Inside_TRAC_Mag

Inside TRAC Magazine | Fall 2003 | Transition Resource Action Center

Youth/Alumni Leadership Retreat (held in Glen Rose) was a blast!

On the weekend of September 19, TRAC sponsored its first Youth/Alumni retreat at Riverbend Retreat Center in Glen Rose, Texas. The three-day event brought together 14 youth ranging in age from 14 – 22 who are current or former foster care youth. The purpose of the retreat was to plan how youth would like a youth-driven advocacy group to look – this included developing an identity, group rules, and a mission statement. The mission chosen was: “We are a group of young representatives on a mission to improve the quality of care, the rights, and the empowerment of youth without a permanent home. We do this through dedication and commitment to inform and enforce the rights of unique youth of future generations.” A wonderful time was had by all the youth. They returned to Dallas fired up about the possibilities and ready for the next meeting.

The youth/alumni group will meet on October 18th with the PAL Leadership Council at TRAC to explore how they can work together. All are welcome!

And that group will meet again at the Hurst CPS Office on November 15th.

Keep an eye on the TRAC Calendar for future activities and meeting dates!

On-Site
Contacts
Call toll free:
(866) 4ON-TRAC
(866) 466-8722

Dallas:
(214) 370-9300

Karri Alexander
WorkSource
Extension 21

Jennifer Grant
TRAC Coordinator
Extension 15

Imtiaz Haiyoom
Target: Kids in Court
Extension 11

Evy Kay Ritzen
Target: Kids in Court
Extension 14

Frances Serna
Lead PAL Coordinator
Extension 23

Rick Stephens
Gulf Coast Trades Center
Extension 22

Looking for answers?
Start at TRAC.
by Jennifer Grant, TRAC Coordinator

If you are six months or less from emancipating from care and don’t feel totally prepared then OnTRAC Transitions Planning is for you. We will be getting together several times a year at TRAC to refresh your practical knowledge of all those great life skills you learned in PAL classes and have never had to use in the real world. The group will also go over all the possible PAL benefits such as: transitional Medicaid, College Information/tuition waver, and PAL Household Allowance. The group will be fun, interactive and informative. Keep an eye on the TRAC calendar for future dates and locations.

The first OnTRAC Transitions Planning meeting will be November 22nd. Call Jennifer at (214) 370-9300 x15 to reserve your place.

Caregivers: If you would like to sponsor an OnTRAC Transitions Planning session, call Jennifer at (214) 370-9300 x15.

Why visit TRAC? — from a teen's POV
by Andre, age 19

There is a wide range of resources to help you find a good school or even how to get a job. The staff loves to help — some almost too much. The kitchen always has snacks on-hand to keep you up and alert while you search for your goals. There are always cool new people to meet who know where you are coming from and you get to hear all kinds of different views. If you like having fun while getting work done and getting your life on TRAC then come to the Transition Resource Action Center.

Would you like fries with that?
It may not be your dream job but, be glad you're working!
by Karri Alexander, WorkSource

Let's get "real" about finding a job in today's job market. I know it's tough but, until the economy turns around you have to play the game. That means if you get a job offer — even if it is something you hate doing or just don't want to do — stick with it. It could be great experience that leads to something better.

Remember, working at ANY job will give you valuable work experience. And doing it well often leads to better positions at the same company. The most important thing is that you have money coming in, you are building professional experience, and when it is time to look for a new position — it is always easier to get a new job when you're employed.

It's FREE! It's ONLINE!
Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment

Foster parents, caseworkers, caregivers, practitioners, researchers, agencies ---this is for you! And it's sure to benefit the youth you serve. The Ansell- Casey Life Skills Assessment is a tried and tested tool to assess independent living readiness for young people ages 10-19+ and, better yet, it offers links to life skill-building resources to prepare youth to successfully transition to life on their own. The wonderful thing about the Ansell-Casey is that it is so much more than just another test. The results, combined with the life skills curriculum, can really open up the lines of communication between youth and their caregivers. It's accessible on line at www.caseylifeskills.org . All assessments and the immediately scored reports are free of charge! Take a look, but before you proceed, it is best to come to a 2 hour orientation session to make sense of it all. (This will count toward continuing education requirements for foster parents.) You will need a special log in code and most importantly, you need to learn how to read the reports and turn that into a customized life skills curriculum for each youth you serve. TRAC is offering several Ansell-Casey orientation sessions on October 23rd and October 28th and also has a library of recommended life-skills curriculum materials. Just send an email and let us know which class works for you. The life skill areas assessed include:

Daily Living Tasks
Housing & Community Resources
Money Management
Self-Care
Social Development (Communication, Relationships, Community Values)
Work & Study Habits (Career Planning, Decision-Making, Study Skills)

PAL Update
Frances Serna, Lead PAL Coordinator

The first round of PAL training classes for this year has begun. The classes for Dallas County started on September. 16 at TRAC. The Tarrant County classes begin October 13 , 2003; these classes will be held at the Catholic Charities office in Fort Worth. PAL classes will be held at different locations through out the year and through out the District so that all youth placed in this District, have a chance to participate and complete the required PAL Training at times and locations which will be convenient. Please call the PAL coordinator if you are or know of a youth 15 ½ or older who has not been contacted or referred for PAL training so that the youth can be placed on the waiting list for training. Youth placed on the waiting list will be contacted according to their age rather than first come, first served. Youth who are 17 and 18 years of age are contacted first; youth who are 16 ½ will come next, and finally youth just turning 16 and 15 ½.

The first step to the PAL training process is that each youth and his/her caregiver take the Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment; this can be done online. Please contact the PAL office to find out how to access the assessment, how to log on and how to receive results. See related article.

The Arlington District PAL Teen Council meets every third Saturday of each month. This year, they will be alternating meetings between TRAC in Dallas and the TDPRS office in Hurst. The first meeting will be on Oct. 18th at TRAC. Youth around the District are encouraged to participate.

PAL program will hold a graduation party for youth who completed PAL Training this summer; it will be on October 25^th from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at TRAC. There will be a speaker and refreshments including a special cake. Graduation certificates and gifts will be presented to each youth to celebrate the completion of PAL training. The graduation will be at the TRAC center on October 25, 2003 it will begin at 11:00 and end at 1:30. Youth who have completed training in the summer will be invited to attend graduation.

PAL program and contact information is as follows:

Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services
951 W. Pipeline Rd. Ste. 310,
Hurst, TX 76053
1-888-900-9556 followed by ext. of person you are trying to reach.

Tara Raef, PAL Secretary, x2313
Dorothy Ryan, PAL Coordinator, x2311
Frances Serna, Lead PAL Coordinator, x2317, or you may call her directly at TRAC: 214/370-9300 x23 or toll free at TRAC: 1-866-466-8722 x23.