YWCA Clark County
uniting to support survivors
by Lee Watts
A recent study by Portland’s Volunteers of America – Home Free Program reported that 38% of domestic violence survivors in abusive relationships become homeless, while 46% reported staying in an abusive relationship to avoid becoming homeless.
On October 23rd, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette sought to address this issue and more. They hosted a Survivor Housing Summit, which brought together landlords, homeless service providers, domestic violence service providers and government officials from the four county area to discuss the need for safe and affordable housing for domestic violence survivors.
Planning for the United Way Survivor Housing Summit began two years ago, following a local summit where 130 local community leaders identified housing as one of the largest barriers for survivors seeking safety. As the Director of SafeChoice Community Services at YWCA Clark County, I had the opportunity to represent Clark County on the Survivor Housing Leadership Team.
The Survivor Housing Summit focused on identifying the barriers survivors currently encounter when attempting to access housing and finding possible solutions to overcome or lessen those barriers. Participants from each county were asked to articulate barriers, identify existing resources, envision a better system and create a plan of action. Clark County participants identified a need for increased collaboration around gaps in services to domestic violence survivors. The group was also able to identify many strengths already in existence in Clark County, including a collaborative network of community partners who meet several times monthly.
I was impressed with the group of committed leaders who came to the summit on behalf of Clark County. We had a lot of challenging, intense and inspiring conversations around funding (or lack thereof), rapid re-housing, coordinated entry, community organizing around gaps in the system, systemic change, and what true collaboration looks like. I’m looking forward to keeping those conversations going. We have a great start. I know that together we can reduce the barriers for survivors seeking safe, affordable housing.
More information on the summit can be accessed through the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette website at www.unitedway-pdx.org or contact Lee Watts at lwatts@ywcaclarkcounty.org.
Foster Youth, Homelessness and Help Much research indicates that youth transitioning out of the foster care system experience a variety of negative outcomes including homelessness. The crucial period of transition from adolescence to adulthood is critical in a young person’s life. Although mastering tasks of the transition period can be challenging for most youth, it is particularly difficult for youth in foster care with few economic and social resources. Without connections to social resources many foster youth face homelessness. The dilemma continues when foster youth are shut out of jobs for lack of training, priced out of housing for lack of employment with little to no support from the system they left behind. According to the Honoring Emancipated Youth forum, national and local statistics indicate that within 18 months of emancipation 40-50% of foster youth become homeless (www.heyssf.org). It further states that a history of foster care may correlate with becoming homeless at an earlier age and remaining homeless for a much longer period of time. Foster youth would benefit from programs in the community that would assist them with securing housing before they age out of care. Ones such program in Clark County is the Family Unification Program (FUP) which is a partnership with Vancouver Housing Authority, Department of Children and Family Services, and YWCA Clark County’s Independent Livings Skills Program. FUP is a housing program for families and aging-out youth in the child welfare system. To be eligible for this program, youth need to be 18 years old and not returning home. The FUP program allows youth the opportunity to live in section 8 housing for an 18 month period. During this time the youth collaboratively work with an ILS advocate to access the resources and support they need to maintain housing into the future. The ILS program has been able to help multiple alumni from care maintain stable housing over the past three years in collaboration with the FUP program. To learn more about the ILS program, visit http://ywcaclarkcounty.com/help/ils. Together we can make a difference in the lives of youth in our community. On May 6, 2012 YWCA Clark Countyhonored ten young women from Clark County high schools at its Young Women of Achievement Honoree Tea. Award recipients were recognized for outstanding community service, achievement in academic and volunteer roles, and demonstrated leadership. Skylar Hoss , Southwest Washington Representative for Governor Gregoire, and Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt joined Sherri Bennett, Executive Director, Kelly Walsh, Board President and Megan Vaughn, keynote speaker in congratulating the winners during the second annual Honoree Tea, held this year at the Marshall House. Four recipients received scholarships made possible by the generous support from First Independent, Donna Roberge Scholarship Fund, Soroptimist International of Vancouver, and an anonymous donor. Award recipients were Hannah Barclay, Miranda Bean, Chelsea Christian, Sabrina Sears, Kaleigh Supe-Klensch and Rebecca Myre. Scholarship award recipients were Annie Baker (Soroptomist International Scholarship), Hannah Chong (First