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Outreach work
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From: Thom Garfat, PhD [garfat@videotron.ca]
Sent: 08 November 2006 01:39 AM
Hello Everyone,
Well, here I come again with one of my amazingly ignorant questions.
This time it has to do with CYC’s and outreach work.
What are the areas, of which you are aware, in which CYCs work in an
‘outreach’ capacity – by this I mean, places where CYCs work, or areas
of work, in which they, in some manner, ‘go out there’ to be with kids
and/or families?
Thom
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From: Stephanie Griffin
[steffaknee@gmail.com]
Sent: 09 November 2006 05:10 PM
Two areas of CYC outreach that I have worked in are street outreach and
community development.
The street outreach was a position where I (and a partner) spent our
shifts on the streets of downtown interacting with street youth, talking
and building relationships, providing them with essential items they
needed, offering resources, etc. The agency I worked for offered a
drop-in during the day, but the evening/night shift was covered by
street outreach workers.
The second type of outreach position I have had was as a youth community
developer. This position was funded/employed through a community health
centre but my work was done 90% in the community. I worked in local
community centres, parks, client homes, and anywhere else the youth
wanted to get together. The focus of this position was to bring local
youth and adult community members together as community alliances, to
help facilitate youth social action projects in their communities, and
to build community networks (consisting of children, youth and adults)
to address local issues as raised by the community.
Stephanie Griffin
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From: Richard Kelly
[rKelly@georgebrown.ca]
Sent: 09 November 2006 11:46 PM
- Street Outreach
- Outreach connected to community centres and recreational programs
to attract those at loose ends
- School based outreach in food programs to address latch key kids
- Outreach in hospitals to take the "mental health word" to the
medical world
- Whenever we speak publicly about children and issues for which
they are given no voice and recognition
Rick Kelly, B.A , C.C.W., CYC (Cert.)
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From: Miss V [sneef@hotmail.com]
Sent: 10 November 2006 03:35 AM
Hi Thom,
I know of a few roles that have CYC's out in the community doing
outreach like work. When I was a student at Fanshawe College my third
year placement I was doing just that. I was going out into the community
to work with youth and their families. I did my third year placement
with Western Area Youth Services in the Community Programs Division. I
had a caseload with various youth with various issues.
Here at the Halton Board of Ed we have Itinerant CYC's who work with up
to 5 schools doing consultations with the schools/children/families and
community agencies. They have a multi-role which consist of an
'outreach' component.
I'm a BRC CYC which means I'm in one school only working in one
classroom for the most part, however when I've got other kids on my
caseload in the "regular" setting I'll attend meetings in the community
with the parents and often meet with them in an "outreach"-like
approach. Transitions for Youth is doing this approach with the
community programs division as well.
I'm glad to see that there are more agencies attempting the 'outreach'
or 'wrap-around' model of working with families. I think an open
integrated and communicative approach helps families much more than one
agency doing one thing, another doing something else, and not
communicating with each other.
It doesn't serve a purpose for the families or the children.
Veronica Clough, CYC
Halton District Board of Education
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From: Nancy Russell
[nrussell@ctys.org]
Sent: 09 November 2006 08:34 PM
Hi Thom
We have an outreach program at my agency and the outreach workers (many
are
CYW's) essentially go everywhere - home, community centres, schools,
malls, parks, streets, other service providers, jail, detention centres,
group homes, hospitals, beaches, festivals, smudging, court, and so on.
There is no limit in terms of type of place, though there are limits and
restrictions dictated regarding safety issues.
Nancy
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From: Smarty Maddypants
[smartymaddypants@hotmail.com]
Sent: 10 November 2006 08:31 AM
Hi Thom and CYC-net subscribers,
I thought I would share my small piece of the outreach puzzle. I have
been working with some community members and social service
organizations in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver (the poorest postal
code in Canada as per the census) to create a new CYC model, based on
the Roving Leader model described by Bocarro and Witt (2003) currently
operating in the States.
This model of outreach incorporates many pan-CYC philosophies and
theories such as Object Relations/Attachment theory (it is ongoing and
bases all interactions on building healthy and long-term attachments
with youth and their families); Family Systems Theory (the children and
youth are never seen in a vaccum - family engagement and advocacy is
part and parcel); and Recreation (much work is done by engaging youth
and families in activities).
As the "Roving Leader" for my neighbourhood, my focus is on youth (any
age will do, mostly 12 to 17 years) on the fringe and disconnected
youth. If I spot a youth who does not seem to have a peer group, or if I
see a youth who seems to have many peers and is engaging in high-risk
activities but is not connected to any services, then I go out of my way
to target them. I approach full-force: My personal working style is
building fast rapport with complete strangers. I will start by inviting
them out to the best outings ever (like an amusement park, laser tag or
a pig-out session at their favourite food place).
