4203 Southpoint Blvd

Jacksonville FL 32216

904-296-1038        fax 904-296-1953

www.nilausa.org                                                                                                              August 30, 2005

 

NILA Update

National Independent Living Association

 

 

 

Leadership to End Homelessness Audio Conference Series

A Full Continuum of Housing Options for Homeless Youth

 

September 08, 2005

1 pm EDT

 

Please join us for our next audio conference “A Full Continuum of Housing Options for Homeless Youth.”  This audio conference will focus on the unique set of housing challenges facing homeless youth.  Unlike adults who have often lived independently prior to experiencing homelessness, most youth who become homeless have never lived on their own.  Stable housing for youth who are homeless should be designed to prepare youth to succeed in future independent housing.  Given varied needs and the absence of prior independent living experience, rapidly placing youth “on their own” in housing without adequate supports, with an expectation that no further placements will be needed, would seldom be either realistic or in their best interests. 

 

The audio conference will identify and explain ten essential program elements and describe a full continuum of housing options to prevent and end youth homelessness. Guests will explore strategies for “systems youth” as well as “non-systems youth.”  The audio conference will feature:

 

 

 

 

The Leadership to End Homelessness Audio Conference Series is a monthly series of national conference calls focusing on the leading strategies that states, local jurisdictions and nonprofit organizations have employed to end homelessness. The series is sponsored by the Council of State Community Development Agencies, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Council of State Housing Agencies, the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Complete information about how to participate in the web call is available at: http://www.endhomelessness.org/audio/webcast.htm

To participate by phone, please call 1-800-403-3303 between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM CDT. Registration is required prior to participating in the conference call. The phone-in option has an approximate cost of $30.

 

 

 

Register for Growing Pains at:

 

http://www.danielkids.org/sites/web/content.cfm?id=276

 

Don’t forget to identify yourself as a NILA member on the registration form –

HOWEVER, you need to be current with you dues to get the NILA discount. 

Take this opportunity to make sure you are up-to-date!

 

 

"The Road"
A Poem by Sylvia, 17 Years Old
Written August 2, 2005

The Road I went,
Has been so long,
The time,
declined,
All the trying,
never crossed my mind,
why so long,
I don't belong, I've spent enough time waiting
lately,
I've been blank,
Why do bad things happen to good people,
All this time wondering,
Why 7 years felt like forever,
I'm still struggling,
I have no choice,
But to move on,
I have all these questions,
And no answers,
I'm tired of waiting,
In my past I've been betrayed,
All this time I've been back-tracking,
Praying and staying,
Living and loving,
My whole life,
Has meant nothing to me,
It took awhile,
To realize,
All my dreams aren't real after all,
All I've wanted was to end up where
I've always wanted to be,
I've wanted to lay back and relax,
It took me awhile,
To realize,
How much attention I was really getting,
What did I cause for all this attention,
Was it really for me,
I'm working so hard,
To realize all these things,
I'll get it,
I just got to go for my dreams.

 

 

“Youth Speak Out”

National Youth Forum sponsored by NILA at Growing Pains

 

Thursday, September 22 from 2:00p-3:30p

 

We need your help!  We want to hear from youth about their experiences within the foster care system.  NILA works hard to advocate for youth in foster care across the nation but we need to learn directly from our youth about the issues that are of biggest concern.

 

We will take what we hear from this speak out and pass it along to US DHHS so that they can be better informed when writing policies that affect youth in care.

 

Specific areas of interest are the youth’s experiences with:

 

· Education

· Employment

· Resources for Living Independently

· Experiences with Workers

 

We are asking that youth share both positive and negative experiences that may help to improve the system.  There will be a panel of listener’s who represent national organizations that can affect change in these areas.  The panel will use what they hear to help shape policies that directly affect our youth!  In addition, the information gathered from the youth will be put in an open letter to media outlets and the decision-makers who most affect our youth.

 

If know a youth that wants to be heard, send them to the NILA table anytime before the forum to sign up!  Also, if they have something to say but don’t want to speak, write it down and leave it with us at the NILA table and one of our youth facilitators will make sure that voice is heard!

 

 

The Smartest Card. Get it. Use it. @ your library

September is Library Card Sign-up Month - The American Library Association

A Great Way for Youth to Get Reading and Get Connected to the World!

