Exceeding Expectations August 13, 2013

Members of our Summer Youth Employment Program show off their artistic side with this self portrait they took

For the 5th consecutive year, The Next Door has been lucky enough to receive funding to hire local young people to help clean up and beautify our area. The Oregon Youth Conservation Corps has been our consistent funder for this program.  In past years, the US Forest Service has provided matching funding and those hired would work clearing hiking trails, cleaning campsites and serving as interpretive guides at Multnomah Falls.  This year, due to the Federal sequestration, we were told this funding was not available.

Luckily,  the Port of Hood River stepped in to provide matching funding for us to be able to hire a crew leader and crew of 6 members.   They have worked hard to pull weeds, clear brush and clean areas on Port land, including at the Hood River Marina, event site and at the airport.  Our contact at the Port had this to say about them,

Half way through the contract with the Next Door, I have to say that the performance of the kids on the crew has been outstanding and has exceeded our expectations…I have had airport tenants exclaim on the quality of their work and their work ethic…We are very pleased.

Needless to say, when I get such a glowing report, I’m thrilled, but even more so knowing that this full-time employment for 9 weeks during the summer helps some of the my young co-workers support their families and pay for school.

These pictures show how hard they are working–keep in mind, it’s been hot since they started work in early July.

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Victims or Survivors? June 3, 2013

Words and drawings are an important mode of self-expression

At our May Board of Directors’ meeting, Sky Vaday, Youth & Family Services Program Coordinator, gave a training on The Next Door’s Victims of Crime Assistance (VOCA) program, called Link Up. The training was chocked full of history about VOCA, the services we provide and the rights of victims; all of which are important to share as a blog post.   We have had this program for over a decade, during which time we’ve served hundreds of people.

During the training, the Board discussed whether our program participants are victims or survivors, and the difference in this terminology.  The term “victim” can be construed as being weak, where “survivor” brings to mind someone strong.  On the other hand, by using the term “survivor,” it implies that people should get over what happened to them, where “victim” gives proper weight to what people have endured.  It’s an interesting quandary and certainly wasn’t resolved at our Board meeting.

The following information was presented:

Type of victim services our agency offers:

• Crisis intervention
• Assessment of basic victim needs
• Information and referrals
• Case planning
• Court accompaniment
• Intermediate and long term support services
• Consultation with other professionals
• Education and risk reduction
• Criminal justice support and advocacy
• Education support
• Transportation
• Safety planning

What kinds of victims our agency serves:

• Child victims of physical abuse
• Child victims of sexual abuse
• Victims of emotional abuse
• Victims of domestic violence

 Victim Rights Movement History:

• President Reagan created the President’s Task Force on Victims of Crime in 1982 to address the needs of the millions of Americans and their families who are victimized by crime every year.
• In 1984, it was called the Victim of Crime Act (VOCA)
• In 1990, Congress passed the Victims Right and Restitution Act and the Child Victims’ Bill of Rights
• In 1994, The Violence Against Women Act was passed
• In 1997, The Victim Rights Clarification Act was passed
• IN 2004, the Justice for All Act was passed
• Every state now has some form of victims’ compensation fund.
• Across the USA, some 10,000 victims’ assistance programs have been established.
• The Federal Crime Victims’ Fund has disbursed over $2.3 billion in funds collected from fines paid by federal offenders.

Crime Victims’ Rights:

The idea of promoting victim rights stems from the idea that victims need justice beyond simply punishing the perpetrator of the crime. Whether or not the perpetrator is caught and punished, the victim and the victim’s life are impacted by the crime. Victims have the following rights:

• The right to information;
• The right to be present at criminal justice proceedings;
• The right to due process, i.e., the right to notice of and opportunity to be heard at important criminal justice proceedings;
• The right to financial recompense for losses suffered as a result of a crime, such as restitution and/or compensation/reparations;
• The right to protection;
• The right to privacy

Victim rights may serve to enhance:

• Victim satisfaction
• Cooperation
• Comfort in reporting
• Risk-reduction efforts
• Feeling of safety and security
• Faith in social services/government/ justice system
• Speed of healing process
• Feelings of power/usefulness

Supporting crime victims requires– a basic belief that victims are not responsible for the actions taken against them. The role of the victim service provider is to assist and guide the victim through the healing process.

Guiding principles provide a unifying framework for victim service providers to support victims and their families:

1. Recognize the impact of violence on victims’ lives. Work with victims to achieve safety, prevent future violence, and stem the effects of violence in their lives as early as possible.
2. Offer compassionate and non-judgmental support, understanding, and respect.
3. Provide information, education, and advocacy that will contribute to empowerment, dignity, and self-determination.
4. Provide a trustworthy, client-centered climate that allows clients to begin to regain a sense of control over their lives and trust in others.
5. Support the clients’ capacity and right to grow, change, and make choices for themselves.
6. Provide accessible services to all those impacted by violence, particularly those who are marginalized or face barriers.
7. Offer a helping community that values diversity and provides culturally and linguistically competent services.
8. Maintain a respectful workplace that supports well-being, self-care, and growth for both clients and staff.
9. Model commitment to non-violence.
10. Ensure high quality and effective services in all programs, promoting a seamless and well coordinated transition to other appropriate services both within your network and the community at large.
11. Work to improve the systems and societal attitudes that affect victims of crime and abuse through education, advocacy, and collaboration.

