2021-2022 Webinar Series *Updated*
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We will use this blog post to publish webinar materials and recordings for those who were unable to attend the live session. Please reach out if you have any questions or need any assistance!
October 27, 2021 Webinar:
Financial Aid Applications for Passport-Eligible Students
This webinar provides information to assist those working with foster youth and unaccompanied homeless youth to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA). Presenters will also provide information on the process for verifying and awarding the Passport to College scholarship.
Download the Financial Aid for Passport-Eligible Students PowerPoint presentation
Watch the Financial Aid for Passport-Eligible Students webinar recording
November 17, 2021 Webinar:
Coping with Holiday Stress for Youth in Foster Care
All of us can feel stressed around the holidays. This stress can be amplified by feelings of grief and loss for children and youth in foster care. This training will help participants identify holiday stress that children in foster care feel, tips to create a healthy environment for the holidays, and how to help children and youth cope. Hosted by Lindsey Greene of Coordinated Care – learn more on their website, and check out other Apple Health Events by clicking here.
Presentation materials coming soon!
December 15, 2021 Webinar:
Washington State Foster Care Placements – How a child or youth may arrive in the care and custody of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)
This Washington State Foster Care Placements presentation will provide basic details of how a child or youth may arrive in the care and custody of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). DCYF is the Washington state’s lead agency for state-funded services that support children and families to build resilience and health, and to improve educational outcomes. Our presenter will also share what the DCYF policies are with regards to engaging youth in positive educational outcomes and post-secondary programs.
Download the Foster Care Placements PowerPoint presentation
January 19, 2022 Webinar:
Federally-funded Foster Care in Washington State
The Passport to Careers program expanded eligibility in 2018 to unaccompanied refugee minors in the federal foster care program (see Title 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1522 of the immigration and nationality act). Join this webinar to learn more about this specialized type of foster care. The presenters will also share the types of educational support services unaccompanied refugee minors can receive. Presented by Molly Daggett of the Department of Social and Health Services and Dawa Sherpa of Lutheran Community Services Northwest.
February 23, 2022 Webinar:
Youth Ascend Washington Webtool: Centering Young People in Resource Development
In this webinar, we learn about Building Changes’ Youth Ascend Washington web-based tool and their journey developing a resource to meet the needs of young people. Youth Ascend WA is a youth-centered, online tool for providers working with young people experiencing homelessness and housing instability as they plan for life after high school. It offers an inclusive and collaborative space where young people can explore resources to support their stability and opportunities they may want to pursue post-graduation.
Presented by Joey Heilman, Samie Iverson, and Mandy Park of Building Changes. Building Changes is a nonprofit organization whose vision is communities thrive when people have safe and stable housing and can equitably access and use services. Building Changes’ mission is to advance equitable responses to homelessness in Washington State, with a focus on children, youth, and families and the systems that serve them.
Watch the recording on YouTube
March 30, 2022 Webinar:
2022 Legislative Session Recap
In this webinar, presenters answered questions about the 2022 Washington state legislative session, including:
What is a ‘short’ legislative session and what is its purpose?
What is in the final budget and how will it help youth who have experienced foster care and unaccompanied homelessness?
What bills were passed this year that will affect these same populations?
The presenters will give an overview of the session and the dynamics that were in play, as well a summary of the most relevant funding and policies that were passed.
Presented by Juliet Schindler, Director of Public Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, and Emily Stochel, Interim Program Manager of Statewide Initiatives, with the College Success Foundation (CSF).
Watch the recording on YouTube
Download the Legislative Session Recap slide deck
Download the Independent Youth Housing fact sheet
Download the Adolescent Services and Youth Homelessness Session Recap
May 25, 2022 Webinar:
Washington State’s Vision for the Future: Foster Care Reimagined
About a year ago, Think of Us embarked on a research project where they collaborated with lived experience experts in Washington to co-design a “Vision for the Future” for the office of Adolescent Programs in partnership with DCYF.
Come join us in this special presentation where some of the lived experts that created this vision will share nuggets of intimate knowledge about how they experienced the foster care system to show us what the kind of foster care they envision would look and feel like.
This proposal lays out the plan to get to this world by reimagining five key stages of the adolescent experience:
1. Entering the system with dignity.
2. Experiencing the system empowered.
3. Anticipating adulthood with support.
4. Entering adulthood prepared.
5. Exiting the system ready. Then, it maps out what it will take Washington State to get to this world.
Presented by Lived Experience Advisors and Think of Us partners.
Learn more about Think of Us. Download the Vision for the Future PowerPoint presentation The WPN partnered with Department of Children, Youth, Families (DCYF) to host a meet and greet with their Adolescent Programs (AP) team. WPN members learned about the points of contacts on the AP team, and discussed how to best coordinate to meet the needs of adolescents in care, especially as they enter adulthood and age out of care. During this meeting, the AP Interim Director, Taku Mineshita, provided a brief overview of the AP unit. Attendees also spent time networking in small groups with other AP staff. Presented by Taku Mineshita of DCYF and the Adolescent Programs team. Download the DCYF Adolescent Programs Staff Contact List [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
June 30, 2022 Webinar:
DCYF Adolescent Programs Meet & Greet
