tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887701053197945139.post7255839725859627218..comments2023-08-10T05:32:21.235-05:00Comments on Awake and Dreaming - The Ramblings of a Social Worker: non sensical ramblings of a doped up dreamerAwake and Dreaminghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13257495492315814077noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887701053197945139.post-13163457995401684852008-08-14T08:33:00.000-05:002008-08-14T08:33:00.000-05:00Hi, I work for a social work website in the UK, an...Hi, I work for a social work website in the UK, and would love to add regular links to your blog posts. Please get back to me via my blog if you want to discuss. ThanksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887701053197945139.post-8174227808386317812008-08-13T22:02:00.000-05:002008-08-13T22:02:00.000-05:00Awake and Dreaming,Your posting is timely for me.....Awake and Dreaming,<BR/><BR/>Your posting is timely for me...<BR/><BR/>I am a former foster child, working to create more housing options for young people aging out of foster care in Ohio.<BR/><BR/>Most homeless youth "couch-surf." I did this myself, during a 2-week period of homelessness after I aged out of foster care.<BR/><BR/>But the thing about young people who are homeless, is that with a bit of investment and connection with the right resources, it's possible to empower a young person and build them into a future leader.<BR/><BR/>I write this as a former foster child, college (and grad school) graduate, and Communications Chair of the Ohio chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America.<BR/><BR/>Here's the deal with foster care:<BR/><BR/>1. If/when we age out without being connected with permanent family, we have nowhere to go but the same messed-up family that landed us in foster care in the first place.<BR/><BR/>2. However, if we can connect with a youth-empowering organization like YEP (Youth Empowerment Program, CO-OHIO) or a local YAB (youth advisory board for foster care youth), we might be able to build a social support network that will:<BR/><BR/>- Affirm us as policy change-makers, rather than just recipients of government services<BR/><BR/>- Direct us toward available resources for future employment and education<BR/><BR/>My mind and heart belief is that it would be cost-effective to establish programs to assist homeless youth between the ages of 18-23 years old.<BR/><BR/>Lisa<BR/>http://sunshinegirlonarainyday.blogspot.com/Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944993180509479994noreply@blogger.com