Nobody Ages Out (NAO) is a youth and young adult-led movement to ensure that every young person in foster care will have a family long before they reach the dreaded age of 21 when they “age out” of care and are left without family or any support.
Nobody Ages Out (NAO)
2015 HIGHLIGHTS, WITH THANKS to WKKF
With the support of SEED, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, the YGB team leads a working group and learning community whose highest priority is to eliminate the ‘aging out’ problem altogether by making sure that every young person is connected to a lifelong parent long before age 21.
YGB/NAO Summary Outcomes Supported by WKKF’s Investment in SEED Capacity-Building
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Initiated a strategic advocacy agenda to expand reach and transform the foster care system:
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Amassed supportive data (from internal records and national sources) to articulate a compelling case for support of this agenda;
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Established earned revenue model: five partner agencies have already contracted for training in 2016;
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Secured additional foundation support: Redlich Horwitz is matching the contract paid by each partner agency, affirming YGB’s multi-pronged strategy to train more agencies; model and spread best practice, and sustain this approach to effect systemic change.
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Established the NAO Youth Collaborative: eight leaders with firsthand experience of foster care are now training youth and agency staff. They are representing the growing NAO network via radio, video and national conference opportunities.
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Evolved from a vulnerable mom/pop operation that was heavily dependent on one major grant to a thriving, growing movement-in-the-making, financially upheld by a combination of public, private, corporate and earned revenue sources:
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Raised visibility and profile;
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Attracted new donors and corporate sponsors, celebrity engagement, national press, and prospective parents with interest to adopt older youth;
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Expanded social media presence (Humans of NY profile attracted 9,000 “likes” in one day)
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Began to establish evidence-based measures and internal systems for growth.
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Nobody Ages Out Youth Collaborative 2015
Watch video below
"Rather than focus all of our energy on making life a little less painful for those who age out, YGB’s Nobody Ages Out moves toward a solution that prevents aging out at all."
YGB has developed the NAO Youth Collaborative & Speak-Out Bureau, through which former foster youth share their stories and advocate for permanency.
TESTIMONIALS
My ideas have now become reality due to SEED’s assistance; they took my ideas and assisted me to create a plan and due dates. NAO youth leaders accomplished all that we have set for the year. Next year I plan to double the amount of achievements. There is so much more I want and need to learn.”
– Annie Keane, NAO Catalyst Leader
SEED has allowed me to see the big picture, and to define and keep focused on strategies to reach larger and measurable goals.”
– Paul Snellgrove, YGB Staff
SEED has made a huge difference. I originally went to the 'Aging Out' meetings which were the same old thing talking about tired and useless solutions to a serious problem. When Melinda and SEED came along and offered the first couple of visioning sessions, everything changed. I will not forget when 'Nobody Ages Out' was born -- as the result of a five year vision question. And from that small room to a movement that is gaining national attention!”
– Susan Grundberg, YGB Executive Director