 2, Fairbanks Youth Facility: During the first quarter of the next award year, CYFAR program staff will deliver lengthy programming on healthy relationships. This is a topic for which the facility currently does not have adequate curricula or staff available to deliver sessions but which is very important for the residential teens - since many have been exposed to domestic violence, neglect, or been the targets of abuse. We anticipate potentially an 8-week course, with the therapy dog in attendance throughout this session, as this is likely to be a topic that will bring up sensitive material and raw emotions. We specifically decided to wait several months before embarking upon this programming so that most of the teens (those who have longer sentences) will have the chance to get to know program staff. Also planned for the fall will be a module on training service dogs, wherein the teens will be trained in the basics of service dog training. Following that, we will begin again the healthy life skills. Turn-over in participants will occur on an ongoing basis - with new teens coming in and others being released, so we will by necessity have to be able to change up our programming so as to fit their needs.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
For Site 1, foster youth aging out of the system, we offered financial literacy workshops, babysitter certification and career-planning events that included mock job interviews. Teen participants demonstrated increased workforce preparations skills such as financial management, budgeting, saving money, college and job application preparation. We reached 14 teens with an average of 5 teens attending each workshop. In the third quarter of the award period we added a service-learning project in collaboration with The Other Paw Assistance Dogs (TOPAD), a non-profit service dog-training organization. Working with TOPAD trainers, teens had learned about and assisted in training service dogs while benefiting from the therapy benefits of being with the service dogs. At Site 2, the Fairbanks Youth Facility, program delivery started in April. At the request of the residential director, our first program focuses on healthy living skills, particularly for youth in recovery. Topics included nutrition, diet, physical exercise and healthy ways to manage stress. We deliver programming weekly for 1 to 1.5 hours to 10 to 12 male teens, 16 to 18. Programming is ongoing, with at least 8 weeks devoted to healthy living. In May TOPAD staff and service dog joined the program delivery team. The service dog functions as a therapy dog and is also used in teaching the teens how to work with and train service dogs.In June, we increased contact time with teens through working in the facility garden with them. We also brought on board a temporary 4-H program assistant. A teacher in the school district, she contributed to CYFAR programming at both sites during the summer.
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