Independent Scholarship), Kaitlyn Lee (Donna Roberge Fund Scholarship), and Eveling Cabello Ramirez (scholarship from anonymous donor). “Each of the award recipients is immensely talented and dedicated. YWCA Clark County and generous scholarship donors could not be more proud to have honored their hard work. These young women are wonderful models of the Y’s mission and I know they will continue to positively impact their communities as they move forward on their journeys,“ said Megan Vaughn. About the YWCA awards program Here are some photos of a few of the honorees with our Board President Kelly Walsh: Eveling Cabello Ramirez, who was awarded the Young Women of Achievement Scholarship Award Hannah Chong, who was awarded the First Independent Bank Scholarship Award Kaitlyn Lee, who was awarded the Donna Roberge Scholarship Award Kaitlyn Lee, who was awarded the Donna Roberge Scholarship Award The CASA Program of ywca clark county is holding a free awareness and fundraising event to offer community members an opportunity to help in the fight against child abuse. Join us Friday, April 13th at 7:30am at the County Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street, Vancouver, WA to learn how you can seize this opportunity and face this challenge. Right here in our community, there are abused and neglected children who live in the shadows of our lives. She may be the little girl in your son’s kindergarten class who had to move homes and change schools three or four times in the last year. He may be the lonely child at the park who doesn’t join the game. The foster care and child welfare system is full of compassionate lawyers, judges, social workers and foster families, but according to recent statistics, each year more than 748,000 children are placed in foster care nationally. Over 720 children and teens are involved with the child welfare and court systems in Clark County alone. This intense need can strain the system to the point where they are simply unable to protect the rights of each child. So the little girl who has already suffered in an abusive home, enters the overburdened foster care system; she may be moved several times in the first few months. Or the two siblings who lost their mother to incarceration are split up and living on different sides of the county. This isn’t just a problem; it is nothing short of a violation of their human rights. A child cannot defend his or her own rights, but a CASA volunteer can! Clark County CASA trains and supports volunteers to speak out and act as advocates for the best interests of abused and neglected children. They are trained to work within the child welfare court systems and are appointed by judges to individual cases. With the help of a CASA volunteer, a child is half as likely to languish in the foster care system, and much more likely to find a safe and permanent home. In fact, CASA programs have been so effective that there are now more than 70,000 volunteers serving almost 1,000 programs in almost every court system in the United States. It is an outstanding reflection of the kind of change that’s possible when the public, private and nonprofit sectors join forces. Today 30% of the younger children in Clark County courts do not have access to a CASA volunteer; most teens don’t have a CASA. That’s 178 children who don’t have that advocacy. We are dedicated to ensuring that every child in the foster care and child welfare system has a qualified CASA volunteer looking out for their best interests. Especially needed are volunteers of color, as African American and Latino children are overrepresented in the child welfare and foster court system. Every child has a right to thrive, to be treated with dignity, and to live in a safe, loving home. Every child deserves a fighting chance. Once grown, these former foster kids could be our future doctors, teachers and leaders. Coming through a period of vulnerability and fear, the child can then understand his potential and his rights. She will believe in herself. That is our opportunity and our challenge. _________________________________________________________________ ywca clark county 3609 Main Street Vancouver, WA 98663 360.696.0167 ywca clark county serves more than 11,000 people each year who are victims of domestic violence, homelessness, sexual assault, child abuse and neglect, and oppression, as well as youth in foster care and incarcerated women. Our programs provide the tools and support to build self-esteem, foster positive life choices, and change lives. The ywca celebrates diversity, respects differences, and recognizes the dignity of each individual. We cooperate as a team to achieve a shared vision, believe and live our mission, and serve as leaders in providing quality and innovative service in a caring, compassionate environment. The ywca clark county is committed to serving all members of our community who need our services. We accomplish this through: We are proud partners of YWCA USA, YWCA Northwest and YWCA World. ywca clark county is dedicated to the vision of securing justice, peace, health, dignity, freedom, and care for all. You can view our legislative talking points HERE young women honored for service and leadership
In 1985 YWCA created an awards program to recognize young women for their volunteer community service and leadership. Since then, YWCA has honored nearly 230 students from Clark County high schools for their efforts to build a stronger, healthier and more vibrant community.
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I am for the Child
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