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About HCTAYC
Who are we?
HCTAYC is made up of organizations and individuals committed to making change for youth in Humboldt County:- The Y.O.U.T.H. Training Project provides many years of experience in youth leadership development and project development
- California Youth Connection is a statewide foster youth advocacy organization
- Youth in Mind is an emerging mental health youth advocacy organization
- Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services is the integrated agency that offers the services we're trying to improve
- Most importantly, the transition age youth in Humboldt who utilize county services and want to make a positive difference for themselves and the future!
What do we want?
HCTAYC's main goal is to develop youth and give them the tools to make lasting improvements to the systems of care for transition age youth in Humboldt County. We want to ensure that youth are receiving timely, appropriate, efficient, and complete services as they transition to adulthood and independence. This change should come from the youth who have experience with these services and who currently or formerly depended on them. The most effective way to make changes is to develop ongoing mechanism for feedback and integrating that feedback into services. The input of Humboldt's youth will help guide the collaborative agencies when setting our focus and priorities as well. The changes we make in Humboldt can be used as a model for other counties, other states... there's no limit to the impact we can have!When will changes be made?
Humboldt County's DHHS has committed to funding this project five years, starting in 2008. We will use this time to make many recommendations with varying time lines. Some changes can happen overnight and have an impact on the youth receiving services immediately. Some changes will be substantial and will require months or years of development, planning and implementation and will take longer to impact services. We will use the recommendations of youth in the county, the Youth Advisory Board, county officials, and our collaborators to prioritize the areas we should focus on immediately, intermediately, and in the long term.Why are we the best collaboration to get this work done?
The work Humboldt County's DHHS has set for this collaboration requires experience and specialized knowledge in youth development, policy change, youth advocacy, and community engagement.The Y.O.U.T.H. Training Project has been in the business of getting youth to the table and being heard since 2000. It has been training youth in facilitation skills and curriculum development by supporting youth to strengthen their skills, positive behaviors and beliefs with a focus on emphasizing and developing those strengths.
California Youth Connection was established in 1988 to work with former and current foster youth to create institutional changes in the child welfare system through policy and advocacy work.
Youth in Mind is an emerging statewide organization of youth affected by the mental health system working to make positive change in the mental health field through members' leadership and advocacy.
HCTAYC's collaborative members all know that it's hard to make systems change without help. We see each other as allies and as experts in our respective fields, and see our relationship as an increase to our power and effectiveness. By combining the existing resources and knowledge of respected and established organizations, we have already won half the battle. Now we are bringing all parties to the table and making changes that are thoughtful and effective.
