SFCASA March Newsletter

UPCOMING EVENTS

Torn Apart:

A View with Professor Dorothy Roberts

Join us on March 23rd at 5pm at the Bayview Opera House for an evening with Professor Dorothy Roberts. Professor Roberts will discuss her new book Torn Apart, followed by a Q&A period and book signing reception. In-person tickets are free for CASA Volunteers and include a copy of the book. There will also be a virtual registration option. To register please use this link.

In addition, CASAs will receive 1 hour of CE credit for attending. You will receive the book with your in-person ticket price or can attend virtually for free. For free virtual tickets use comp code: CASAComp. If you plan to attend virtually and/or want to purchase the book, we encourage you to do so at Marcus Books.

Please note: in order to register, you will need to create an account on the San Francisco Bar Association website. You do not need to be an attorney to attend the event. If you have any trouble registering, please contact Maggie Swanson at maggie@sfcasa.org.

SFCASA Fostering Change Gala 2023

We hope you can join us for our Fostering Change Gala on Friday, April 28th, 2023. As an advocate, you’re entitled to 50% off on up to 2 tickets. Just use the code CASALOVE50 at www.sfcasa.org/gala to reserve your tickets. Please contact Maggie Swanson at maggie@sfcasa.org if you’d like to reserve more than 2 tickets.

* Advocate Spotlight *

Jan has been one of our volunteers since 2020. She has been deeply involved as a CASA volunteer. Her efforts have also extended to other areas like recruitment, volunteer support, and retention of our current volunteers. Jan has been donating her time every month to recruit new people and to come up with and execute ideas to support our current CASAs. She has led monthly information sessions to recruit new volunteers and is part of the CCN, CASA Community Network, planning committee. She recently put in a lot of effort and time to implement the CCN Forum, a platform to facilitate communication between volunteers. She is doing an incredible job supporting her youth and at the same time she recognizes the importance of building community among volunteers and puts her energy into making her ideas come true.

Through ups and downs and everything in between, Jan has shown a commitment not just to support and advocate, but also to learn and grow in the role to best serve her youth. Jan is thoughtful, consistent and uber-patient with a teen who is exploring relational boundaries and behaviors. Her activity logs and court reports are timely and impactful.

It’s been a delight to partner with Jan and we are all so grateful for her commitment to SFCASA. We want to recognize all Jan has done to support SFCASA as an organization and we feel lucky to have her! Her ideas and consistency have helped us incorporate the voice of our volunteers.

ACTIVITIES & RESOURCES

Free Tax Filing Support for Foster Youth!

Support current and former foster youth to file their tax returns for free! This is the first year of the new CA state tax credit for foster youth, and SFCASA will serve as an IRS VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) site in partnership with John Burton Advocates for Youth and United Way Bay Area. Learn more here on the SFCASA website (including a link to an interest form for prospective clients to complete). SFCASA is currently completing preparations to open our site and we will begin reaching out to registered clients during the first two weeks of February. In the meantime please contact FYTaxHelp@sfcasa.org with any questions.

CSEC Prevention Curriculum Offered

San Francisco HSA-FCS is offering a survivor-led CSEC Prevention Curriculum for young people showing signs of vulnerability of being sexually exploited. Please talk with your Case Supervisor about The Cool Aunt Series if you think the youth you serve could benefit. Learning about CSEC before it happens can dramatically increase safety!

CASA-Case Supervisor Feedback Survey

Some of you may have heard about this at the Advocate Town Hall, but we wanted to inform you about a new process we are implementing as part of our annual Employee reviews at SFCASA. We will be soliciting your feedback about your Case Supervisor’s work beginning March 24th, 2023. Your feedback is vital. It will help us identify areas where we can improve our support and ensure our advocacy efforts are the best they can be. The survey will be anonymous.

Please keep an eye out for an email with a link to the survey. We encourage you to take a few minutes to complete it. Thank you, and have a great new month.

Space Priority Feedback

We hope you are all having a wonderful month of Love. We wanted to remind you about our survey on space planning priorities for SFCASA. You may have already received an email about this or heard it at our Advocate Town Hall on 02/13/2023. Your input is essential to assess our space needs and plan for the future. Please take a few minutes to complete the short survey linked HERE.

Thank you for your input!