For more info. - http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=promotions&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=10524

 

 

 

Is your agency having a conference?  An upcoming event?  Send it to me at mailto:salevy@nilausa.org so I can put it on the website.  Share your events with others in the field!

 

 

National Family Week

 

National Family Week (NFW), November 20-26, is a wonderful opportunity for your association to celebrate and honor our nation’s greatest assets, our children and families!

 

NFW embodies the premise that children live better lives when their families are strong, and families are strong when they live in communities that connect them to economic opportunities, social networks and services. These “connections” include:

- Economic self-sufficiency
- Dependable transportation
- Reliable child care
- Accessible health care

- Affordable housing

- Applicable education and training

 

Are you interested in celebrating NFW, but are limited on resources? Well celebrating NFW has never been easier! Some ideas include partner with other local nonprofits and organize a community resource fair, celebrate the connections you have with family and community, request a mayoral proclamation, display NFW material at your association, promote NFW in your newsletter or web site.


Across the nation, over 100 activities are being planned for National Family Week. To partner with a local group call the Alliance for Children and Families at 800-221-2681. To view a list of local events and to find out more about NFW, visit www.nationalfamilyweek.org .

 

For more information about NFW or to request posters or brochures, please email bbalistreri@alliance1.org or call 800-221-2681.



 


Sponsors Sought for Youth Coordination Act

The Federal Youth Coordination Act (FYCA; HR 856 and S 409) was drafted in response to a report issued by the White House Task Force for Disadvantaged Youth in December 2003, which found that federal programs to meet the needs of young people are spread across 12 different federal departments with little communication or coordination among them.

FYCA attempts to better serve disadvantaged and disconnected youth by establishing a Federal Youth Development Council to improve communication among federal agencies.

Under FYCA, which was drafted in partnership with the National Collaboration for Youth and its member organizations (including the Alliance for Children and Families), the council would meet for five years and issue an annual report each year.

The council would consist of heads of cabinet departments as well as advocates and youth themselves. Its mission would be to find ways to coordinate the federal effort to help the nation’s youth and to shape policies that will best serve their needs.

FYCA also includes, if appropriations are available, funds for states to recreate the federal effort on a state level and attempt to better coordinate their own youth-serving programs.

The National Collaboration for Youth (NCY), an affinity group of the National Human Services Assembly (of which the Alliance for Children and Families is a member), is leading a drive to encourage members of Congress to co-sponsor the Federal Youth Coordination Act.

FYCA currently has four co-sponsors in the Senate: Sens. Norm Coleman (R-MN), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Mike DeWine (R-OH), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI); and 10 co-sponsors in the House: Reps. Tom Osborne (R-NE), Harold Ford, Jr. (D-TN), Charlie Norwood (R-GA), John Peterson (R-PA), Tim Ryan (D-OH), Patrick Tiberi (R-OH), Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Jon Porter (R-NV), and Mark Souder (R-IN).

To read more about FYCA, or to sign on to NCY’s letter of support to Congress, visit http://www.youthcoordinationact.org/nydic/policy/fyca.htm.


 

 

-7612 or visit us information or to request a FREE product catalog1-800-226-7612 or visit us online:

Please help!  If you have pictures, stories, RESOURCES, or if you want your agency’s website on NILA’s website, please contact me at mailto:salevy@nilausa.org

 

There back!!!  Well, almost…

Congress convenes in September.  For information on how to write letters to the editor of local newspapers about budget cuts, go to… http://capwiz.com/results/issues/alert/?alertid=6905726&type=ME

 

 

What’s Happening?

*Look for Growing Pains September 21st-24th

Look for these NILA events at the conference:

 

Wednesday, September 21st

 

4:00-7:30 pm  NILA Board Meeting

7:30-8:30 pm  Welcome Dessert Reception (Sponsored by DMI and NILA)

 

Thursday, September 22nd

 

2:00-3:30 pm  Youth Speak Out (Sponsored by NILA)

4:00-5:00 pm  Annual NILA Meeting

 

Friday, September 23rd

 

9:00 am  NILA Awards Presentation at the General Session

 

*Look for new articles monthly on the website nilausa.org

*Look for success stories!

*Look for other agencies, which could use NILA services!