Adults working with Foster Youth
Whether you are a CASA, Teacher, Social Worker, Education Staff, Residential Care Staff, Professional or Volunteer Advocate, you are a bridge between survival mode and a thriving future for Foster and Transitional Age Youth.
Accrescent Institute is here to support that mission. Below, you will find a curated library of resources - including expert trainings, video insights from our founder, and articles on the profound influence of memory - designed to help you better support foster youth on their educational and life journeys.
Join our founder, Thomas C. Rector, as he shares his experiences as a father of five, adoptive parent, a foster care mentor and trainer, CASA, and board member for child advocacy organizations.
Below are interviews geared specifically toward working with Foster Youth and Transitional Age Youth.
Making a Difference for Children in Foster Care: A Commitment
Join us for an insightful conversation as Tom shares insights on - and his commitment to - making a difference for children and youth in the foster care system.
We discuss why a commitment to children in foster care matters, including the unique challenges foster children and youth face as they navigate the foster care system and eventually age out into adulthood.
Del Norte Unified School District Coffee & Conversation Podcast
Thomas C. Rector and Christine Slette of CASA Del Norte were guests on the Coffee & Conversation podcast hosted by Jeff Harris.
Harris, Superintendent of Schools for the Del Norte Unified School District, spoke with Slette and Rector about their experiences working with foster youth as CASAs as well as supporting the community in positively impacting youth and their parents.
Listen on any of these platforms:
Originally published in the March/April 2013 edition of Fostering Families Today
Tom shares a story about how we can look deeper into the circumstances, provide learning experiences, and look for opportunities to impact the skills of youth in Foster Care.
Individuality Worksheets
How You Process & Interact
Learning Styles & Preferences
Download a PDF of the Individuality Worksheets, used in Beyond the System: Empowering Your Success Through Learning and other advanced or specialty workshops.
Accrescent Institute is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to sharing BioSocial Cognition through workshops, seminars, and one-on-one training to organizations and individuals.
Below are the Training and Workshops that have been developed and customized specifically for professionals and volunteers working with Foster Youth and Transitional Age Youth.
Trauma, behavior and learning issues, instability and neglect. Our foster youth are constantly in survival mode. How do we get them out of survival mode and better support them on their educational and life journey?
In this interactive session, we’ll delve into what’s happening in the brain, it’s development, and the pivotal role memories play in both learning and behavior. Then, we’ll explore how to use this to positively support and influence behavior and learning outcomes.
Equipped with real-life examples and insights from seasoned child advocates, you’ll walk away with a better understanding of why foster youth are struggling, and how positive response techniques can make a difference.
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Why do foster teens make the choices they do?
What could they possibly be thinking?
How can we guide them into adulthood with the tools they need to lead healthy, productive lives?
In this interactive session, we’ll explore the development, neuroscience, and internal and external factors that impact teen choices and behavior, so that you can better understand where your teen is coming from, why they are making the choices they are making.
You’ll also gain a methodology for cultivating positive, productive communication and relationship with teens.
Foster and at-risk youth face very real issues when communicating with the adults in their lives. They want to be heard, but don’t know how, or if they can trust that they will be taken seriously.
During this workshop, we’ll identify specific barriers and issues youth face when communicating with adults, delve into the impact of past memories, genetics, and development on their behavior and communication, and discuss the profound opportunity you have to positively impact and build fundamental building blocks for adulthood - their memories and their communication skills.
You’ll walk away with a greater understanding of how to better support and fulfill the needs and requests of foster and at-risk youth and a proven methodology for cultivating and empowering positive, productive communication all the way through to adulthood.
Memories Matter: Positive Response Training
Foster Youth are in Survival Mode
Impacted by trauma, instability and neglect, they begin to display negative behaviors and learning issues. How can we collectively improve support systems to help them survive?
In this interactive workshop, we discuss:
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The Brain & Impact of Memories
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Positive Response and why it Matters
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How to Apply Positive Response
We'd love to work with you!
Please fill out our contact form to let us know more about yourself and training options you're interested in exploring.
Our Training & Workshops help you as an advocate, professional, and organization working with foster youth and transitional age youth expand your understanding of the "why" behind behavior and equip you with additional tools for helping foster youth reach their potential.
Training and workshops are available in a variety of formats:
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1:1 via Zoom
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Small Group Training
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Custom Training for Organizations
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On-Demand or
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See if Accrescent Institute is presenting a workshop at an upcoming conference you'll be attending
All sessions are engaging, interactive, and customized specifically to the audience.
Durations range from 90 min to half and full day training. For in-depth training, organizations and individuals may choose multiple sessions delivered over a number of weeks.