Free Tickets to SF Academy of Sciences

Calling all Science Lovers! One of our fantastic Advocates Rudy, has graciously given 25 free tickets for CASAs and their youth to visit SF Academy of Sciences. Please contact programassistant@sfcasa.org to request tickets.

Cakes4Kids

Cake4Kids is a volunteer-based nonprofit that provides customized baked goods for birthdays, graduations, and other special events to our foster youth (or even just because!). If you are interested in requesting a cake, brownies, or cookies for your youth, please contact programassistant@sfcasa.org to submit a request. Please note that Cake4Kids requires that requests be submitted at least two weeks before the dessert is needed.

Financial Literacy

Many of you have shared and asked how can you support your youth with Financial Literacy? Whether they are a youth or young adult, financial knowledge is key especially as they prepare for the future. We have heard your request and SFCASA is happy to share that we will be planning to host a CE on Financial Literacy soon. If you can take a few moments to complete this brief survey we can better understand how to support you and your youth. Thank you for all you do!

Please click on this link to complete our survey.

San Francisco Smart Money

Coaching Program

The Office of Financial Empowerment's Smart Money Coaching provides free, confidential, one-on-one financial guidance. The program is available to anyone living, working, or receiving services in San Francisco, regardless of citizenship status. Coaches are available fluent in Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin, with additional translation services as requested.

Schedule a free appointment with a financial coach here.

City Youth Now:

College Tours

Let's support our high school students to see themselves at college! Please consider joining City Youth Now who are now offering college tours in-person, during SFUSD's spring break. They are tentatively planning to visit schools in Sacramento, San Jose and Santa Cruz over the course of 3 days -- 3/28, 3/29, and 3/30.

Please fill out this interest form - by clicking the orange button below - to indicate you are interested in joining us in-person, or if you would prefer virtual tours this year.

If you have any questions please teach out to emily@cityyouthnow.org!

Educational Advocacy

FAFSA Deadline

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act Application Deadline is approaching! Applications should be submitted by March 2, 2023 for priority consideration. Completion of these applications are an important step for students to receive funding for higher education. If you have questions and/or need support around completing the FAFSA, click here and/or contact your Case Supervisor.

SOAR Program

There is an exciting program, SOAR (Support, Opportunities, And Rapport), that supports foster youth with graduating from high school, attending college, and achieving their academic goals. The deadline to apply is April 29, 2023. The eligibility requirements are as follows:

Entering grades 7-9 in fall 2023
A Bay Area resident (Alameda, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, or Solano counties – exceptions have been made for youth outside of this area)
Have a C or better grade average
Adaptable/comfortable in group settings
Motivated to Learn Academically and Self-Learn during Summer
County social worker or CASA apply with recommendation

If you think your youth would benefit from participating in SOAR, please download the application and contact your Case Supervisor.

Educational Rights Holder

Are you a CASA who is on the fence about becoming an Educational Rights Holder? The title itself can be intimidating, but stepping into the dual role as CASA and ERH can only benefit your youth. Fulfilling both roles will strengthen your advocacy, benefit your youth, and could result in a smaller service provider team for your youth. If you have any questions/concerns around holding both roles, please reach out to the Educational Advocacy Specialist at alexis@sfcasa.org.

Online Sex Ed for Youth in Foster Care 2023

Did you know that all California middle and high school students are required to receive Sex Ed? Foster youth often miss these classes due to placement instability. Please talk with the youth's social worker to learn if they have received this important education. If they have not, they can benefit from this fantastic resource offered by the Reproductive Health Equity Project (RHEP).

Transitional Age Youth (TAY)

Corner

SFCASA Peer to Peer Grants

SFCASA’s Peer to Peer Grant Program is now open! Grant applications are accepted from the 1^st of EVERY month to the 15^th of EVERY month up until April 2023! Grant award amounts are between $500-$2500 for system-impacted youth throughout the Bay Area to address needs such as education, transportation, housing, and more! Those who identify as Black or Black/multi ethnic are encouraged to apply.

Young people MUST apply on their own (advocates, PSWs, etc. are welcome to support but can NOT apply on the young person’s behalf! )
Two paragraphs MUST be submitted in the young person’s application or it will be denied
ALL submitted applications MUST have an invoice to support the amount being requested as youth will NOT be receiving the grant money directly. SFCASA will be paying vendors directly. This means that we will not accept grant applications for smaller requests such as toiletries, clothing, etc. as the funding is a ONE time support and not ongoing.

