Job Training For Life

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Press

YouthAbility’s training programs and our Executive Director, Rose Baker, have been in the news many times.



Sponsorships

Help Local Youth

Senior News

December 2012

Online at Sr News





Collaborative Funding

Helps Youth

Start Career

Times-Standard

July 11, 2012

Online at TS









Volunteers Assist
Youth Training

Senior News

June 2012

Online at Sr News










Youth Sponsorship Program

Times Standard

May 16, 2012

Online at TS










Vance Cafe Trainees
Achieve Certification

Times-Standard

Jan. 26, 2012

Online at TS









Help Wanted: Youth Learn Job Skills at The Vance Cafe

Tri-City Weekly

Oct. 4, 2011

Online at TCW











Improving Lives One
Bite at a Time

Times-Standard

Sept. 15, 2011

Online at TS









Thrift Store Angels

North Coast Journal

Feb. 4, 2010














LWV Salutes

Community Volunteers

Times-Standard 

April 24, 2010







At-Risk Kids Get

On the Job Training

McKinleyville Press

Jan. 6, 2009









Humboldt Woman Marks

25 Years as Foster Parent

Times-Standard

Jan. 2, 2009




  

 

Organizations and legislation in the news

Many organizations are concerned with solving the problem of homeless, disenfranchised youth in the U.S. Particularly youth who have emancipated from the foster care system have been identified as an underserved population. We are providing this list of organizations who are actively working to address needs through legislation, funding and education.


The John Burton Foundation  johnburtonfoundation.org


The Wallace Foundation 

wallacefoundation.org


Homeless Youth Capacity Building Project

cahomelessyouth.org


YouthAbility Executive Director Rose Baker advocates for these transitional age youth (TAY) at conferences around the country, speaking for the resources and assistance they require.


California State Foster Parent Association’s 36th Annual Training Conference

October 2012, Ms. Baker gave several workshops on challenging teens – how they think, how best to speak their language and encourage cooperation.


California Independent Living Program Transformation Breakthrough Series Collaborative

In January, 2009, Ms. Baker joined teams of professionals from all over California and beyond, with a mission to ensure every foster youth achieves:

Permanency – every youth has lifelong connections with family and supportive adults;

Education – every youth receives a quality education, high school diploma, and support in pursuing postsecondary opportunities; and

Employment - every youth has work experience and training opportunities that prepare them for and place them in living wage employment and careers.

More info about conference...

More info about series...


CAETF (California Foster Youth Education Task Force) Education Summit 2011 

Ms. Baker's presentation focused on:

"The Role of Caregivers in Better Educational Outcomes for Youth in Out-of-Home Placement."






