Engaging Youth With Lived Experience: A Call for Deeper Involvement in Decision-Making
Dr. Elizabeth Wynter
Foster Youth Voice Champion, Child Welfare Strategist & Systems Thinker, Author, Advocate, Keynote Speaker, Consultant, Trainer
In 2022, the Children’s Bureau released a groundbreaking document, Engaging Young People With Lived Experience in the Child and Family Services Reviews: Key Considerations, Roles, and Recommendations. This pivotal call to action urged state leaders to prioritize the voices of young people in evaluating child welfare services. Yet, while we celebrate the strides made in involving youth at the highest levels of policy and evaluation, it’s disheartening to acknowledge that they often remain excluded from decisions that profoundly affect their own lives. This must change!
The Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) serve as vital tools designed to strengthen state programs and enhance outcomes for children and families. They bring together key stakeholders—child welfare agency staff, legal and judicial professionals, community partners, and, most importantly, young people who have navigated the child welfare system themselves.
By integrating the voices of these young individuals into the CFSR process, we embrace a powerful strengths-based approach that not only fosters engagement but also empowers youth to reclaim their narratives. Having experienced the system firsthand, these young people possess invaluable insights into its flaws and untapped potential. Their lived experiences should inform the very decisions that shape their futures. By recognizing their expertise and placing them at the heart of decision-making, we can create programs and services that genuinely meet their needs.
Yet, despite the significant progress made, we cannot ignore the glaring gap that persists in including youth in decisions that directly impact their lives. This reality calls for an urgent transformation—one that demands we become Youth-Centered. This means actively co-designing practices, policies, and programs that resonate with their realities and aspirations.
Here Are the 10 Steps to Becoming Youth-Centered:
By following these steps, organizations can create an environment that truly values and incorporates youth perspectives, leading to better outcomes and a more supportive system for young people in care. If you're interested in learning more about becoming youth-centered, consider reading Follow the Love or reach out for a discussion about youth-centered consulting. Together, we can make a difference! ??
?#YouthEngagement #ChildWelfare #YouthVoice #LivedExperience #YouthCentered #Empowerment #TransformingSystems #FollowTheLove
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Dr. Elizabeth Wynter is an extraordinary visionary deeply committed to transforming the lives of young people in the child welfare system. With unwavering dedication and boundless energy, she fearlessly challenges norms, reshaping the future for the better.
For over two decades, Dr. Elizabeth Wynter, an award-winning advocate and author of “Follow the Love: Permanent Connections Scaffolding” has driven reform in child welfare policies, tirelessly working to make a difference. Her resolute determination inspires others to fight for a more inclusive and supportive child welfare system. The spark that ignited the National Foster Youth Voice Month and the Foster Youth Champion Blog came from Dr. Wynter's indomitable spirit, refusing anything less than a complete transformation in society's perception of young people in care.
Completing her doctoral studies in Organizational Leadership with a dissertation on transitioning youth was more than an academic achievement for Dr. Wynter; it symbolized a journey of self-discovery and dedication to empowering others. Armed with research and a deep understanding of the voices of those with lived experiences, she systematically dismantles barriers hindering a brighter future for transitioning youth.
As a captivating keynote speaker, Dr. Wynter enthralls audiences at conferences, symposiums, and workshops. Drawing from her extensive expertise and personal experiences, she delivers powerful speeches that inspire action and drive positive change.
Beyond her speeches, Dr. Wynter's role as a child welfare consultant is equally transformative. Armed with strategic thinking and a profound understanding of the complexities faced by transitioning youth, she collaborates with organizations and agencies to design innovative solutions.
Dr. Elizabeth Wynter stands as a force of nature—a visionary leader with an untamed heart. Her relentless advocacy and dedication to a cause greater than herself continue to inspire change-makers. Dr. Wynter's work is a testament to the power of collective impact for transitioning youth, and her unwavering commitment serves as a beacon of hope for vulnerable young individuals, reshaping the world for the better.
Certified Coach | Consultant | Child Abuse & Youth Advocate | CRBJ 2022 Forty Under 40
1 个月As someone with lived experience and an advocate I am always puzzled by the organizations who do not take the opportunity to seek out those with lived experience when making decisions. Thank you for your continued work and advocacy. Excellent article.
advocate/mother of disabled youth in Nevada/California foster system survivor
4 个月Very well said ??. Always remember that a foster youth has dissociation. Dont assume for a foster youth. You take away there voice ??♀?. Teach them tools. Not what has happened and why they are there. They know better than you do, why they are there????. Youth and families are very scared of there counties and state dcfs/cps,welfare officials. We have made getting help taboo??♀?. I can honestly say I have seen a huge change in all departments. You can not take something away unless you have something ready to take its place ?? So everything takes time. Unfortunately every state and every county commissioner does not explain how this program works for its own families in there own counties so youths can stay in there own counties and state??♀???. Change takes time. Being a foster youth starting in 1976 in California/Nevada i went through 18 foster homes, 7 different schools in 2 different states. I was not a bad child ??♀?. I was autistic (highly functional autistic)ADD,double dyslexia,left handed, amazing pattern recognition abilities. People dont like the unknown. So as a youth you get thrown around ??♀?. It's a double edge sword. Dont give up on youth. The youth are our future ????????
Culturalist/CEO at Consortium Media + Public Relations
4 个月Dr. Elizabeth Wynter thank you for this clear and concise view on how to help our struggling young adults. As you and I have discussed, we have worked on these items for many years. If only, if only, States, Counties and others would talk to the marketplace, the public to help them understand both these issues and reframe the myth-based misunderstandings that the public holds, there would be plenty of help - help from nonprofits, help from leaders like yourself, help from the State and the Counties. You are the hope. After 20 years in public information and outreach with success, we have seen so many Counties and States slide backwards into old, tired, painful and trauma-based work - rather than talking to the communities and neighborhoods that could further help the children and youth if they only knew. Thank you for posting this with your incredible work, this can happen. ??