Making Jam and Other “Firsts” March 25, 2013

Making jam–a first for Rebecca

Here’s a fantastic story from our newest program, Mentor for Success, which matches caring adult role models with teenagers.  I’m so happy this program and its amazing volunteers have joined our ranks!

This was written by a mentor who is matched with a 17 year old girl, whom we’ll call Rebecca.

At our first meeting, my mentee “Rebecca” held her head down and could not look at me. It took time for her to speak to me. She had bright turquoise blue hair, a cat ear headband, and was dressed in all sorts of colors. I appreciated her spirit and the obvious artistic side of her. I soon learned her life was filled with “nevers”  –  she had never eaten pizza in a restaurant, never gone to a play, never had done a lot of things that would be common for someone her age.

We’ve done lots of “firsts” together – gone out for pizza, taken art lessons, tried windsurfing, attended plays and outdoor movies, made jams & jellies and homemade Christmas cookies and cards and lots of crafts. She’s worked with me on community service projects and helped with fundraisers. A friend and I taught her to groom and ride my friend’s horse.

Rebecca did choose to leave high school, but has started in the GED program at CGCC. She now sees that she has options for her life and has to make important choices for herself, and her confidence to do that has grown. She wants to succeed.

Rebecca’s still somewhat shy, but is now eager to try new things. With each new adventure her confidence has grown.  She now talks with me about her life and future plans, and asks questions and offers suggestions freely. She has started calling me just to say hello, or to ask for some help with something.

On the way home after an event we attended recently, she said to me, “How did you like the play? Was it fun for you? And thank you for taking me because I had so much fun!” Wow! What a change for this girl. She left the car that night to go inside, happy, with her head up, with new interpersonal skills, and looking to the future. I felt happy too.

“I Think I Can Be Nicer” December 12, 2012

The Dalles Middle School

The title of this post is a quote from one of the 13 8th grade students from The Dalles Middle School that participated in The Next Door’s Boys Council group this past fall semester.  My co-worker, Gabriel Muro, facilitates this best practice group once a week in partnership with the Middle School administration, counselors and teachers.  This project is funded by the Safe Schools, Healthy Students program at North Wasco School District #21.   The goal of the group is to promote resilience and healthy relationships, and is particularly well suited to combat the increase in bullying that we’ve seen recently.

Gabe showed me the post-surveys that the students filled out during the last group of the multi-week series.  In response to the question, “What have you learned about yourself since starting Boys Group?”, some wrote:

“I learned that I can work better in groups than I thought…and I want to be in Boys Group again in High School.”

“I can be more open to people.”

“I can be myself whenever I want.”

“I have the power to stop bullying.”

Responses to the question, “What have you learned about friendships from Boys Group?” included:

“Friendships should never be taken for granted.”

“Try to make new friends because people need friends.”

“A real friend shares your values and is nice to you.”

And, responding to the question, “Have you changed in any way after being a part of Boys Group?”, the students answered,

“Yes!  I can be way more open to those around me and feel more comfortable.”

“I have become more confident and more friendly to people.”

“I have changed my outlook on my friends.”

“Yes, I have been nicer to people and have intervened more when I see people being bullied.”

One student, one child, one family at a time–we can make a serious difference.

Linking Kids up with the Help They Need November 19, 2012

Here’s a story from my co-worker, Sky Vaday, Youth & Family Services Coordinator at The Next Door.

Sara is a 17 year old girl who was referred to The Next Door’s Link Up services through her High School counselor.  The counselor was very concerned about Sara’s grades, attendance and behavior in school.  Sara had been suspended three times in her junior year.  She also has a history of depression, self harm and thoughts of suicide.  Sara is now a senior at the local High School.

Sara was a child victim of rape when she was 12 years old.  She has a lot of self hate, anger and fear because of the victimization.   Sara`s father sent her to live with her mother because she was having behavioral problems with him at home.  Sara had to pack a bag and move away from everything she had known including all of her family and friends; her whole support system.

Sara’s junior year was very difficult for her since she was away from everybody and everything she was used to.  Sara`s mom is very ill and Sara is now responsible for taking care of her.  Sara did not seem to make new friends easily.  She failed most of her classes and at the end of her junior year she was 12 credits behind so she was not on track to graduate.  

Victims of Crime Assistance (VOCA) funding to The Next Door for Link Up was able to pay for Sara to get into counseling.  She now sees a counselor twice a month and meets with the VOCA advocate two times a month.  She is still not on track to graduate in 2012 but the advocate connected her with the local college to start taking some classes to catch up. Through the VOCA advocate Sara has also been connected with an after school club that meets Sara’s interests and she seems to have taken on a leadership role in the club and made new friends and connections.  Sara is feeling better about her life, is looking forward to finishing up school and she wants to travel a little bit before she decides what she would like to do “when she grows up”.

I am thankful for Sky and for VOCA.