To access the application please visit the link HERE. Please reach out to TAY Coordinator and Case Supervisor, Theodora at theodora@sfcasa.org or 628.867.7373 with any questions!

Black Economic Equity Movement

The Black Economic Equity Movement (BEEM) is a Guaranteed Income project for young Black people ages 18 – 24 in certain areas in San Francisco and Oakland. The BEEM project is looking at whether providing Guaranteed Income and financial supports improves the emotional, physical, and financial well-being of Black young people. Participants will be randomly selected from a pool of eligible people, and the project will include 300 people over the course of 2 years. If your youth qualifies, please help them apply HERE.

San Francisco Airport Summer Internship

San Francisco International Airport is initiating a summer internship program giving students experience in various fields like Engineering, Architecture, Project Management, Environmental Planning and ITT.

Deadline to apply: Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as this announcement on Tuesday, February 14, 2023.

Starting Salary: $33.2750 per hour

Link to apply: 2023 Summer Student Intern Program

Continuing Education for Advocates

TEAMING WITH FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS WORKSHOP

Wednesday, March 15th, 2023 at 6-8 PM via Zoom (2 CE Credits) with Pamela Hawley of https://universalgiving.org/

The CASA focuses on the youth and equally, we spend time focusing on the support people around them who make a significant difference in their lives. Hear

from a panel of CASAs sharing their relationship building and community engagement efforts with their youth’s team of providers and how that enhances the youth’s life. This will be an opportunity to reflect upon and share your experiences too.

CCN - CASA Community Network Huddle March

Tuesday, March 28, 2023 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM (Virtual - 1 CE credit)

The CASA Community Network (CCN) is a network for CASAs, organized by CASAs and hosted by CASAs. We share, lean in and on, and support each other through events, such as The Huddle. Sometimes we learn from expert guest speakers in continuing education sessions. In The Huddle we learn from experts – ourselves – we have collective years of expertise among us. We are a network of support – who better understands the ups, the downs, the joys, the challenges than we do.

TAY – First Support Huddle by the CASA Community Network

Wednesday, March 22, 2023 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM (Virtual - 1 CE credit)

A Special Time For CASAs Serving A Youth 16-21 Years Old

We have heard many requests from CASAs serving older youth and we have an evening planned just for you. Please join this virtual event on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 from 6:00 - 7:00 PM. This is a time to ask questions, express areas of needed support, share joys, successes and challenges. SF CASA staff will be in attendance to listen, hear your thoughts and answer questions. This time together will help create a network of CASAs serving similar ages and help staff plan CEs and events based on your needs.

CCN - CASA COMMUNITY NETWORK HUDDLE APRIL GET TOGETHER

Tuesday, April 25, 2023 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in person at 2533 Mission St. (Training Annex) (2 CE credits)

We have heard your recommendations regarding meeting and sharing time with other volunteers. For the month of April the CCN Huddle wants to do something special. On Tuesday, April 25th, we will meet in person to share time together. Please register if you would like to participate. We only have 24 spots. Please join us for drinks, arts and crafts, snacks, and to meet other volunteers.

FOSTER YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH

Wednesday, May 24, 2023 from 6p-8p on Zoom (2 CE credits)

Finding appropriate mental health services can be one of the biggest challenges for a youth in the foster system.

Dr. Elaina Vederman from the SF Dept. of Public Health - Foster Youth Programs

will join us to share about mental health resources available and address some

of the challenges and roadblocks that make it difficult to access mental health. We will look at a few sample scenarios and explore how CASAs can best support access to mental health for the youth they serve.

Trainings are offered to inform your advocacy,

help you think creatively about your case,

and to build community.

SFCASA Advocates are required to earn 12 CE credits

per calendar year.

Please visit Additional Continuing Education Opportunities for alternative options.

Do you have ideas for future CEs? Let us know by emailing training@sfcasa.org

CASA Tip of the Month

Time to Plan for Summer Activities!

It's not too early to support the youth you serve, together with their resource family and team, to plan for summer activities.

Please comment on topics and features you'd like to see in the SFCASA Forum.