UPCOMING EVENTS

CASA Summer Activities 2023

MeWater

CASAs and their youth will enjoy a fun beach day in Half Moon Bay. They will get the opportunity to try surfing if they want to try and learn and/or participate in the surfing activity. The MeWater volunteers also have non water activities for those who do not want to get in the water, so non-swimmers are most welcome! SFCASA will provide the lunch for those participating. There is no limit to how many people who can participate in this activity.

MeWater Foundation is a nonprofit organization run by surfers and mental health professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area. They provide day and overnight surf camps to youth, families, and groups, with a mental health approach to mindfulness, empowerment, and exposure to the ocean and the great outdoors.

The dates for the MeWater events will be May 27th and July 29th.

If you are interested please email [email protected]. More details to follow closser to the event.

BlueWater

CASAs and youth will enjoy afternoon morning learning how to sail, and afterwards will be treated to a yummy lunch on the docks (also provided by SFCASA). BlueWater has one boat docked in Berkeley Marina which will hold 12 people. We ideally would want 6 pairs of CASAs and their youth. This activity will held on June 24th and will be a first come first serve opportunity.

Bluewater is an all-volunteer nonprofit dedicated to bringing the joys and challenges of sailing to San Francisco Bay Area under-served youths.

If you are interested please email [email protected].

May is Foster Care Awareness Month

Some facts about children and young people who experience the system:

about 80 percent have significant mental health needs due to the complex traumas from entering foster care
1 in 4 will experience homelessness within 4 years of aging out of the system
58% graduate from high school, and 3% graduate from college in CA, while more than 85% of SFCASA seniors consistently graduate from high school.
only 50% will be employed at age 24

Right now there are over 70 children on our waitlist. Please help SFCASA meet the needs of children and youth experiencing the child welfare and juvenile justice systems! Tell a friend about our next info session on May 10th and you can register HERE.

Summer Bike Event

Join us for the SFCASA and San Francisco Bicycle Coalition's "Bike It Forward" Bicycle Distribution Event on Saturday, June 3rd! Let’s get bikes for our youth and their families. Event details might change. We will send you updates. Please fill out the registration form. Register HERE.

Bike Repair Clinic and Ride Out Summer Event

Summer is coming up and we need to be ready! SFCASA and The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition are partnering for a bike Clinic and ride out event coming up in June. If your youth or their family have bikes that need to get fixed, please invite them to this event. The SFBC will be providing their expertise to fix the bikes during the event. After that, we will be riding our bikes and enjoying some snacks and drinks. Please join us for this event, even if your youth and family don't need to fix their bikes, it will be fun to spend time together. More details to come! Register HERE

ACTIVITIES & RESOURCES FOR YOUTH

SFCASA Go-Bags

for youth experiencing placement instability

Providing a GO-Bag to a young person who is experiencing placement instability can help to reduce their risk of harm. Each bag/backpack contains a Clipper Card, GrubHub gift card, solar phone charger, toothbrush and toothpaste, socks, and sanitary wipes. There is also a card with important phone numbers (you can help them add their own) so they can reach out for help and stay in contact.

If the youth you serve is homeless, couch surfing, has a pattern of leaving their placement, or has indicated they may leave their placement - please give them a GO-Bag. The goal is to support them with basic needs as they figure out where they can safely stay. You can schedule to pick up a GO-Bag at the SFCASA office during regular office hours by contacting your Case Supervisor.

Thank you for partnering to help increase youth safety!

Maven Youth:

LGBT+ Summer Tech Camp

Maven Youth is a nonprofit offering free summer camp programming for LGBT+ Youth in the Bay Area. We collaborate with local youth-serving organizations/programs and LGBT+ tech professionals to provide free summer tech camps across the nation for queer and underrepresented youth between the ages of 14-19.

Free Therapeutic Horse Riding Lessons

SFCASA has partnered with Brady Therapeutic Riding to offer low-key, safe and fun sessions learning about horses. Youth can come, hang out and decide what they want to do: volunteer-type activities (grooming, saddling horses, cleaning stalls) and/or get on the horse for a riding lesson, and/or a combination of the two! Brady Therapeutic Riding is located on the SF Zoo campus, and helps youth learn about being present, letting go of stories, and being aware of their body via relationships with gentle rescue horses. There are no foster youth labels or jargon at “Hanging with the Horses”, just a time and space to learn, grow and heal.

SFCASA covers the cost of sessions. Introductory sessions are on Sunday mornings, after which times can be scheduled on afternoons W-F, and Saturdays. Please contact Program Manager Sue Lockyer ([email protected]) for more information or to get started with “Hanging with the Horses”.

Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion Services

Rec and Park's summer day camp registration is right around the corner, with general registration beginning on Saturday, March 18 at 10 a.m. and priority registration beginning on Monday, March 13. Use this link to apply.

San Francisco Human Rights Commission:

Free Minds Inaitive

The SF Human Rights Commission seeks to partner with community organizations to support access to culturally congruent mental health and wellness services for Black/ African American communities with disparate access across San Francisco. This program intends to offer healing spaces to alleviate the history of anti-Black racism that has impacted Black residents for generations. If you have any questions please email: [email protected].

Fostering Parenthood

Fostering Parenthood is the newest podcast to support your foster care journey. Caregivers need resources that help them support youth through their sexual health journeys–and allow them to feel good about themselves while doing so. Traditional training doesn’t always go far enough or fit caregivers’ complicated, busy lives. This podcast was derived from a multitude of caregivers who gave their insight on relevant topics, episode structure, tangible resources, and effective communication strategies. Check out the podcast here.

T-Mobile Changemaker Challenge

T-Mobile, the T-Mobile Foundation, and Ashoka are teaming up for the fifth Changemaker Challenge, a nationwide contest that gives young leaders the opportunity to take their ideas for creating a more connected, equitable, and sustainable future to the next level. Now, through May 18, 2023 (8:59 pm PT / 11:59 pm ET) anyone ages 13-18 located in the U.S. or Puerto Rico with bold ideas for driving digital empowerment, putting equity into action, and supporting a thriving planet can enter the Changemaker Challenge. Fifteen finalists will be selected to win up to $15,000 in seed funding and an all-expenses-paid trip to T-Mobile headquarters to participate in the Changemaker Lab later this year.* Additionally, each of the fifteen finalists will receive ongoing mentorship and skills development.

Free Tickets to CuriOdyssey

CuriOdyssey has graciously offered SFCASA unlimited tickets for CASAs and their youth to go and enjoy their museum in San Mateo. CuriOdyssey is a non-profit science museum and zoo, that gives kids the opportunity to observe wild animals, experiment with scientific phenomena and let the natural world answer their questions. If you and your youth are interested in this experience please email [email protected] and we will get you set up on how to attend CurisOdyssey with your youth.

Educational Advocacy

FAFSA

The FAFSA deadline is approaching! June 30 will be here before we know it. Check in with your youth to see if they need support completing the application. All California seniors are required to complete the FAFSA application. This is an important step in the Post-secondary Education process. Reach out to your Case Supervisor or the Educational Advocacy Specialist at [email protected].

Educational Advocacy Reminders

IEPs and Transcripts

Please upload your youth’s IEPs and/or transcripts to Advocate Link. These documents can simply the enrollment process in the event that your youth has to change schools. School changes can be sudden and districts may not be able to send the documents in a timely manner. Having these documents readily available strengthens the educational advocacy for the youth.

On Track for Graduation?

The 2022-2023 school year is almost over. Check in with your youth and their academic team to see if they are on track to graduate. Check out our website for resources to support your youth with obtaining their diploma and alternative paths to high school completion.

Transitional Age Youth (TAY)

Corner

Boys and Girls Club

Job Opportunities

The Boys and Girls Club's mission is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. Youth are encouraged to apply to work for the Boys and Girls Club and if you would like to connect directly with us to pursue our job opportunities, please email [email protected].

Please explore the different job opportunities below:

· Click here to explore Camp Mendocino opportunities - hiring all to start June 7, 2023.

· Click here to explore our San Francisco opportunities - ongoing hiring all year long

If you want to learn more about BGCSF, you can watch a short video about us or spread the word that we are hiring 80+ positions by reposting from our Instagram.

City College of San Francisco

Registration Dates

Resources for Advocates

StarVista Mental Health Fair:

Volunteers Needed

On Sunday May 21st, SFCASA is participating in the StarVista Mental Health Matters 2023 Fair. We will have a table to recruit volunteers, and StartVista is looking for some volunteers that would like to support with logistics at the fair. If you want to support this event you can register HERE. Volunteers who support the event will receive CE credit. Please email Jennifer at [email protected] if you register as a volunteer for the event or if you have any questions.

Continuing Education for Advocates

NEW ADVOCATE SUPPORT GROUP CE

Wednesday, May 10, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 PM on Zoom. (2 CE Credits)

Now that you have stepped into the CASA Role, this is an opportunity to reconnect

with your training cohort and support each other as you get started on your case. We will share learnings together about first steps on the case, relationship building with the youth and the professionals, court reports, logs, CEs and more. All new Advocates (sworn-in March 2023) are asked to attend.

