Completing My First Ultimate Blog Challenge

As the Ultimate Blog Challenge winds down and I think back to my reasons for participating I am proud to say that I achieved my goals.  I pulled out my “Speaker One Sheet” and realized that my blogs covered each of my speaking topics. 

Speaking Topics:

• Positive Youth Development
• Foster Care
• Life Skills/Independent Living
• Transition/Preparing For the Future
• Leadership and Advocacy
• Academic Empowerment
• Career Exploration and Workforce Development
• Volunteerism/Civic Engagement

Feel free to take a stroll through my April blog posts and consider me if you are planning a workshop or training for:

• Teens
• Youth Service Providers
• Child Welfare Workers
• Educators
• Supervisors and Administrators
• Parents and Foster Parents

I am also available for:

• Conferences

Share Some Inspiration Today

Many times teens in foster care don’t receive consistent support, encouragement, and nurturing. Here are 21 phrases to uplift, inspire, and celebrate teens in foster care.  Share some today.

1. You’re important.
2. Trust yourself.
3. Stand strong.
4. It’s great you didn’t give up.
5. You’re making progress.
6. I’m proud of you.
7. I’m inspired by your compassion.
8. Well done.
9. That’s a creative solution.
10. You’ve got what it takes.
11. I appreciate you.
12. The best is yet to come.
13. You make a difference.
14. You are in a class by yourself.
15. I admire your strength.
16. You deserve a hug.
17. You are a great person.
18. You will reach your goals.
19. You always give your best.
20. You should be proud.
21. Nothing can stop you.

Interdependence and Foster Care

After suffering through broken or non-existent family relationships, we encourage teens in foster care to strive for “independence” and “self-sufficiency”.  We put them in independent living programs and teach independent living skills yet none of us can be completely self-sufficient or independent.  Everyone needs a support system. Our focus should be to help foster teens create healthy relationships.  We need each other.  Human connections are not only essential to physical survival they play a key role in emotional well-being.    

Friends, buddies, peers – let’s champion interdependent living

• Friend = a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

A Portfolio Is Not A Life Book

A professional portfolio and a foster care life book are not the same.

Both a professional portfolio and a foster care can help teens increase self-awareness and self-confidence. Both a professional portfolio and a foster care life book document a teen’s history, celebrate their achievements, and allow them to highlight their skills and abilities. Both are a meaningful recording of a teen’s life in his or her own words.

A professional portfolio chronicles a teen’s educational and workforce endeavors to give employers, recruiters, and scouts a complete picture of who they are and what their academic and employment capabilities are.

Here are5 things that may be found in a foster care life book that will not be included in a professional portfolio.

1. A birth certificate

Resilience Is Essential In Foster Care

Resiliency = the ability to cope with, adapt to, and overcome challenges

We do not live in a perfect world.  Life will always have challenges, some of which are unavoidable.  We overcome life’s obstacles by remaining open, flexible, and willing to adapt to change.

Teens in foster care very often have encountered more difficulties than the average adult.  Resilience is essential in order for these young people to face problems head on, conquer adversity and move forward with their lives.  Despite the negative stereotypes and alarming statistics about kids in foster care, many teens in the system are thriving and not just surviving. 

Disposable Cameras for Teens in Foster Care

Remember the story from a couple months ago of the adoptive mom/photographer’s ‘newborn’ photo shoot with her 13-year-old son that went viral?  Great…keep that in mind and see request below.

Our Pack A Backpack Drive™ to donate backpacks, duffel bags, and luggage launched on April 8^th but today I want to add another item to the wish list – disposable cameras.   I wish I could take credit for this great idea but I can’t.  The idea was shared with me by Foster Care Alumni, Kea Theroux, after discussion with a Foster Care Alumni of America group on Facebook.  Kea was a part of our December blog series highlighting a successful women foster care alumni.  As group members were discussing foster care life books, the conversation shifted to the lack of pictures the members had of themselves and the others they were in care with.  A foster alum, that is now a foster parent, told the group that as a foster youth, she bought a camera to take pictures of herself and her foster siblings so they would have them too.  A great idea was born.

SPOTLIGHT on Nick N

SPOTLIGHT Teen of the Month – March 2013

Nick N. graduated with his IEP diploma in 2010 and then attended school an additional year to receive his regular diploma in 2011. He is an avid fan of NASCAR, the New York Giants and the New York Yankees.  Nicki enjoys being outdoors.  He works with a local landscaping company where his duties include lawn maintenance, weed-whacking, creating stone ways, and plowing.  Nicki entered foster care in 2008 and has had the privilege of remaining in the same foster home since that time.  He has been described as a kind, “old soul” who has a heart of gold. He is very personable and has matured into a hard worker who loves his family and friends and cherishes his relationships. Nick has created a strong bond with his foster family, caseworker and KidsPeace family.

Nick became a Volunteer Fire Fighter during his senior of high school in 2011.  He was exposed to this industry with his father and other family members and set a goal to join.  Nick is also OSHA, CPR and First Aid trained and has a badge with a fire number.