There’s always something (good) happening
YouthAbility news Bank of America sponsorship Fall 2012: Bank of America in Eureka presented YouthAbility with a $2,500 sponsorship. Accepting the check from A.J. Gonzales, Eureka B of A Banking Center Manager, is Rose Baker and YouthAbility Board President Marguerite Wheeler. More news to come... North Valley Bank sponsorship Summer 2012: North Valley Bank is the first local bank to assist a young person by funding a sponsorship. Jeremy Ravazinni was chosen to receive training funds and started learning retail skills at Angels of Hope. When interviewed about job training, Jeremy said “It will get me out of the house more, give me something productive to do, and more money to do what I need—like buy a car and move out into my own apartment. Those things would make me a happier person in general. I also need more experience so I can get a decent job and support myself.” WIA and the Vance Cafe training program Winter 2012: Several young people have now been the training though the Workforce Investment Board (WIB) Youth Council program. Administered through Eureka City Schools, the program is open to students in and out of school. Students interested should contact cafe manager Dixie Callahan at 444-8466. YA training program credited with 96% success Fall 2011: At the CC25I Conference (California Connected by 25) in Oakland, Humboldt County ILS (Independent Living Skills) Program received the award for the highest rate - 96% - of transitioning foster youth employment. YouthAbility was cited as the #1 organization training most of these youth for success in the job market. CC25I is a statewide collaborative program of counties, agencies and organizations. Rose Baker, YA Executive Director, spoke at the conference, telling participants about how our training programs succeed with this special youth population. Topics covered included the unique core components of our program, such as 'No Fail' training, which encourages youth to keep trying. YouthAbility president receives HCOE Stagecoach Legacy Award YouthAbility's President Marguerite Wheeler received the 2011 Humboldt County Office of Education Stagecoach Legacy Award, a program sponsored and funded by Wells Fargo Bank. The award honors teachers’ commitment, hard work and dedication. Marguerite was selected from many nominations and received $1,000 for her classroom and Paciific View Charter School, where she is an independent studies teacher. Full story and photos New YouthAbility radio spot for 2012 Thanks to Brett McKay of Lost Coast radio, our new ad is running on KSLG, or you can listen to it here:  KHSU Home Page Wendy Butler interviews.. Vance Cafe Site Supervisor Dixie Callahan and trainee Taya Sharpe:  YouthAbility on YouTube Our channel is live: http://www.youtube.com/user/YouthAbility Watch the YouthAbility video created by The Ink People/Marz Program. 2011 news Board of Supervisors awards YouthAbility $15,000 grant for training The Vance Café Training Program received a boost on September 26, when the Headwaters Fund grant was approved by Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. Channel 3 News, reported that the grant was unanimously approved. "These are real jobs that will exist in the community, they won’t be outsourced and it's great we can train them locally." said Supervisor Clif Clendenen. Knee High Puppets sponsored in Kinetic Race Possibly the smallest sculpture in the race, Isaac Bluefoot and the puppet stage take off amid cheers and much excitement. The puppets finished the race...wow! YouthAbility was a sponsor for the Puppets and Isaac, who have livened the Angels of Hope events with many exciting, wise and funny performances. Thank you, Puppets...Go! More about the race. Spaghetti Sunday Fundraiser Our May fundraiser was fun for all. A silent auction, dessert auction and live auction raised funds for a new YouthAbility job training program that is currently in the planning stage. We thank all who contributed, participated and came to enjoy the spaghetti in the wonderful historic Eureka Woman’s Club. Special thanks to them for making the facility affordable for YouthAbility and also to Wanda and LeRoy Hoffman for their extraordinary efforts to make this event a success. See the list of all who donated. The Little Bigfoot Race On April 30th, students and YA youth ran the third annual HSU Kinesiology Club’s 5K. This year part of the race’s proceeds benefitted YouthAbility’s job training programs for at-risk youth. Thanks so much to Elsie Lopez for making it happen and to all who participated 2010 news Arts Arcata at Angels On November 12, the thrift store stayed open late to host a free community event. The Knee High Puppets, by Isaac Bluefoot, entertained and bantered, while music was provided by Adam Wolter, Stella, and Lindsey Battle, with Steve Stringer on the sound board. Thanks to the performers and to all those who came and enjoyed! Watch for new Angels events soon. In memoriam: Cody Card 1989-2010 We will all miss Cody, who died in a tragic accident December 1. Cody Card-Hershberger volunteered at Angels of Hope for several years and made lasting friends among the staff and trainees. He was, as our assistant manager said, the store’s mascot. Always ready to lend a hand, make a joke, and be a part of the team, Cody went on to work with the California Conservation Corps and at Fire and Light, as well as volunteering at North Coast Resource Center, Ink People Center for the Arts, and Vector Rehabilitation. His energy and dedication are an inspiration to us all! Youth at work An estimate* based on information from the census bureau is, that in 2007, 1,716 households in Humboldt County received public assistance dollars...close to 3%. We believe that 50-65% of these welfare recipients could be employable now if their formable job skills’ years had not been wasted. YouthAbility strives to lower that number through early intervention. Teenagers and young adults who have not been able to conform to normal educational milieus often can excel in our programs. At this time, youth are given a variety of work experiences to build their job competencies as they learn marketable skills. As a small organization, we can offer specialized learning assistance suited to the youths' needs, whether they are creative, mechanical, social or entrepreneurial. YouthAbility is working to expand the training opportunities we offer. You can help... Rose Baker receives Torch Award YouthAbility’s Executive Director Rose Baker was honored with five other community members as inspirational in their life and work. The awards were presented at the Sixth Annual Courage Night on October 19th at the Arkley Center. Nominations were made by community members, and Rose was chosen for her dedication to children, youth and family stability...as shown by her continued advocacy and the over 400 children she has fostered – most of who were teenagers. Times-Standard article Rose Baker (middle) and husband Pete with Susan Santsche, organizer of Courage Night Torch Awards www.factfinder.census.gov YA_people_in_the_news.htmlhttp://www.youtube.com/user/YouthAbilityhttp://www.youtube.com/user/YouthAbilityhttp://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=112273162192819Get_involved.htmlGet_involved.htmlGet_involved.htmlNews_files/timesstandard102910%20.pdfhttp://www.factfinder.census.gov/shapeimage_7_link_0shapeimage_7_link_1shapeimage_7_link_2shapeimage_7_link_3shapeimage_7_link_4shapeimage_7_link_5shapeimage_7_link_6shapeimage_7_link_7shapeimage_7_link_8

Photo by Bob Doran, North Coast Journal