Terry and Kiara have been a mentor pair for about six years. In honor of National Mentoring Month, they sat down to talk with Lt. Governor Zuckerman to share more about the mentoring programs they’ve been involved in, such as Grand Isle County Mentoring and our own mentoring program.

Asked how their partnership has changed over the years, Kiara told “We used to play Trouble a lot, and different board games. Now, we go ice skating a lot, we go to the movies, and we go to [my mentor’s] house and cook.”

Plus, Kiara is involved in Girls Who Code.

“Kiara just amazes me,” says her mentor Terry. “She’s very bright, and very interested in technology and computers. She was showing me this program that she wrote, and I didn’t know anything about it, and I thought, how can I help her in an area that I don’t know anything about?

Hearing about Kiara’s interest in coding, Terry’s daughter recommended Girls Who Code.

“So we contacted them, and found out that it was an agency, and located at UVM, so now every Saturday, I help by taking her to Girls Who Code,” says Terry.

Plus, there are countless other activities, too. As Terry told Lt. Gov. Zuckerman, “it has been great to branch out to [the Spectrum mentoring program]. It gave us a lot of flexibility.” Together, Kiara and Terry can go on all kinds of adventures, or out in the community together.

“Thanks to Mobius, there’s a bunch of businesses that offer discounts for the two of us.”

For example, when Kiara told her mentor she wanted to learn to ice skate, Terry took advantage of the Mobius discount to visit the Cairns Arena in South Burlington. It’s free for Kiara to skate, and Terry pays just $5.

Plus, they’ve been able to go to several shows at the Flynn, thanks to Mobius’s generous discounted ticket program for mentor pairs.

Lt. Governor Zuckerman asked how their mentoring relationship has impacted their lives.

“[Having a mentor] has helped me have a little more self-confidence,” says Kiara.

“I feel young again,” says Terry of her experience as a mentor. “I feel like a teenager when I’m with her. I feel excited to show her new things, but often Kiara is the one who is teaching me more.”

And says Kiara of the partnership, “it’s good to know that there’s someone there to bring you places and help you do stuff when nobody else wants to.”

“And, it’s good having someone to talk to. Sometimes, people don’t want to listen to you, but mentors do.”

Listen to their full interview on Lt. Governor Zuckerman’s Facebook page.

Interested in becoming a mentor? Contact Stephanie, our mentoring coordinator, at sball@spectrumvt.org or (802) 864-7423 x321.

The post Mentor Pair Interview: Kiara and Terry appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Thanks to you, ten beds line the walls at the warming shelter in downtown Burlington. The shelter opened in early November and will close at the end of March.

Thanks to you, Spectrum opens a warming shelter for the cold winter months

Last winter was rough.

With shelters full across the region and a long waiting list for Spectrum’s 25 beds, we often had to turn young people away who needed somewhere to sleep.

“It was heartbreaking having to close the Drop-In Center at night knowing that half the youth who were leaving had no place to go,” says Allie Forward, our Drop-In Youth Coordinator. “To see them lose hope and energy and feel trapped as the weather turned colder and colder was just awful.”

“If I wasn’t at the warming shelter I would probably still be sleeping in the parking garage. It’s really been a blessing. The Burlington community has been really awesome too. People are always dropping off food at nights so we always have something to eat if we’re hungry.”

A true community effort made possible by you.

Over the summer, we looked at many locations where we might launch a shelter, but it was a visit to Burlington Bishop Christopher Coyne that finally connected us to Father Lance Harlow, rector of the St. Joseph Co-Cathedral Parish in downtown Burlington, who agreed to let Spectrum use their Parish Hall this winter.

The Community Health Centers of Burlington, which runs Burlington’s adult warming shelter in the winter, gave us cots to use, and the UVM Medical Center volunteered to do laundry. The Argosy Foundation, Hoehl Family Foundation, Debra and Bill Gottesman, and other generous donors like you pitched in to fund it. The Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf brings by food from its Good Food Truck at night, and St. Joseph’s parishioners have often donated dinner.

