Why this friendship is as deep as family

Friendship as deep as family is how Cindy Roberts, a mentor volunteer at Youth Moving On (YMO), described her seven-year relationship with Jammie Peterson on NBC 4’s television series, “Life Connected,” featuring individuals who pay it forward. Cindy’s effect  on Jammie has been profound and points to the indispensable role volunteers have on the children and youth we serve at Hillsides.

For Cindy, mentoring at YMO was her way to give back after finishing cancer treatment. At YMO she was introduced to Jammie who, at that time, was living in the supportive housing program. A friendship developed, and Cindy has served as a role model for her ever since. Now, in her own way, Jammie models for another generation of vulnerable children and youth that in spite of challenges much can be accomplished.

For youth at YMO, mentors like Cindy are essential. Always present to support and encourage, Cindy went beyond the usual mentor relationship by establishing a profound friendship with Jammie, welcoming her into her home, and serving as a faithful friend celebrating Jammie’s many achievements.

Even more extraordinary is that Cindy is a cancer survivor. Like many who have confronted their own immortality, perspective changes, nothing is taken for granted, and every opportunity is seized. Cindy’s commitment to Jammie is a testimony of her dedication and intent to make a difference.

Like Jammie, we have about 40 young people who are being served at YMO through various programs. These youth could benefit from a mentor--someone who can focus on them, interact without judgment, support unconditionally, and encourage consistently.

Often we underestimate what can be accomplished for foster youth who are striving for independence. As Thomas Lee, the division director of transition-aged youth services, mentioned in the television segment, the road to independence can be daunting for these young people. As much as we might understand the challenge and be empathetic, what these youth need more than anything else are people who can help them dream and patiently guide them as they set a direction to achieve it. These people would serve as mentors who genuinely believe in their potential.

Cindy was that person for Jammie and, as a result, they have become part of one another’s lives…truly life connected. Would you consider being a mentor? Could you give your time and energy to support one of our many young adults? The challenges are great, but the rewards can be life changing. Contact Thomas Lee at 626-765-6956 for more information on how you can become a mentor.

Why this decision by a children’s judge called for order in the court

A while back I asked a trusted advisor what would be the most effective  way to influence the child welfare system, he responded by saying that I should get involved in the judicial system where so many decisions are made regarding children in the State’s care. It was good advice and, as a result, I have begun to pay more attention to the court’s role in determining the services provided to the children and youth for whom we care.

This past week the efforts to establish a more open court room environment by the presiding judge of the Los Angeles County Juvenile Court, Michael Nash, was thwarted by a decision from the California appeals court to bar the press from covering juvenile dependency court hearings.

The fact that few journalists took advantage of Judge Nash’s open court is a mute point. His intent was to introduce another level of accountability into the judicial process and the child welfare system to observe total transparency. Given the convoluted nature of both systems such a dramatic approach would seem warranted. As laudable as Judge Nash’s effort were, the ruling to bar the press from such proceedings seems prudent. This judicial reversal should in no way diminish Judge Nash’s extraordinary legacy of advocacy. Without some effective measures of accountability the courts and child welfare system go unchecked in their well-intended, but often misguided efforts to serve the best interests of children and youth.

I agree with the California appeal court's ruling and would suggest that we need to find another way to hold the child welfare system accountable other than to introduce reporters into the court room. Perhaps what might be more effective is the development of public advocates whose sole purpose would be to assure that not only children’s rights are safeguarded, but that blatant inadequacies of the child welfare system are exposed. The mandated presence of such advocates in the court room may very well create the kind of transparency that Judge Nash so daringly introduced.

For the youth that appear in Juvenile Dependency Court, over exposure is a way of life fueled by their personal “entries” into social media mechanisms. The last thing any one of these vulnerable children need is a reporter using their case as justification for an exposé. While such cases may serve to concretize a particular point of view it does so while revealing the darker side of their stories. Such exposure can negatively define a person for life and, if nothing else, can be a source of embarrassment and shame. Often those we serve at Youth Moving On, a program for youth transitioning out of the fostercare system, are held back from attaining meaningful employment because of youthful indiscretions that have become part of their public record. While seeking transparency and accountability, we must not forget that lives can be significantly jeopardized by unwanted and gratuitous exposure.  

Raising the bar

At last week’s annual CWLA Conference in Washington, D.C., I was honored along with other colleagues for helping to “raise the bar” for vulnerable children and families in this country. I was surprised by the recognition, but gratified that my efforts over the years, and in particular my support for the work of CWLA, was acknowledged. The recognition I received was an indicator of not only my efforts, but also of the collective effort shown by Hillsides staff to raise a voice for the children and families we serve.

As I thought about the recognition, I was reminded of a time when I sat in the plaza on campus having lunch one day this past summer watching a young boy arrive to be admitted to the residential treatment program with only a plastic bag of belongings. He was subdued when I met him and offered little affect when greeted. His withdrawal was profound and made me inquire about his situation. Left without his biological parents, he was placed in an adopted home. For numerous reasons the adoption failed and now he was placed at Hillsides with the hope of finding a permanent home for him soon. However, complicating the situation was that he was also being treated for leukemia. Although we often have residents who have very specific health conditions that require special attention, this young boy was the first resident who was admitted and actively being treated for such a serious condition.

A few days after his admission, I began to ask staff how he was doing and questioning how we were adjusting our typical program to address his special medical needs. Although staff had indicated an initial reluctance to admit a child in such a compromised health condition, I believe we were also confident that we would rise to the occasion and do whatever was necessary to individualize a program of care for him. Indeed it has been that kind of approach that has allowed us to be so successful with this boy. Although he will continue with us for a while, his health has stabilized and we are hopeful we will be able to find a loving family to receive him into their home.