Then I gather as much contact info as I possibly can, like where they
live, are they in school, who their family are, who their friends are
and more. I try to dazzle and distract the youth as much as possible
during that hook day. Then I make sure they know I loved our time
together and can't wait for them to come back the next day. I nurture a
honeymoon phase as much as possible while slowly connecting with family
members and social networks in the youth's life.
In my experience, it is not long before the youth tell me what
challenges they are experiencing in their lives, and I am able to work
with the youth, family and community to best support everyone. I have
worked with youth who were missing from family, ministry and school for
months - once we connected, the youth would spend every day with me and
I became a point person to reconnect the youth with others. I have had
car thieves breaking bail conditions and drinking to black-out stop
stealing, meeting their parole officers, and even going back to school.
I have had parents come to me for help and advocacy because they saw the
work I was doing with their youth and felt they could trust me. I have
had a dad blink back tears saying thank you for my work with his
daughter, because he had been abandoned as a youth and was so glad his
estranged daughter felt that someone cared unconditionally about her. I
have had a mother make me a handmade mirror with etching on it because I
"make people feel good about themselves".
That sounds a bit like I am tooting my horn ... I suppose it is good to
remember that the work I am doing is not fruitless and that I should not
yet throw the towel in. To summarize, the outreach I do would be based
in CYC philosophy. I "perform" outreach to disconnected youth in my
community. I work outside the walls of our centre until the youth and
families come into the centre because they feel they belong.
I hope that answered some of your questions. I look forward to reading
others' responses!
Maddy
Vancouver, BC
Reference:
Bocarro, J., & Witt, P.A. (2003). Relationship-based programming: The
key to successful youth development in recreation settings. Journal
of Park and Recreation Administration 21(3), pp.75-96.
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From: Jeffery Reid
[jefferyreid@hotmail.com]
Sent: 10 November 2006 01:04 PM
Hi Thom
Your questions are always good for some thought, and this time even a
reply.
We have several fantastic programs in Nova Scotia doing innovative work
in the areas of outreach.
The two programs I am associated with have been doing outreach in the
family (including foster family) homes for several years. These programs
are also engaging with the youth in semi-independent and independent
living arrangements, ensuring adult mentorship for youth during
vulnerable transition times.
The program staff have been engaging with the youth while they are
detained, in a secure ward in a hospital, a secure care facility, or the
youth jail.
Staff are putting themselves in other institutional environments and
participating in programming to engage and stay connected to youth for
whom there is a commitment to hang in, and bring them back to our
envirionment or community.
Most recently the programs are putting staff into the "suspension"
school in our area. At this point this is unsupported financially by
funders in education or community services. Everyone agrees it is
important and necessary, nobody wants to accept responsiblity and fund
it.
Jeff
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From: Kim Brian Senger
[kseng462@mymrc.ca]
Sent: 13 November 2006 06:12 PM
Hey Thom:
I am a second year student at Mount Royal College in Calgary, Alberta
doing the Child and Youth Care Counsellor program. I am doing my
practicum at the John Howard Society (JH). With the youth team at JH we
have a number of outreach programs that I am involved with. In the youth
advocacy program we get referrals from all over the city and we will go
out and meet the youth and parents at their home or anyplace they would
like to meet. It is good to here both sides of the story and then work
with the youth and family to support and find resources in the city that
they would benefit from. We also go into the Forest Lawn High School
once a week to meet with students at the Wellness Center. The Wellness
Center is a part of the school where they have rooms set aside for
different support organizations to counsel students having difficulties
or on the verge of getting into trouble. It is a great program that has
turned this school from being the most problematic to one of the least.
Also, we have a Criminal Justice Educator program where we go out to
both the elemenatry and high schools in the city and do presentations on
the Youth Justice Act and how the justice system works and how it
effects people. This a very successful awareness program. I also have
the opportunity to work with the Restorative Justice Program doing
Community Conferencing where go out to different Community Centers and
get both the victims and offenders together to come up with solutions
for the crime . We have seen amazing results in this program benefiting
all involved with the process. This is just a brief overall look at some
of the outreach programs we use at John Howard.
Good question Thom I enjoyed responding to it.
Thanks
Kim Senger
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From: Nancy Miller [mailto:NANCY@vanier.com]
Sent: 15 November 2006 03:31 PM
Child and youth care workers are involved in: Intensive Home-based
Services; mobile crisis services; community-based group programs; street
programs addressing prostitution, drugs, etc. CYC's can be found
anywhere there are children and youth in need ... They are the
specialists in developing therapeutic relationships ... connecting with
kids!
