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<br />our ILP newsletter mailing lists, publishing program services in the Team Talk quarterly <br />publication from the County of Orange to foster parents and inviting care-takers to participate <br />with our youth at ILP workshops and special events. OCF also provides independent living <br />skills assignments on our website, which are available to clients and care-takers. Carc-takers <br />arc encouraged to work with youth on these assignments and some assignments require <br />interaction with employers or potential employers. <br /> <br />Some examples of our experience engaging youth, parents and employers are as follows: <br />Through the OC'F Community Programs we serve approximately 10,000 duplicated children <br />and their families at 10 Family Resource Centers in Orange County per year. The Time Out <br />for Parents program provides respite care or short-tenn care for approximately 350 children <br />pcr year to give foster parents or biologIcal parents a break to prevent the foster parent from <br />buming out or the biological parent from potentially being separated from their children due <br />to abuse or neglect. The Independent Living Coaches (ILC) provide case management to <br />approximately 100 youth per year. In their interactions with their clients they often engage <br />foster parents, social workers, relative care-takes, biological parents, group home staff and <br />employers for client success, ILCs also engage youth after hours and on weekends. Potential <br />employers are often integrated through the Independent Living Program (ILP) as we invite <br />them to present at workshops (workshops take place during the evenings and on weekends to <br />make it easier for client participation), participate at ILP Career Fair and Independent City <br />and post job opportunities in the Orangewood Resource Center (ORC). <br /> <br />OCF staff also participate in many community meetings such as the monthly Orange County <br />Mentoring Partnership meetings, DOVIA Volunteer Management Organization meetings, <br />Children's Services Coordination Committee (CSCC), CSCC Emancipation Subcommittee, <br />Foster Youth Services Task Force, Volunteer Coordinator Roundtable, social worker and <br />foster parent trainings, etc. <br /> <br />When needed, the Foster Youth Liaison Project peer mentors wil] engage parents (if <br />available), foster parents, relative care-takers, group home staff, social workers and employers <br />to help the participants. Peer mentors will also engage and empower the participants by <br />meeting with them regularly, assessing needs and helping them focus on indi vidual tasks for <br />program success. <br /> <br />Describe how staff will receive training and ongoing staff development to increase staff capacity <br />and expertise in the field of youth development and employment. <br />In partnership with the Santa Ana WlB, OCF provided services to 12 foster yonth in 2006 <br />through The Foster Youth Liaison Project. The peer mentors involved with this program <br />receive valuable training on participant emollment and exit procednres, client assessment, <br />T ABE testing, case recording, VOS data entry, case management strategies and community <br />resources including services at the Santa Ana WORK Center. The peer mentors also <br />participate in two one-day trainings and two weekend retreats per year which focus on topics <br />such as: <br />Program Values <br />Effective Listening & <br />Communication Skills <br />Boundaries <br />Problem Solving & Conflict <br />Resolution <br /> <br />Dealing with Emotions <br />Group Facilitation <br />Team Building <br />Public Speaking <br />Resources for Youth <br />Assertiveness <br /> <br />OCFif oster Youth Liaison Project <br /> <br />13 <br />