| Inside TRAC E-Magazine | First Quarter 2004 | Transition Resource Action Center |
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Whether you are a teen looking for a mentor or an
adult looking for an opportunity to make an impact in a teenager's life,
TRAC's new mentor program is for you!
Teenagers who are working on an Independent Transition Plan (ITP) at TRAC have the opportunity to have a mentor. This means being matched with an adult who will help TRAC youth as they work through the ITP process. An ITP sets the playing field for mentor and mentee to get to know one another and begin to develop a relationship around common goals — those set by the youth in their individual transition plan. Mentors will support TRAC youth through activities like learning how to shop for groceries, putting together a budget, opening a bank account, finding their first apartment, planning for college, getting transportation, landing or keeping a job — basics that will help TRAC teens feel confident that they can live on their own successfully and happily. |
Want to be a mentor? Twice a month TRAC offers mentor orientations where you will discover what mentoring is - and what it is not - along with real-life stories about other young people and their mentors, tips on being a mentor and down-to-earth training so you can get the most out of your mentoring relationship.
Are you a youth who would like to have a
mentor? TRAC can help. Learn about the benefits of a mentorship,
developing a supportive relationship and participating in activities
that are fun and will support you in your transition to independent
living.
For more information, please contact our mentor Coordinator, Jim Hirt at 214-370-9300
x 20 or jim@traconline.org.
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Changes to the Chafee foster Care Independence
Program now expands resources to make available vouchers up to $5000 per
year for post secondary education and training for eligible youth. Currently,
the program is in the developmental stage and is targeted to begin
in the first quarter of 2004.
Eligible youth:
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Foster parents, caseworkers, caregivers, practitioners, researchers, agencies
— this is for you!
Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment Orientation at TRAC
Target: Kids in Court
TRAC is offering
an orientation to the Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment on February
5 and 26 at 1:00 PM. Learn how to log into the system and most importantly
what the reports mean. TRAC has a library of recommended life-skills
curriculum materials that can help you help your teens develop their independent
living skills.
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 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 you will need to learn how to read the reports and turn that into
a customized life skills curriculum for each youth you serve. 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)
New-year
job vacancies can jump-start your job search
By Karri Alexander,
Career Specialist
Okay, the holidays are over and I'm beginning to see those “Help Wanted”
or “Now Hiring” signs in the local shops and stores. What does that
mean to you? Well it may mean that those college students have gone back
to school, thereby creating some of the job openings. It may also mean
that some of the employees that were hired at the last minute for the holiday
season just didn't work out and they have to be replaced. This could
be your golden opportunity to find a job quickly and get some money coming
in. Also, don't be afraid to use the telephone to make those cold calls.
It's a very effective way to find those hidden jobs that are out there
and not being advertised at all.WorkSource |
ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program
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Get connected to TRAC anywhere on the planet! Here's what's new at www.traconline.org The TRAC web site is always updating information.
Be sure to check back whenever you want information amount transitioning
to independent living. The news is always current and always relevant.
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The Family and Youth Service’s Bureau (FYSB) hosted the Second Annual Youth
Summit on November 6-8, 2003, in Washington D.C. FYSB sponsored
four TRAC youth to fly to Washington and attend the conference.
The Summit was an exciting event that brought together young people who
are active in their communities; national, state, and local policymakers and
community leaders; youth service providers from faith- and community-based
organizations; and nationally acclaimed experts in the field of Positive
Youth Development. The conference was planned and run by youth.
The sessions were geared toward providing the youth participants with a “how-to
toolkit” on how to start or enhance programs in their own communities when
they return home.
The youth also had the opportunity to take part in a special, interactive
Town Hall meeting with the Associate Commissioners for: Health & Human
Services, Department of Labor, and Juvenile Department. This was an
empowering way for the youth to learn how important it is to have their voices
heard in Washington D.C. with the policy makers that impact their lives.
The TRAC youth had a wonderful time attending the conference, meeting youth
from all over the country, and touring the national monuments. We
know the relationships made at the Summit will continue to offer these youth
ways to build on their own strengths.
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It is almost time for the annual
PEAKS Camp. PEAKS stands for Physical and Environmental Activities
for Knowledge and Skills. The camp is a week long "Challenge
by Choice" and is a five-day experiential learning camp
focusing on personal as well as professional growth for youth and
adults. There will be canoeing, archery, hiking and wall climbing
as well as ropes courses and other activities throughout the week.
The camp will be held at Camp Young Judaea near Wimberley, TX. Eight youth from this region will be attending the camp during their spring break. Two of the youth will attend the camp during the week of March 8-12 and six of the youth will attend March 15-19. The youth who have been selected are 16 years of age or older and are in the Department of Family and Protective Services' (DFPS) conservatorship. Adult sponsors accompany the youth. All are guaranteed a fun, intensive and unique camp experience.
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| Job
readiness classes
TRAC will be offering job readiness and life skills classes on an ongoing basis. Please check the calendar frequently for class dates and times.
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>>
Calendar of Events
<< |
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January
14 - TRAC Core Partners Meeting 20 - Mentor Orientation 20 - PAL Classes
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February
4 - TRAC Advisory Council Meeting 5 - Ansell-Casey Life Skills Training 19 - Mentor Orientation 25 - TRAC Core Partners Meeting 26 - Ansell-Casey Life Skills Training 28 - Mentor Training (All day) |
March
2 - Ansell-Casey Life Skills Training 9, 16, 23 - Mentor Training 18 - TRAC 1 year anniversary 18 - Arlington District Placement Collaborative Meeting 18 - Mentor Orientation 24 - TRAC Core Partners Meeting 27 - Mentor Training (All day) 27
- OnTRAC |
April
6, 15 - Mentor Orientation 13, 20, 27 - Mentor Training (evening) 15 - Ansell-Casey Life Skills Training 24 - Mentor Training (all day) 24 - OnTRAC 28 - TRAC Core Partners Meeting |
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TRAC
Contacts |
| Karri Alexander Work Source Ext. 21 karri@traconline.org |
Sheryl Dudley PAL Coordinator Ext. 23 sheryl@traconline.org |
Jennifer Grant TRAC Coordinator Ext. 15 jennifer@traconline.org |
| Imtiaz Haiyoom Target: Kids in Court Ext. 11 imtiaz@traconline.org |
Jim Hirt Mentor Coordinator Ext. 20 jim@traconline.org |
Mike Ramsden Gulf Coast Trades Center Ext. 22 gctc@traconline.org |
Evy Kay Ritzen Target: Kids in Court Ext. 14 evykay@traconline.org |
Transition Resource Action Center
3108 Live Oak Street, Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 370-9300
www.traconline.org