Nancy
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From: Lynn Lavigne & Dave Rieder
[davelynn@allstream.net]
Sent: 18 November 2006 05:24 PM
I have been in the field for more than 20 years. Throughout that time I
have had several jobs that involved "outreach". This included home
support work in the client's home, school based support in the
classroom, and street work. In my current position in an outpatient
eating disorder program at a community hospital we provide outreach in
the form of prevention work at community agencies and schools. We have a
"traveling road show" where we speak to kids about healthy body image,
self esteem, media literacy and anti-teasing and bullying in the context
of prevention of eating disorders.
I think Child and Youth Workers do more outreach than we are
acknowledged for doing!
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From: Saskia Schopman [mailto:saskia_san@hotmail.com]
Sent: 20 November 2006 07:25 PM
Hello Thom,
I currently live and work in Vancouver BC. I work as street outreach
worker with an age mandate of 13-24. My organization also has drop-in
centre and our jobs overlap from on the street to the drop-in centre.
When we are on outreach (which happens 5 days a week) we carry our
backpack and have a snack program with granola bars, juice and sometimes
sandwiches. We also carry hygiene supplies (socks, razor, underwear) as
some of our youth are not able to access such resources. We are out for
two hours in the AM and five hours at night.
We are trying to build trust with those who are service resistant. So
when they are ready then they will know about us and want to access our
resource(drop-in or shelter). Many days we are checking on youth we have
not seen for a while in their SRO's (hotel), finding out new squats, or
visiting youth in the hospital. We will support youth with getting to
D&A detox or help get them from an unsafe home. We are really people of
many talents and love every minute of it.
Any more questions feel free to ask me. Good luck
Saskia
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From: Robyn Hemmens [mailto:robyn@youthkzn.co.za]
Sent: 21 November 2006 03:00 PM
Saskia hi,
Reading your email makes me think a lot about what we do with street
children here in Durban and Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Outreach is
a critical part of our intervention with children on the streets as what
children and youth engage with at this level often determines how they
respond in the future to support and assistance. Our age group goes a
lot younger than yours. We engage with kids as young as 7 and 8 years
old, girls and boys who have run from home because of poverty, neglect
and abuse within the home (part of the challenge of a nation that is in
transition out of a horrid system of apartheid). But what we have come
to understand, is that children run from home primarily because of lack
of emotional attachment with in the home. In our country many children
remain in their homes despite the struggles of poverty and suffering,
and often the reason that they stay is because they have a primary care
giver that knows how to nurture attachment regardless of the hardship.
And so on the streets, our work as outreach workers is to begin to
engage with children and youth in a way that allows them to being to
experience some form of healthy attachment with an adult that cares.
The majority of the work happens in their live space on the streets, and
as these children warm to us they then begin to come to our shelters to
bath and wash their clothing. The acceptance of their world and their
stories, not pushing them in any way to leave the streets until they are
completely sure that this is what they want to do is always essential to
our programme...and to establishing the kind of relationships that are
inviting and transformational. This takes a long time with many of
them....and so requires a deeply compassionate and committed individual
or groups of individuals to walk this road with kids.
Robyn
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From: maxine kelly
[maxly128@yahoo.com]
Sent: 22 November 2006 05:35 AM
Replying to Thom and Saskia Schopman:
Thom's question posed many possibilities, but for me, Saskia's work
perfectly describes my impression of what 'outreach' as a CYC might
involve.
I say that because my concept of 'outreach' implies working outside of
what would usually be defined by the environment, treatment approach or
the expertise of our profession. There's something missionary-like and
unconditional that comes to mind when I think of outreach and
essentially of Saskia's work that I guess comes from being prepared to
give and ask very little/nothing in return, but hope that the kindness
will be a starting point for change. Carrying out outreach is truly is a
unique talent and to my thinking, a variation on what our profession has
become. Thanks for sharing Saskia .
Maxine Kelly
Nashville, TN
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From: Morrow, Joanne
[jmorrow@cheo.on.ca]
Sent: 21 November 2006 09:08 PM
Dear Tom: My name is Joanne and I am a CYC working in Ottawa. I
currently work with the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. We have
a relationship with McHugh Education Centre. What this means is that
through a Coordinated Referral process, children throughout the region
are referred to our centre because of learning difficulties, psychiatric
issues, and behavioural problems. Our school has 6 classrooms that cover
kndergarten to grade 6. Generally the length of stay is to be kept to
one year. During this time a child would have access to the following
services (if deemed appropriate) : Psychiatric, Psychology Assessment,
OT assessment, and SLP assessment. Classroom staff work at improving
behaviour, work habits, self confidence, learning strategies etc. Staff
in the classroom includes teachers, CYCs and EAs. It is a collaborative
effort to figure out what makes each child "tick".
