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National Runaway Switchboard

National Runaway Switchboard. Informational Session November 2009. Creating Your ‘I-Space’ Page.

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National Runaway Switchboard

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  1. National Runaway Switchboard Informational Session November 2009

  2. Creating Your ‘I-Space’ Page • Identity development is about asking ourselves, “Who am I?” and “Where am I going in life?” These questions are not unique to adolescence. In fact, throughout our lives, we ask ourselves these questions. • Directions: • DESIGN, individually, a personal web-page that displays your identity. We’ll refer to it as an “I -Space” page. Use the handout to do this.

  3. Creating Your ‘I-Space’ Page Directions:DESIGN a personal webpage I-Space Name: Personal Slogan: In My Spare Time: Hobbies: Relationships With Others: Clubs/Sports: My Important Identities GENDER: AGE: Ethnic Identity: Other: Self -Pic My Favorites: Music: Books: Movies: I describe myself as: I am good at: I feel happy when: In 3 years I’ll be…

  4. Background of NRS • History: Started in 1971 as Metro-Help, a crisis line in Chicago, IL and in 1974 became the federally designated communication system for runaway and homeless youth • Mission: To keep America’s runaway and at-risk youth safe and off the streets • NRS VALUES: • Providing solution-focused interventions • Offering non-judgmental support • Respecting confidentiality • Collaborating with volunteers • Responding 24 hours a days

  5. 1-800-RUNAWAY Confidentialcrisisline for runaway and at-risk youth and their families 24-hourcrisisline is toll-free and accessible from anywhere in the United States and its territories All calls to the crisisline are anonymous All calls are handled by our frontline team of staff and volunteers using a five-step model of solution focused crisis intervention

  6. Runaway Youth • 2008 Caller Statistics • Received 114,000 calls • In IL we handled 8,139 calls, ranking within the top 5 states of most calls (3rd) –incoming and outgoing • Youth status at the time of the call: • 42% are runaways • 36% are in crisis • 50% out of the home (runaway, throwaway, homeless) • 47% have not previously run • 53% identify their means of survival as friends and family • 72% female 28% male

  7. Services • Information and Referral • Home Free & Home Free Kits • Message Service • Crisis email • Conference calls (advocacy and mediation) • Street Team • Service Learning • National Runaway Prevention month (Nov.) • Website – videos, informational material, research, Switched On • Prevention and educational materials

  8. Runaway Youth • Problems Identified by callers • Family Dynamics 29% • Peer/Social 14% • School/Education 8% • Mental Health 8% • Average age of caller: • 14 9% • 15 13% • 16 18% • 17 21% • 18 12%

  9. Prevention – Let’s Talk • Let’s Talk: Runaway Prevention Curriculum (RPC) is a 14 module skill based curriculum. It is available to download at www.1800RUNAWAY.org or to order in CD-ROM format. • Target Audience: Grades 5 -12 but can be modified for other age groups. • The overall goal of the Runaway Prevention Curriculum is threefold: • Educate youth about alternatives to running away; to build life skills so that youth can resolve problems without resorting to running away. • Educate youth about seeking help from trusted adults. • Increase knowledge about runaway resources and prevention through the involvement of community members as trained instructors.

  10. Prevention- Let’s Talk With the help of a grant from Elizabeth Morse Genius Trust Foundation and the Center for Community and Organizational Development (CCOD) at DePaul University, NRS reviewed its existing RPC and updated it. The RPC development consisted of three phases: • Phase 1: Program Research • Professional literature review • Identification of current runaway prevention program • Community needs assessmentwhich included phone interviews, web based survey and focus group • Phase 2: Curriculum Development • Development of new curriculum with input from curriculum/teaching experts, NRS staff, and Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) • Pilot testing of the new curriculum modules • Curriculum modification/refinement • Phase 3: Publication and Distribution • Curriculum modification/refinement with CCOD and proof reader • Graphic designer • Publication and distribution

  11. Activity Time This is an example of an activity from the Let’s Talk: Runaway Prevention Curriculum: • Who’s On Your Bus is an activity from Module 3: Personal Influences. • It assists youth in identifying who are the “influential others” in their lives.

  12. “Who’s On Your Bus?” Directions: THINK about if you could fill a bus with the people in your life who are most important when it comes to making decisions about your life, who would be on that bus? FILL INeach “bus seat” (represented by the oval) with a person/group that is most important. PLACEa star next to those who are close to your age.PLACE an arrownext to the older or younger people on your bus who also influence your choices about your life.SHARE with a partner who you invited onto your bus. Greyhound Lines, Inc. bus borrowed with permission. www.greyhound.com, 1-800-231-2222. Greyhound Lines, Inc. partners with NRS to provide the Home Free program.

