Life on the Spectrum for System Involved Youth - What Helps and What Hinders

Waynette Brock, Anisa Mustafa

Training Description

Foster and/or System Involved Youth who live in and out of home care not only bear the burden of their difficult family circumstances, but they also experience the weight of being subjected to biases that existed long before they entered this world. This interactive training is for professionals and caregivers of youth in the foster care system and/or justice system. Participants will learn the importance of recognizing how their life experiences and position of power can influence how they communicate with the young people on the autism spectrum that they serve/support.

Learning Objectives

· Participants will be able to identify 3 strategies as they commit to the task of dismantling stigma while providing empowering care to system involved youth

· Participants will be able to identify at least 2 ways their lens frames the way they communicate with system involved youth and their families.

· Participants will be able to identify at least 2 tools to develop self-awareness around the use of language and to use intentionality with language to empower the system involved youth’s efforts to develop hope, explore options, advocate for themselves, and build strong support systems

Agenda

1:00-1:30pm Welcome, Housekeeping, Agenda Review, Create Supportive Learning Environment

1:30-2:30pm Group Activity – Exploring Strengths and Challenges

2:30-2:45pm  BREAK (CE Hours will not be offered for this time)

2:45-4:00pm  Exploring the difference in how we use language – What helps and What Hinders progress / Why it’s Important that We Become Intentional

4:00-4:45pm  “The Big Picture” and Fostering Self-Awareness around the use of language

4:45-5:00pm  Debrief and Close

Meet Our Trainer

Waynette Brock has lead peer teams focusing on high risk individuals and underserved populations such as those that are incarcerated, individuals seeking recovery from substance use disorder, and those with life threatening illnesses, as well as anyone who wants to make positive life changes. Waynette lives in Northern California and is the National Trainer for the Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery.

Anisa Mustafa is currently responsible for National and International Trauma, Crisis and Mental Health Recovery, Community Inclusion, Psychiatric Advanced Directives, Wellness/Recovery Education programs, certification training, curriculum development, and sourcing of initiatives through implementation.

This course meets the qualifications for (3.75) BBS CE hours for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.