The Outreach that I do comes into play as their stay comes near.
Establishing contact with the home school for each child is very
important.
Discharges from the Education Centre is usually a time of very high
stress for the child, the parents, and the receiving school. As an
Outreach worker, my job is to make this transition go as smoothly as
possible. That means that the needs and concerns of all the involved
parties have to be addressed. This process involves meetings with the
school, meetings with parents, school visit for the child, as well as
meetings with the child prior to leaving to review their success. Much
is done to help the child realize that they are responsible for their
success and will be taking it with them when they go. Identifying the
differences in their new schools, where to get help, how to wait their
turn, how to problem solve in a larger group are some of the areas
covered.
As well it is very important that the frontline teacher receive
information regarding learning strategies, work habits, triggers,
reinforcements etc.
Once the child begins at their new school, Outreach staff are in the
school at least one time weekly to meet with the child and to help
address any concerns that may be arising. We focus on being very non-confrontative
with the child and often act as their own personal cheering section to
remind them that they are capable of success. Outreach staff keep in
regular contact with the parents and help with the establishing of a
positive relationship between school and parent. Generally this service
is provided for up to three months but if Outreach visits end and
problems occur a few months later Outreach will go back in to try to
support and problem solve with the teacher, child and the parent.
I am happy to have been doing this job for over 10 years. It is great to
be out in the community, building relationships and alleviating some of
the worries that arise when faced with educating this high needs group
of children. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any
other questions about my role in Outreach.
Joanne Morrow
CHEO Outreach
737-7600 ext 3402
jmorrow@cheo.on.ca
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From: Phil Leffelaar [mailto:phatflipster@hotmail.com]
Sent: 24 November 2006 03:34 AM
Hey Thom,
I am finishing my diploma in the Child and Youth Care Counselor program
at Mount Royal College in Calgary. I think that the thought and the
action of outreach work is also extremely important beyond the bounds of
in home care and classroom assistance. Calgary has The Mustard Seed,
which is a drop-in centre for homeless. They provide meals throughout
the day and a number of beds at night. They also offer opportunities for
individuals who need assistance in independent living programs in the
way that they have housing on top of their building with different
levels of help provided depending on the individual. I have worked a lot
at The Seed and I think that being able to be able to serve individuals
who are just coming for a meal is something that cannot be overlooked.
Sometimes it appears that the only time that we're suppose to help
children, youth and adults is when they are already in some sort of a
program or in a situation where the first step to help them has already
been taken. It is vital that we as a profession can help start the
process from the streets and drop-in centers. I have found this to be
some of the most rewarding times for myself because I am able to start
the process for individuals who I have come to know outside of a
perceived view of my work. Also being able to build trust and
communication to those individuals on the street also provides a link
between myself and other's who could also potentially need help.
We need to remember that outreach work is vital to our profession. It is
vital to the betterment of society and to the individuals who are being
assisted. Programs that offer outreach work is something that needs to
be supported and needs to also be taught about in schooling and training
as well to help further educate young CYC workers. This will in turn
help everyone benefit.
Phil
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From: j.millar@rgu.ac.uk
[j.millar@rgu.ac.uk]
Sent: 24 November 2006 01:04 PM
Hi everyone, I have enjoyed reading and engaging with the feedback to
Thom's question. It calls to mind a powerful documentary from BBS
Scotland looking at the work of social workers in Edinburgh. The
programme followed 2 women who worked with the homeless demonstrated
that 'outreach' is about 'reaching out' in an unconditional manner that
fundamentally accepts and acknowledges the dignity in all humankind no
matter what their present circumstances.
The central character, a father who had lost contact with his grown up
family, brought himself back from a state of chronic alcohol dependency
to go off on his journey to find them. Sadly there was no happy ending
and he was last seen sleeping rough in graveyards before he died at the
age of 50. I know that some of the youth I've worked with will follow
this sort of life path.
Our intervention with children and youth is vital in that it offers the
chance to provide a bridge into nurturing relationships. The challenge
is to work with communities and families to develop the resources to
maintain the positive experience. I struggle with the rescue practice
that offers time limited 'hope' before children are often returned to
the neglectful environment that forced them to 'run'. The big answers
won't only come from the love of committed individuals and enlightened
agencies.
Cheers
Jeremy
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From: Edu Hope [mailto:hadassaheduhope@gmail.com]
Sent: 26 November 2006 07:34 PM
Dear Phil -- through CYC-Net I read your mail to Thom. I work with under
privleged women and children. I am in the process of raising funds for
education and training. Outreach work is the nerve centre of social
work.
God be with you in all your endeavours. I just felt like saying hai. We
are in the same field. With twenty years of experience and immense job
satisfaction -- in India every day is a challenge. Good wishes -- Grace.
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