One of the things that makes TNOYS’ annual conference unique is that both youth and professionals are welcome to attend, putting the power of youth-adult partnership into action.
From workshops led by members of our Youth Adult Leadership Council (YALC) to virtual hangout rooms during the lunch breaks, this year’s event features many opportunities for young people to explore advocacy, build skills, and have fun. We encourage you to check out the youth-focused program guide to learn more, and register youth attendees here!
During workshops throughout the event, young people will have opportunities to learn more about youth services and develop their skills as advocates. One such workshop is Youth Homelessness Prevention, part 1 of Engaging and Promoting Youth Leaders. Led by members of our Young Adult Leadership Council (YALC), participants will learn about the all too common issue of youth entering into homelessness after leaving care, including common risk factors and challenges that can lead to homelessness. They’ll also learn about resources and tools to help youth navigate accessing services, and an analysis of three distinct pathways into homelessness.
During Listening and What to Expect as a Youth Transitioning into Higher Education, young people will learn about tools and resources for making the transition to college. Participants will explore the transition into college and what to expect as youth with lived experience. They’ll also learn about the obstacles those youth with lived experience face when entering college, and participants will walk away with tips, tools, and resources to access.
In addition to building skills, young people will also have the chance to have fun and get creative. During Can You Dig It? Excavating Social-Emotional Learning Through the Arts, Gina Moore and Youth Presenters from Crosswalk USA will focus on creative exploration and therapeutic self-discovery with adolescents. Participants will engage in creative activities and leave with unique artwork and written instructions to facilitate the activities in their own programs.
Along with these sessions, we have 7 other youth-friendly workshops covering topics such as self-care, leadership and resilience, listening and learning from youth, and more!
Self-care is important, and young people will have many opportunities to rest, have fun, and connect with other youth throughout the conference. There will be games throughout the conference in which youth and professional attendees can earn points to win fun prizes. During lunch, we will have special youth hangout rooms where they can connect about the ins and outs of leadership, advocacy, and impact session activities. There they will have a chance to learn new skills, network with peers, and ultimately strengthen their advocacy goals to address system challenges. All of these activities will happen in a more casual and interactive environment.
We encourage young people at your organization to attend! Youth registration is $75 and scholarships are available. To apply for a scholarship, please email annualconference@tnoys.org. Be sure to register here by May 31st.