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    Weekly bulletin

    Thursday, December 9, 2010

    • Greetings

      • You work hard every day and you richly deserve a little celebration! Please join FYA tomorrow, December 10th, from 4 to 7 p.m. for our Holiday Party at Zza's, 552 Grand Avenue in Oakland. We’ll have plenty of scrumptious appetizers so stop by anytime and raise a glass to the historic passage of AB12 and to the new FYA.

    • Foster Youth Alliance News

      • Support FYA's Annual Campaign

        Support FYA's Annual Campaign

        Please support FYA's work in the coming year by contributing to our annual individual donor campaign. Every dollar helps. Your tax-deductible investment in FYA will allow us to capitalize on this transformative time in the field and make a profound and lasting impact on the life chances of Alameda County’s foster and probation youth. Read our letter to learn the power of your contribution.

      • Follow FYA on Facebook!

        Follow FYA on Facebook!

        Thanks for reading our weekly bulletin and checking out our new website. We strive to keep our community up to date on the issues important to those serving foster and probation youth in Alameda County and beyond. Another way to keep in touch is to follow us on Facebook. We make short posts related to our most popular articles and issues, so if you don't have time to read the whole FYA Weekly Bulletin, you can still hear from us when you're checking out what your friends are up to.

    • Connecting Youth

      • NCYL’s Foster Youth Education Report

        NCYL’s Foster Youth Education Report

        Foster Youth Education Initiative Releases Report on Improving Opportunities for Foster Youth

        NCYL’s Foster Youth Education Initiative has released its long-awaited report on how California is ensuring foster children receive appropriate educational opportunities. Most children have parents who monitor their academic progress, attend parent-teacher conferences, enroll them in appropriate classes, and generally ensure they receive a quality education. Foster youth frequently lack such advocates. As a consequence, they often fail to receive the opportunities necessary to succeed in school.

      • Project Bridge Offers Basic Skills Classes

        Project Bridge Offers Basic Skills Classes

        Project Bridge, a basic skills learning community at Laney College, welcomes young adults who want to strengthen their reading, writing, math, computer, and study skills, as well as build their confidence for attending college. Find more information about Project Bridge and student support resources at Laney College.

    • Professional Job Opportunities

      • Job Announcement from Fred Finch

        Job Announcement from Fred Finch

        Fred Finch is offering a part time position (20 hours) as a Family Partner in San Pablo, CA.

        Job Summary:

        The primary role of the Family Partner is to provide outreach and individualized support to parents or family members of young adults with mental health challenges, by sharing personal experience and expertise in navigating agencies in Contra Costa County (e.g., Contra Costa Mental Health, Social Services agencies).

    • Foster Care in the News

      • CBS to Air Special on Foster Care and Adoption

        CBS to Air Special on Foster Care and Adoption

        CBS will air a special on foster care and adoption later this month, A Home for the Holidays. No Doubt, Sheryl Crow, Mary J. Blige, Mya, and Enrique Iglesias will perform on the special, which is set to air on December 22nd. Country music star Jimmy Wayne, a former foster youth who recently walked across America to raise awareness about homelessness among foster youth, will narrate stories about adoption and foster care. Actress Lauren Holly ("Dumb and Dumber") who is an adoptive parent, actor/comedian Jamie Foxx ("The Jamie Foxx Show") who is adopted and actress Rene Russo ("The Thomas Crown Affair"), will be among the stars presenting inspirational stories about adoption.

      • ABC News Looking to Speak to Foster Children About Medication

        ABC News Looking to Speak to Foster Children About Medication

        ABC News is looking to speak with current and former foster children of all ages who were prescribed psychotropic drugs while in the system. What were your experiences? Did the medications help or make life worse? How should the system be changed?

      • Youth Radio Special Investigation: Trafficked

        Youth Radio Special Investigation: Trafficked

        For more than six months, Youth Radio has been investigating child sex trafficking in Oakland. It's a system of exploitation the city is becoming known for, and the problem extends across America.

        Youth Radio is reaching out to expand the series reach online and to make you and others with similar priorities aware that the stories, and additional multimedia reporting, will be available online for free distribution following the broadcasts, at www.npr.org and www.youthradio.org/trafficked.

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    • Funding Opportunities

      • Notice of Funding Availability for Homeless Youth

        Notice of Funding Availability for Homeless Youth

        The California Department of Housing and Community Development has announced the release of a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for $30 million from the Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) — Homeless Youth component. Funding through this program is for development capital costs only for permanent or transitional housing developments with units targeting homeless youth. Applications will be accepted beginning February 15, 2011 and will be accepted over the counter through December 31, 2011 or until all funds have been exhausted.

    • Quick Updates

      • Jerry Brown Names Diana Dooley Head of HHS

        Jerry Brown Names Diana Dooley Head of HHS

        Governor-elect Brown this week announced the appointment of Diana Dooley as the head of Health and Human Services. Ms. Dooley is currently president of the California Children's Hospital Association and formerly Brown's legislative secretary and special assistant during his first tenure as governor. Learn a little more about her here and here.