 

Looking Out for Each Other October 16, 2012

Recently I’ve been noticing a lot of media coverage about suicides.  There is an epidemic of suicides in our society which all too often hits close to home.  A question frequently raised is, how do we stop people from committing suicide?  This was posed to the teenagers in one of The Next Door’s programs, Health Media Club.

This program is sponsored by the Hood River Commission on Children and Families.  It’s a club at three local schools made up of committed youth who are interested in using diverse kinds of media to get healthy messages out to their friends and to the community.

For this topic, they made a 30 second video that gets the point across.  We need to look out for each other and help people to get the help they need.  Click here to watch it.

Here’s to Going Smoke Free September 6, 2012

For a decade, The Next Door has worked hard to decrease smoking in Hood River.  Together with the Hood River Commission on Children and Families, tobacco use has dropped substantially.

One of the strategies utilized to decrease smoking has been to have it banned at public events.  As someone who attends these events, I’m so glad!  I have found that when I’m outside at an event, I have become very sensitive to people who smoke.  When I grew up, it was so common that, even though I didn’t like it, I got used to it.  Now I’m just grateful that it’s less common, especially in Hood River.

The Commission’s latest prevention newsletter has an article written by my co-worker, Sky Vaday, who co-facilitates the Health Media Club in area schools.  Here’s what she wrote:

We are in the heat of the summer looking to spray down the community with the cool message that drinking and smoking isn’t the norm at our family events. Community Education’s 2012 Families in the Park announced this year’s event will be tobacco, alcohol, and drug free. The Health Media Club wanted to spread the word by handing out prevention stickers and Frisbees to the younger kids as well as assisting in announcing the news.

The Health Media Clubs were also out at the Hood River County Fair on July 27th and 28th participating in the festivities and conducting a tobacco assessment of the fair grounds. Heath Media Club youth recorded the number of people using tobacco, the gender, age and location of tobacco use. Once again the data is showing that the majority of fairgoers don’t use tobacco. Club members plan to present the information to the Hood River County Fair Board. The Fair Board already supports a no alcohol policy for the fair and we hope to gain that same support for tobacco.

Here’s hoping that next year’s County Fair will be smoke free!

 

A Simple Thank You August 1, 2012

At The Next Door, we come to work every day because we like what we do.  We never ask for anything in return from the people with whom we work except that they believe in themselves and try to be positively contributing members of their families and the community.

But it’s always nice to be thanked.  Our Teen Court Coordinator, Sky Vaday, shared with me a note she received from a past participant in Teen Court (a program for teenagers in Hood River who get into trouble with the law and stand before a jury of their peers as part of their restitution).

Sky wrote, “I received a thank you letter in the mail today from a past Teen Court client.  I just wanted to share because it made me feel good.  PS She has been out of Teen Court for over a year.”  Here’s what the note said,

Sky, Just wanted to write to you to say thank you.  Thank you for being there to talk to and not turning me away.  It’s people like you that make the world a better place.  The words are few, but hold a world of meaning behind them. Thank you.

Certainly receiving this note made Sky happier and verified why we come to work each day.

T-Shirts with a Message March 21, 2012

It’s been a while since I last posted about the Health Media Club, a program sponsored by the Hood River Commission on Children and Families.  Every time I hear about how the clubs of middle and high school students get together to create artistic messages about substance abuse prevention, I’m impressed.  They’ve designed theater trailers, billboards, postcards, banners and advertisements for the local taxicab among many other inventive media pieces.

Below is a scanned article and photo from our local Hood River News (February 2012) about some “Got Choices” t-shirts they designed.  What I love even more about this story is that I was sent the articles by the Big Brother of one of the Health Media Club members.  They have been matched by Big Brothers Big Sisters for three years and the Big Brother couldn’t be more proud of his Little Brother.

Our Future Leaders February 15, 2012

Leaders for Tomorrow is a program that has been in existence for almost two decades, but as a program of The Next Door for only two years.  It was founded and continues to be coordinated by one of our Program Managers, Kristin Reese.  She is so dedicated to the program, and our future leaders, that she literally gushes whenever she talks about it!

Every year, Leaders for Tomorrow recruits juniors and seniors from Hood River Valley High School who are interested in learning about local businesses and companies to help guide them in their future endeavors.  They go on field trips around the county learning about professions, then process together as a group and write in their journals about what they learned. 

I offered to tell these future leaders about nonprofit management and tomorrow I will have the opportunity to do just that.  Of course, I’m always excited to talk about my job, but teenagers can be a tough audience!

Here are some quotes from their journals about their past field trips:

“I really enjoyed our tour today.  My eyes were really opened at the massive process it takes to produce and sell fruit.  I will be much more consious about the fruit I’m buying, and to make sure that I’m supporting  local businesses.”

“Today was entreprenuerial spirit day!…It was a great day!  I never realized how much work needs to be put in to creating a business.  But, I also never realized how possible it is to achieve something that you feel passionate about.”

“I’ll list what I learned [today]…Tips for running a business:  work hard, be smart, be outgoing, think of the customer.”

There are many more great quotes that I’ll leave for another post.  Until then, here’s a slideshow of this program:

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