These kinds of extraordinary efforts are really what “raising the bar” is all about. Efforts to advocate, assure quality care, and develop integrated, effective systems of care are all well and good; however, their success is measured by the impact created. Hillsides is known not just for the array of quality programs, but more importantly, for our willingness to make the extra effort and individualize programs to best serve the needs of the children we serve. This approach is indeed the best example of what it means to “raise the bar” for children and their families.

The bar is not just raised by any one person, but by a community that truly values all its children and places its many resources available to make a lasting impact.

Inspirational Stories of Youth

One challenge of being Hillsides CEO is setting time aside for direct interaction with those we serve in spite of numerous commitments. The other day I had the opportunity to visit Youth Moving On (YMO) and met with a handful of residents. I was inspired by their efforts to move beyond the challenges they face to a path that leads them to success.

A young woman, who has been at YMO only a few months, talked about how YMO is the next step for her on a journey away from gang involvement to pursue education, employment, and permanent housing. Articulate, self-aware, and resolute, she inspired me not just by her accomplishments, but especially her dream to develop a way to protect children from sex trafficking.

As I sat there visiting, a young man, a long-time resident of YMO, came in excited about having successfully passed his EMT exam. This allows him to realize a long-held dream of entering the medical field. No one would have thought that possible just a few years ago, when he was released from the juvenile detention system and sought out the services offered at YMO. But his hard work and conviction has served him well and today he is on his way.

And finally, there was another young man who had just returned from purchasing his first suit to wear to our annual donor appreciation gathering this Thursday. There he will share his story of how hard work and sacrifice has helped him begin to build the financial foundation for his independence.

Each one of them is inspirational more so because the obstacles are so great in such a challenging economic environment. Their stories prove dreams, matched with hard work and supported by a dedicated community, can make what some would consider impossible achievable.

How appropriate that their success will be shared with our donor community. Were it not for the extraordinary generosity of our donors, little of what we accomplish would be possible.

Born Suspect

 This past Sunday’s “Meet the Press,” Ben Jealous, head of the NAACP, described the feeling that many African-American men have of being “born suspect” by virtue of nothing more than the color of their skin. He  continued to say that as  a result parents in the Black community make sure to talk with their adolescent children, especially their sons, cautioning them to be sensitive about how their behavior might illicit suspicion at any time for no other reason than because they are Black! Failure to address this with their children only places them at risk of harm.

The shooting and death of Trayvon Martin has once again called attention to the subtle and underlying racism that is part and parcel of our experience as a nation. At any given time at Hillsides, 30 % of the youth we serve are African American and well over 70% of those we serve are people of color. When I consider the harm that any one of these youth might experience not necessarily because of their actions, but simply because of the color of their skin, I am left frightened for them and saddened that still in 2012, racism still haunts our communities.

I am embarrassed to say that as much as I understand that race is a factor in how we perceive people in various situations, I have underestimated what a significant threat it is to the safety and well-being of all people of color. It is unacceptable, that for the youth we serve,  in addition to the many traumas, hardships and challenges that they face, their race should be yet one more threat and yet it is!

It is not sufficient for us to ask our children to watch their backs and be mindful of their actions and the perceptions of other people. It is imperative that we call this issue for what it is—racism—and resolve not only to keep our children safe, but more importantly, by naming the challenge and work diligently to mitigate its impact.

Throughout the nation this week, groups are gathering to raise this issue, grow awareness and solicit a resolve to mitigate the impact of racism on our society. Taking the time to examine how stereotypes so easily influence our perceptions and actions is perhaps the first step in mitigating the impact of racism in our lives. Our efforts can not undo the tragedy of Trayvon Martin’s death, but they can help us create a safer and more wholesome society for all children and youth.

"Job" Well Done For YMO Residents and Employers

As many of you know, Hillsides sponsors a very innovative program of services for youth transitioning from the foster care system to independence called Youth Moving On. The services provided include supportive housing, counseling, educational orientation, job readiness and financial literacy.

When YMO was started several years ago I believe that one of the tenets of the program was to encourage the participating youth to pursue an educational program, whether vocational training or enrollment at the local community college. Our experience, however, has taught us that as important as education is as a fundamental component to long-term success, employment is the decisive factor to achieve independence.

So through the generous support of the Deutsch Foundation, Hillsides and a number of other providers of services to this population have set out to develop a curriculum. The curriculum aims to lead these young adults through a process that enhances their ability to secure employment and begin to establish the foundation of financial independence.

This past Sunday 60 Minutes aired a segment featuring a very innovative employment program that not only trains the unemployed, but also places them in jobs and pays them during an initial employment period. This mitigates the cost to employers who accept participants as interns. The end result is a dramatic increase in full-time employment. This program sounded very familiar to me because it is exactly what we do with the YMO residents that participate in our job readiness program.

Villa Sorriso in Pasadena

For the past several months we have paid the salary of a YMO resident who interned at a local restaurant. The restaurant provided this young man with professional training and a supportive environment and slowly, but surely he acquired skills and confidence. As the internship drew to a close, the young man applied for a position at the establishment and we got news yesterday that he has been hired as a full-time employee.

A4

This young man is just the most recent example of the success of this effort. To all the young adults who have persevered through these internships and have been rewarded with not just employment, but equally as important, confidence and hope, congratulations! And, of course, to the employers who partner with us to make this innovative program possible, especially Karen Tanji of Villa Sorriso and Mark Mertens of A4, thank you for believing in these young people.

One youth at a time, in spite of the challenges, YMO and Hillsides make the extra effort to help all we serve achieve their dreams with milestones like employment.