Hello Friends of Collective for Youth,  During this time of crisis, Collective for Youth feels it is critical that we prepare for the future. The youth in our programs will need high quality enrichment activities more than ever when they get back to the traditional school day. Our agencies, site directors, front line staff, and program providers now have the opportunity to hone their skills in the field, research and learn the most current trends, and most importantly, prepare their teams with the best possible tools for the upcoming school year. We know that many of the children that are served face daily challenges while they shelter at home. We know that many of the students we serve have faced new challenges being at home that may include food insecurities, domestic violence, grief, and social isolation. We know that our partners are doing what they can to provide support where it’s needed. We also know that now is the time to prepare the staff that work with youth to be ready to respond to the different challenges in a trauma informed way. Our team is working daily to create online trainings that are relevant and impactful to the work that all of us do that can be found on our website. The trainings that have been conducted the last month have been well received by the field. They have provided an avenue for others to connect and explore new ideas through a discussion format. We encourage you during this time to check out opportunities that will continue to be available until end of May. Our team continues to gather information for the CFY resource page. This page provides a variety of links and videos for your information. Click HERE to learn about what is available to the public in regards to staff professional development on line, learning resources for parents and educators, and local resources for families as it relates to education, food insecurity, and childcare to name just a few. Check back frequently as information is updated often. Lastly, I encourage you to join us for our Racial Equity Conversations we are having on Fridays over the lunch hour. We are exploring information together and discussing what we think in a safe environment meant to learn from each other. Every week is a new discussion. It is a great way to meet others and learn from each other. It is definitely one of the highlights of my week. As we patiently wait for the shelter in place order to be lifted and we are able to return to some type of on the ground programming, know that we are preparing to be our best no matter what the environment brings. Thank you for your support. Be safe, Megan Addison
|
