2015 action retreat

10:00 am Introductions and Purpose of Meeting

10:10 am Overview and history of FCAA Ohio

10:30 am Developing a plan of ACTION (foundation)

11:00 am Short-term and long-term funding strategies

Noon Working Lunch

1:00 pm 2015 Strategic Plan

2:00 pm 2015 Advocacy and Outreach Strategies

3:00 pm Adjourn

Ohio foster care youth and alumni began gathering on a statewide level in 2006. We are currently working to transition from being a state chapter of a national organization to becoming an Ohio-based group.

Ohio foster care alumni and allies want to foster ACTION in order to improve outcomes for young people during and after foster care. The acronym ACTION stands for: Alumni of Care Together Improving Outcomes Now. We believe this statement captures our purpose and sense of urgency.

In the ongoing history of Ohio foster care advocacy, our initial VISION is leading to continued ACTION…. for the purpose of assisting our younger brothers and sisters with Overcoming Hurdles in Ohio, particularly those who are Ready to Launch into young adulthood.

• 3rd year of DC visits (“Three Days on the Hill”)• 5th year of co-facilitation of OHIO YAB• 7th year of Thanksgiving Reunions

• Local, state, national and international youth and alumni conferences and leadership retreats

• Primary facilitator for 2011 Career and Entrepreneurship Conference, and 2012-2013 Connecting the Dots conferences

• Ohio Reach Board membership and conference co-facilitation since 2009

• Launching initiatives, including Suits for Success

• Peer Support: Facilitated through meetings, reunions,Pay It Forward program, etc.

• Empowerment: Training and equipping our brothers and sisters of the foster care system through conferences, workshops, leadership retreats

• Collaboration: Partnering with allies on initiatives to improve outcomes, such as Suits for Success, Reach, CTD, and the Holiday Wish Program

• Advocacy: Advocating for policies and procedures that increase the likelihood of our brothers and sisters in and from foster care to succeed

We’ve discussed having two levels of involvement in ACTION:

1. Alumni volunteer staff who serve in a specific role, which one day might be funded

2. Alumni volunteer members who are groomed and empowered for future opportunities according to their topics of interest, desired level of involvement and level of skill.

*When possible, we provide alumni with stipends or help them negotiate contracts for speaking engagements / conference presentations

When developing a future leadership structure, it might help to look at ourcurrent roles.

1.) Communications Chair: Lisa Dickson2.) Operations Chair: Doris Edelman 3.) Media Spokesperson: Adrian McLemore4.) Training and Education: Jamole Callahan5.) Youth Outreach Coordinator: Dauntea Sledge

Website URL: ohioaction.org

Web team: Maya Lewis, Andrea Langley, Sami Ross

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Logo deadline: ASAP

Web frame with 3 doorways:

1. OHIO YAB: Destination site for foster care youth (ages 14- early 20s)

2. ACTION: Destination site for foster care alumni (ages 18+) that they can never “age out” of…

3. Third doorway: Resource access for foster youth and alumni who are in need

• FCAA Ohio funding balance: $7KReceipt reimbursement and YAB logo clothing purchaseThen need to invoice for OSU and DC

• OHIO YAB funding (current and next FY): 9.5KNeed to find travel vendor to cover flights and hotel

• Dave Thomas Foundation

• Current and future grant opportunities, i.e. Solicitation Released for Performance Partnership Pilots for Disconnected Youth, deadline March 5

• Feb. 26 – Housing event in Toledo• March 10 – Village Network: Paul Mitchell’s• March 13 – Planning meeting with OSU• March 15 – ACTION meeting• March 26 – Ohio Fostering Connections• March 27 – Planning meeting with OSU• April 16 – OHIO YAB Quarterly Meeting• April 22 – All-day OSU Event • April 26 - ACTION meeting• May 11 – Village Network IL class (topic TBA)• May 17-21 – Three Days On the Hill

• June 17-19 – Purple Project Conference• Sept. 23/24/25 – Pathways conference• Oct. 15 – OHIO YAB meeting• Nov. 14 – SW and NE Thanksgiving• Nov. 20 – Possible date for NW Thanksgiving• Nov. 21 – See if SE Thanksgiving can be held• Nov. 22 – Central Thanksgiving

Preparatory tasks: - Pay It Forward Donations: LINK-22 and Columbus Gives Back- Holiday Wish Program (could Carole Phillips organize?)

• We need to start this effort with the goal of developing a pipeline of youth and alumni leaders. Consistently training new people will increase longevity and inspire young people. This effort will thereby become more powerful, with more people involved and more likely to be sustained.

• Think of the power that this state could have – if we have a constant influx of new leaders, whom we develop and train through the YAB process – and then orient them to the ACTION process. If you look at any strong organization, that’s exactly how they sustain success (i.e. Google, Apple)

• We could become viable for the next 25 years. We could get to the point where the state of Ohio does not move until they talk to the foremost experts: youth and alumni.

• Goal: To develop a permanent leadership development program, complete with an orientation and a training and development track

Continuous training, development and inclusion: During the orientation and training process, we will be able to tell if the person is in it for the greater good vs. just making a name for him or herself: “This is bigger than you. We have nothing against you being successful on your own. But if you are in this primarily for self-promotion, this might not be the opportunity for you.” (This message at the onset)

• History • Vision and Mission (to improve outcomes)• Short Term and Long Term Goals• Core Messaging• Collective Voice • Strategic Sharing• Advocating Without Alienating• Accountability (Under-promise and Over-deliver) • Moving from the Brainstorming Process to Effective

Implementation• Specific Training Tracks related to the annual operations of

ACTION and/or the child welfare events that take place each year

Upcoming deadlines: • Contact info for youth and alumni in reprinting of OHIO

YAB Youth Handbook• Finding a vendor for DC travel expenses that Fairfield

County can work with • Identifying and preparing youth/alumni for March 26

event• Drafting ACTION logo and branding -> web team• Decisions re: Purple Project conference• Plan for May 11 activities for Village Network