TEAMING WITH FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS WORKSHOP

Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 6-8 PM via Zoom (2 CE Credits) with Pamela Hawley of https://universalgiving.org/

The CASA focuses on how to support the youth through the support people around them. There are many varied support professionals who make a significant difference in our youths’ lives. We will define all the support people available to you and review their expertise roles. Part of our role is to engage and build this support system around the youth. In addition, 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 as well.

COUNTER TRANSFERENCE AND SELF AWARENESS with Dr. Natalia Estassi

Monday, May 15, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 PM on Zoom. (2 CE Credits)

This training will discuss counter transference, a term Freud founded, and how it can both positively and negatively impact our work as providers. Discussed will be the many environmental and social stressors we are facing today, this includes the COVID-19 pandemic and the racism pandemic, which will impact us in various ways. As a CASA, in hearing the losses and hardships of your youth, one is often triggered, especially in these difficult times. Explore the importance of your own self-awareness to best guarantee one can remain effective as a provider. Learn ways to cultivate self-awareness and the importance of our own boundaries. Review the importance of self-care and barriers that can lead to burnout and vicarious trauma.

HOUSING OPTIONS FOR IN CARE AND EMANCIPATING TRANSITIONAL AGED YOUTH AND NMD’S with Esperanza Jacuinde and Theodora Liebhart

Tuesday, May 16th, 2023, 6:00-8:00 PM on Zoom (2 CE Credits)

Exploring housing options and transitioning to an independent living environment can be both an adjustment and challenging for a lot of youth and young adults. This new phase can mean losing your care team, financial resources and other supportive services. If you are a CASA supporting a young person between the ages of 16-20, one of the main challenges is housing. What options are available? What does team support look like after aging out? Please join us as we share an overview of the various housing options available and how each of these work differently so that you can support your young person in figuring out which works best for them.

CCN - CASA COMMUNITY NETWORK HUDDLE

Tuesday, May 23, 2023 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM on Zoom (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.

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.

HARM REDUCTION 101: MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING SKILLS AND PRACTICE

Thursday, June 8, 2023 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm on Zoom (2 CE credits)

This interactive training will provide space for participants to reflect on their own experience in putting harm reduction philosophy into practice, taking a deeper look at how harm reduction can be applied in their work with youth. Participants will have the opportunity to hone harm reduction and motivational interviewing skills, to reflect on successes and challenges of the work, get feedback on clinical questions and concerns, and to review real life scenarios that are common when working with youth.

ENDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR YOUTH AND FAMILIES with Dr. Natalia Estassi

Monday, June 12, 2023 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm on Zoom (2 CE credits)

As providers, we will learn different techniques on how to develop empathetic, respectful, and engaging, and professional relationships with our clients and other providers to best support our youth and their overall success. This includes understanding mental health, cultural sensitivity, and effective communication techniques, in order to most effectively work with providers and the system. This also includes having effective terminations with our client’s and letting them know that healthy relationships, also end.

CORE TRAINING ADVOCATE REFRESH (for CASAs with 3 years+ experience)

Thursday, June 22, 2023 from 6p-8p on Zoom (2 CE credits)

We are pleased to offer the following learning opportunity for advocates who have been boots-on-the-ground these past years. Connect with other tenured Advocates as we explore: gratitude and appreciation, relationship maintenance, new SFCASA policies, Court report writing, activity logs (why do they matter?), CE’s, court hearing participation options, and more. If you have served with SFCASA for 3 or more years, please plan to attend.

BEHIND THE SCENES ADVOCACY: WHEN YOUR YOUTH IS NOT ENGAGED with Allison Roeser

Wednesday, June 28, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 PM on Zoom. (2 CE Credits)

Do you wonder at times how to advocate when the youth you serve is away from placement, or not engaged with the team? Allison Roeser will support us learn from experienced CASAs sharing real-life examples of "behind the scenes" advocacy that can be done in these situations. We'll hear about what's worked well and ways that they've advocated for and supported their youth in non-traditional ways. We'll have the opportunity to speak with other CASAs about their experiences in small groups, and will leave with clear next steps of how to continue as a CASA when a youth is out of placement or not responsive.

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 [email protected]

CASA Tip of the Month

SFCASA fun in the sun summer events!

SFCASA has some summer events coming up for CASAs and their youth to go and enjoy! We look forward to seeing you there.

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