  13. Who’s On Your Bus • Who are the people on your bus? Who isn’t on your bus? • Why are they important to you? • Are there some that have more influence than others? • Can you count on these people when you are in trouble or in need? • Do they help you make good decisions? Always? Most of the time? Some times? Never? • Do you feel good about the decisions they help you make?

  14. Module Review Module 1: Communication & Listening: youth will identify barrier to communication and utilize active listening skills in real-life scenarios. An introduction to the NRS Crisis Intervention Model is provided. Module 2: Adolescent Development: youth will learn the normal aspects and challenges associated with adolescent development. Youth will create a personal identity space based on their strengths and qualities. Module 3: Personal Influences & Decision Making: youthwill identify howpersonal values, principles, and beliefs will impact their decision making. Youth will reflect on the role of influential others in decision making.

  15. Module Review Module 4: Peers: youth willdiscuss positive and negative, direct and indirect peer pressure and characterize their current friendships and social groups. Module 5: Families: Roles & Responsibilities: youth will define the term “family” for themselves and will consider the roles and responsibilities each “family” member holds. Techniques to improve communication among family members and skills to resolve family challenges will be addressed. Module 6: Runaway Reality: youth will brainstorm reasons why young people choose to run away, questions to consider before leaving, and options other than running.

  16. Module Review Module 7: National Safe Connections: youth will identify their own personal “safe place” and learn about the National Safe Place program, which invites local businesses and agencies to provide access to immediate help and supportive resources for all young people in crisis. Module 8: Community Response & Responsibility: youth will consider who in their community is affected, both directly and indirectly, by a runaway incident. Youth will learn to use their community as a resource and discover ways to contribute to their community. Module 9: Anger Management: youth will identify and recognize mental and physical reactions to anger and learn positive ways to deal with these reactions.

  17. Module Review Module 13: Internet Safety & Fun: youth will brainstorm their current uses of the internet and ways to remain safe online. Role plays will be used to encourage internet safety. Module 14: Future Life Planning: youth will discuss barriers to and facilitators of achieving the life goals they’ve identified in this module.

  18. Activity Time This is an example of an activity from the Let’s Talk: Runaway Prevention Curriculum: • Risks and Consequences Flashcards is an activity from Module 11: Drugs and Alcohol. • It assists youth in looking a consequences and risks associated with decisions that they make.

  19. Risks and Consequences Flashcards • Get into small groups • The flash cards contain a situation that has multiple decisions and consequences linked to alcohol and drug use. • In your group, you’re going to create a story by placing the cards in order, based on your understanding of the effects of drugs or alcohol in the everyday decisions that we make.

  20. Curriculum Benefits UTILIZATION: • Let’s Talk is user friendly • Let’s Talk can be implemented by activity, module or in its entirety • Let’s Talk can be used as supplemental material for existing curricula, such as health, life skills, and positive youth development • Let’s Talk will support life skills acquisition and prevention efforts • Let’s Talk can be included in service learning projects • Let’s talk can be used with youth and parents • Let’s Talk can be peer led • Let’s Talk activities can be used for building community awareness while doing community outreach

  21. Curriculum Benefits • Let’s Talk is available free either in CD-ROM or by downloading from 1800RUNAWAY.org • Let’s Talk is available in English and Spanish • Let’s Talk provides worksheets, handouts and additional resources • Let’s Talk contains pre- and post-tests to assist in determining if learning has occurred TRAINGING & SUPPORT: • NRS will provide one-on-one technical assistance and support. • The prevention specialist is also available for training opportunities. • Online tools: webinar, Runaway Reality Module podcast, test kit and more..

  22. Let’s Talk Statistics • Currently in over 21 states • Over 11,000 youth already have been exposed to the RPC • Utilized in various venues : schools, social services, community centers, afterschool programs, mentorship, youth/parent groups, juvenile justice ect…

  23. Who’s Connected To You • Break up into groups of 8 -10. • Select one volunteer for each group to facilitate the activity. • Facilitators come to front to get props and directions. • Report out to the whole group • What was the experience like? • How was it to facilitate the activity? • How might you be able to use the activity in the work you do with youth or around awareness?

  24. Who’s Connected To You? • Break up into groups of 8 -10. • Select one volunteer for each group to facilitate the activity. • Facilitators come to front to get props and directions. • Report out to the whole group • What was the experience like? • How was it to facilitate the activity? • How might you be able to use the activity in the work you do with youth or around awareness?

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