“I’m thankful for the warming shelter because if I wasn’t there I would be sleeping outside in the freezing cold. Before I was there I didn’t even have a sleeping bag, cause someone found it and threw it away when I left my camp. And I love the staff. They are awesome, fantastic and cool.”

The warming shelter is already full, but Allie says, “We haven’t had a situation yet where youth are leaving Drop-In without a plan. And, they’re excited to go to the shelter at night. We have great staff there, there’s a TV and they can watch movies. It’s cozy.”

“Just the basic need of having a roof over your head is the most important thing in order to get other parts of your life back together,” Will Towne, our Housing Manager, says. “Whether it’s employment, physical health, mental health, getting help with substance – it’s impossible to get those in order when you don’t have anywhere consistent to go.”

This article first appeared in the Winter 2018 Spectrum Sun, a print newsletter that is available online here.

The post Ten More Beds! appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Our friends at Dealer.Com partnered with the incredible Lux Barber Shop to offer free haircuts for our youth.

Getting a haircut is often out-of-reach for youth experiencing homelessness, and this partnership to receive a professional haircut, for free, was an incredible gift.

Thank you!

Read more about the day in this article, published by Burlington Free Press.

Special thanks to Kate Vetter, Dealer.Com’s corporate social responsibility project coordinator, for organizing, and to Megan and Steve Incerto and the rest of the staff at Lux Barber Shop for donating your time and talents to make a difference.

The post How a haircut makes a big difference. appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

What follows is a guest blog post written by CeCe Horbat, the Diversity, Equity, & Multiculturalism Coordinator at Spectrum.

On May 6th, 2017, we hosted the Youth Leadership Conference at Champlain College. Created by our Multicultural Youth Program, the conference is designed for youth to have fun and learn, while also providing the support they need to build successful leadership skills.

To make it happen, we collaborated with many amazing community partners, including Northwest Counseling Support Services; Vermont Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health; Burlington Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront; Burlington Community and Economic Development Office; and Champlain College.

Our Youth Advisory Committee designed the whole conference, choosing everything from the t-shirt design to the workshops, from our amazing keynote speaker, Rebecca Eun Mi Haslam (Vermont’s Teacher of the Year), to our Snapchat geotag for the day! In order for the event to be a success, it had to be by youth and for youth.

Catherine, left, of the Burlington Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront; and Rebecca Eun Mi Haslam

Almost 100 youth, ages 14-24, participated in the day, learning about themselves and each other. Haslam kicked off the day by sending us the important message: “Know your why, and remember that you are the only one in control of where you’re headed.”

Some of the day’s most popular workshops were led by youth: “LGBTQ Intersectionality,” “Conversations about Racism,” “Breaking Down Cultural Barriers,” and “Spoken Book.” And many other community partners, like the Fletcher Free Library, The Peace and Justice Center, Opportunities Credit Union, and Parents and Youth for Change led fun, engaging workshops.

After lunch, youth explored over 30 organizations, service providers and post-secondary opportunities in a resource fair. Special thanks to ACLU, Vermont Tech, Vermont Works for Women, “I am Vermont, Too,” and Vermont Adult Learning, just to name a few.

In order for the event to be a success, it had to be by youth and for youth.

We finished the jam-packed day by reading a Letter of Support from Senator Bernie Sanders (though he wasn’t able to make it!) and holding a raffle drawing for prizes to local businesses. To our amazing community raffle prize partners like Old Spokes Home, City Market, YMCA, Burlington Electric, the staff at TJMaxx and many, many more, we thank you for your amazing support.

The conference was successful and empowering because of the support of people like you. We’re looking forward to an even bigger and better conference in 2018. In the meantime, you can find us on Facebook to see photos and stay up-to-date on how you are helping. Huge thanks to all who believe in our youth!

CeCe Horbat, left, and Emmajane Hoffman, of the Multicultural Youth Program.

CeCe Horbat is the Diversity, Equity and Multiculturalism Coordinator at Spectrum, as well as the AmeriCorps member serving in our Multicultural Youth Program.

