Vermont Youth Development Program

05/05/2025

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the 2025 YDP Annual Youth Empowerment Summit on April 10th! We had a wonderful turnout and have already received positive feedback from our youth participants about all the things they learned and folks they connected with. We could not have had such a successful event without the expertise of our presenters, the effort of our case coordinators, and the assistance of our volunteers. Thank you - you all are rockstars!

Elevate Youth Services

03/19/2025

We're partnering with the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP) to host a focus group of youth ages 18-21 with experience in the Vermont foster care system to discuss proposed changes to how young people in state care are notified of their health benefits. The time commitment is 1 hour on Thursday, April 24th (5:00-6:00 PM). The stipend is a $25 e-gift card.
Reach out to YDP for more information!

Elevate Youth Services

03/03/2025

Are you ages 14-23 and connected to Vermont's Youth Development Program? Do you like to learn, connect, and potentially win prizes?

Join us on Thursday, April 10th for our annual Youth Empowerment Summit! We're going to have a phenomenal keynote speaker, engaging entertainment, tons of workshops, lots of food, and so much more!

Reach out to [email protected] for more information!

Elevate Youth Services

02/26/2025

🌟 Calling all young adult leaders (ages 18-26) with lived experience in foster care! 🌟

The National Foster Care Youth & Alumni Policy Council is looking for passionate individuals like YOU to join our council. For over 13 years, we’ve been a powerful force for change, advocating for 20+ priorities and hosting roundtables that bring together voices from across the nation to shape the future of foster care.

This is your chance to make a difference, share your story, and advocate for solutions that matter. Whether you’ve been in kinship care, group homes, shelters, or other placements, your voice is needed!

Application Deadline: March 3, 2025 (Midnight)
Ready to step up? Apply now: bit.ly/NPC2025APP
Know someone who’d be perfect? Tag them below or share this post! 💬

🌟 Calling all young adult leaders (ages 18-26) with lived experience in foster care! 🌟
The National Foster Care Youth & Alumni Policy Council is looking for passionate individuals like YOU to join our council. For over 13 years, we’ve been a powerful force for change, advocating for 20+ priorities and hosting roundtables that bring together voices from across the nation to shape the future of foster care.

This is your chance to make a difference, share your story, and advocate for solutions that matter. Whether you’ve been in kinship care, group homes, shelters, or other placements, your voice is needed!

✨ High-need ACF regions: 3, 4, and 10—we especially encourage folks in these areas to apply! ✨
But don’t worry—we’re reviewing applications from all regions.

📅 Important Dates:

Application Deadline: March 3, 2025 (Midnight)
Ready to step up? Apply now: bit.ly/NPC2025APP
Know someone who’d be perfect? Tag them below or share this post! 💬

02/26/2025

Camp Outright is Vermont’s sole residential summer camp with a q***r twist! Nestled in the stunning natural beauty of our state, it's a vibrant camp that’s all about q***r joy, finding your people, adventure, fun, and community. Your identity is not just accepted but it's celebrated and you can experience true belonging! If you (or someone you know) are ready for a summer of connection, fun, and community, now’s the time to apply.

They accept campers age 13-17 and there are partial/full scholarship options available. Applications close Monday March 3, 2025. Apply below!

https://outrightvt.org/camp-outright

Elevate Youth Services

ONE MORE WEEK TO APPLY FOR CAMP OUTRIGHT 2025! 📣🌈🏕️✨

If you’re thinking, “Ugh, applications have been open for a while—I probably won’t get in anyway,” don’t worry—applications are NOT first come, first served. You have just as much of a chance as anyone, so get yours in before the deadline!

✅ Apply by Monday, March 3, 2025.
✅ You’ll hear from us by March 7 about your camper’s spot or waitlist status.

For scholarship info and to apply: outrightvt.org/camp-outright

02/19/2025

Join the FosterClub February Online Meetup for a roundtable discussion on how identities impact foster care experiences. Connect, share, and be part of the conversation!
📅 Feb 26 | ⏰ 7PM PST | 📍 FosterClub App
https://www.fosterclub.com/blog/online-meetups-are-back

Elevate Youth Services

Your identity shapes your journey—let’s talk about it. 💬 Join our February Online Meetup for a roundtable discussion on how identities impact foster care experiences. Connect, share, and be part of the conversation! https://www.fosterclub.com/blog/online-meetups-are-back
📅 Feb 26 | ⏰ 4PM PST | 📍 FosterClub App

02/14/2025

🎉 Calling all leaders aged 18-24 with foster care experience! The AllStar internship is here to help you grow your skills, connect with peers, and become a changemaker.

Top 5 skills you'll gain:
1️⃣ Building partnerships
2️⃣ Public speaking & facilitation
3️⃣ Advocacy strategies
4️⃣ Leadership opportunities
5️⃣ Mastering time management

🗓️ Applications close February 17, 2025. Don’t miss your chance—apply now! https://www.fosterclub.com/allstar-internship

🎉 Calling all leaders aged 18-24 with foster care experience! The AllStar internship is here to help you grow your skills, connect with peers, and become a changemaker.

Top 5 skills you'll gain:
1️⃣ Building partnerships
2️⃣ Public speaking & facilitation
3️⃣ Advocacy strategies
4️⃣ Leadership opportunities
5️⃣ Mastering time management

🗓️ Applications open January 1 – February 17, 2025. Don’t miss your chance—apply now! https://www.fosterclub.com/allstar-internship

02/05/2025

YDP headed to Montpelier last week for Vermont's 10th Annual Mental Health Advocacy Day. We heard from legislators about what steps Vermont is taking to secure mental health services for folks all across the state. We spoke with community leaders about how we can better serve our populations. We listened to the passionate stories of advocates who have been impacted by and continue to fight for a kinder health system in Vermont.

A huge thanks to The Vermont Association for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery, NAMI Vermont, and Vermont Care Partners for hosting this event!

Elevate Youth Services

02/05/2025

Click below to learn more about how you can support Black LGBTQIA2S+ foster youth!

Black youth and youth who are LGBTQIA2S+ are both overrepresented in the foster care system.

02/05/2025

Check out FosterClub's statement on Black History Month and how racism has influenced out child welfare system!

01/30/2025

A huge shout out to the New England Youth Coalition for hosting their virtual winter conference (Brave Voices, Bold Futures: Strength in Community, Power in Advocacy, Courage in Change) last week!

We had two adult supporters and five youth leaders attend the event from our state AND we even won a prize for knowing the most about NEYC and foster care data! 🏆🎉

Thank you for coordinating such a wonderful and engaging event. The cookie decorating portion went rather well too! 🍪

Elevate Youth Services