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Working with Teens: Brain-Based Advocacy | Summer Training Series

Tuesdays, 12-1pm, June 22 - Sept 7

|

Online

Join the Athens CASA Team for a 12 week series to learn more about adolescent brain development and how to apply that knowledge to your work advocating and serving teens involved in the child welfare and juvenile court systems.

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Working with Teens: Brain-Based Advocacy | Summer Training Series
Working with Teens: Brain-Based Advocacy | Summer Training Series

Time & Location

Tuesdays, 12-1pm, June 22 - Sept 7

Online

About the event

Athens CASA is pleased to host a 12 part summer training series focused on advocacy work with older youth and teens. The training series incorporates and delivers "Integrating Adolescent Brain Development Into Child Welfare Practice with Older Youth." The curriculum is research-based and was developed by the NASW Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The training curriculum incorporates research from "The Road to Adulthood: Aligning Child Welfare Practice with Adolescent Brain Development" and the Casey Foundation's "Brain Frames" initiative. 

The training session will be conducted virtually, although participants will receive hardcopies of handouts and worksheets through the mail. Trainees must be able to commit to the entire series. The cohort will meet for 1 hour per week for 12 weeks.

This training series is free to participants, although a 12 trainee minimum is required. Registration is capped at 25 participants.

Training dates:

June 22, 12-1pm

June 29, 12-1pm

July 6, 12-1pm

July 13, 12-1pm

July 20, 12-1pm

July 27, 12-1pm

August 3, 12-1pm

August 10, 12-1pm

August 17, 12-1pm

August 24, 12-1pm

August 31, 12-1pm

September 7, 12-1pm

Training Competencies

» Recognize how our own current beliefs and attitudes about adolescence impact our work.

» Recognize how adolescent brain development influences adolescent thinking and behavior. 

» Recognize the link between early life trauma of abuse and neglect and how adolescent brain development provides opportunities for healing. 

» Recognize the role of trauma and racism, and employ effective practices to help young people understand their experiences and develop effective strategies for healing and growth. 

» Consider socio-cultural assumptions and implicit biases when working with young people. 

» Recognize how youth development principles and practices can enhance outcomes for older youth. 

» Recognize the value of authentically partnering with young people.

Learning Objectives 

» Describe the transition outcomes of older youth in foster care. 

» Recognize how normal adolescent development is impacted by foster care placement. 

» Recognize how adolescent brain development influences adolescent thinking and behavior. 

» Identify how trauma effects brain development and impacts learning. 

» Apply brain science when interacting with young people by creating authentic partnerships. 

» Identify trauma informed strategies to support better outcomes for young people. 

» Identify strategies to change the way child-serving systems think about adolescence. 

» Recognize how youth development principles and practices can enhance outcomes for older youth. 

» Describe the importance of building social capital with older youth in foster care. 

» Describe how to help older youth build social capital. 

» Describe using effective strategies that support healing and promote growth. 

» Describe the knowledge and skills needed to promote youth-adult partnerships.

About the Teachers

Jenny Stotts, MA, MS, LSW is the Executive Director of the Athens CASA/GAL Program and the Regional Coordinator for CASA in Southeast Ohio. She specializes in trauma-informed care and has presented her work on trauma, resilience  and critical communications at national and international conferences and has been featured in numerous publications. She was elected to the National CASA Leadership Council and previously served as Chair of the Rural Leadership Council. She is the Chair of the Southeast Ohio Child Welfare Review Panel. Stotts will lead the training team for this summer training series.

Tara Huffman is a Volunteer Coordinator with the Athens CASA/GAL Program. Huffman is trained in trauma-informed care and wraparound modalities. Huffman's background is in Child & Family Studies and she worked previously in child protection. She also serves as an Adjunct Instructor with Ohio University's Child & Family Studies Program. 

Jess Chadwell is a Volunteer Coordinator with the Athens CASA/GAL Program. Chadwell focused her academic studies on social work, psychology and law science. Chadwell's expertise includes communication skill-building and trauma-informed practices.

This training has been partially funded through a contract between Ohio CASA and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. OHIO CASA supports local CASA/GAL programs throughout Ohio with training, technical assistance, legislative support, and standards implementation so volunteers may advocate for abused, neglected, and dependent children in the court system. This training has been approved for R48 compliant GAL CEs by Judge Zachary L. Saunders.

A special thank you to the National Association of Social Workers, the NASW Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative for developing and sharing this curriculum with the Athens CASA/GAL Program.

Schedule


  • 1 hour

    Module 1

    Required Virtual Session

  • 1 hour

    Module 2

    Required Virtual Session
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