The post Know Your “Why”: Youth Build Leadership Skills at Spring Conference appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Essex High School participated in the Spectrum Sleep Out for the second year, and raised over $500 this year for our youth. The following is a reflection from one student who slept out. It’s reprinted here with permission.

First of all, one challenging part was figuring out how I was going to stay on top of my homework and participate in this event because I typically do homework until 10pm. It took a lot of focused work ahead of time to make sure I had enough work done for school on Friday. It made me think about all the extra thinking ahead of time that someone would have to do if they didn’t have a steady or constant home to go to every night.

I was not cold sleeping outside, but I did have the advantage of a nice sleeping bag on a relatively warm night on dry ground. It made me thankful that my family has the ability to buy sleeping bags to go on vacations, but other people buy them as means of survival. It was hard, however, to sleep with all the bright lights and noise (from cars and other students).

Friday at school was really hard because I felt really tired and also kind of dirty and gross. It is so much harder to go to school without getting to wake up and take a shower and go through your normal morning routine. I struggled to stay focused during the day because I was tired.

Overall, this was a really gratifying experience that taught me about being comfortable and being uncomfortable, and it also gave me some perspective on what homeless teens face on an everyday basis. I am looking forward to participating in this event next year!

The post Reflections from the Essex Sleep Out appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

With your help, Kayla—once without a home of her own—builds her future.

When she was 8, Kayla went to the police and asked them to put her in foster care.

Her mom had made a habit of leaving her alone for days at a time, with no food and no one to look after her. And when she was home, she regularly beat little Kayla.

“It was almost like a hobby for her,” says Kayla. “I was so scared in that house alone, and when she came home, she was super abusive. It was just awful.”

And, her father was in and out of prison. “My dad is the most kindhearted man in the world. He’s got such a good soul. But he has been an alcoholic since he was a kid.”

She thought that putting herself in state custody would give her parents a wake-up call. “They wouldn’t want me to be in a foster home, so what else would they do besides get it together? You know, stop drinking, stop using drugs, stop leaving me. I just thought it would get better.”

Instead, Kayla bounced from home to home to home—at one, the parents treated her so badly that Kayla’s case manager intervened and they lost their license. Once a star student, she fell behind after switching schools again and again.

Finally, when Kayla was in 8th grade, a room opened up in her aunt’s house, and she became a certified foster parent to take Kayla in—the mother that Kayla had never had. “If I didn’t move in with her, I don’t know what I’d be doing right now. It’s a really scary thought.”

Support to build on, thanks to you.

In high school, Kayla’s case manager referred her to Amanda at our Youth Development Program, which helps youth aging out of state custody transition to adulthood. “I remember the initial meeting, when she told me all the things she could help me with.”

“That was the first time anybody had talked to me about college.”

“I thought, ‘This is my opportunity to branch out and even lead myself.’ My whole time in care had proven that I couldn’t rely on my parents to bounce back and give me a solid life or at least a fair chance at being successful.”

Thanks to your support, Kayla began to plan for college. But in her senior year, her boyfriend of three years suddenly died. In her grief, her grades slipped, she struggled to stay in school, and college seemed like a far-off dream.

She wasn’t sure what to do until Amanda suggested our independent living program, which helps foster kids learn to live on their own. We do many of the things a parent might—like coaching, and helping to pay for books, a computer, or rent.

With your support, a home of her own.

Kayla moved out of her aunt’s house and slowly began to build a life—a home—for herself. She got a job, and eventually started taking classes at Community College of Vermont. Thanks to you, Amanda was always by her side, helping her when her laptop failed in the middle of exams, or covering part of her rent when her hours at work fell through.

“I wasn’t used to that, but it really showed how she saw my priorities as her own. I’ve never really had anywhere else to go. She would do anything she could help me to live independently.”

Next, Kayla transferred to the University of Vermont and got an undergraduate degree in social work. Today, she works for one of the family courts, often witnessing cases that are so similar to her own.

Her dream, if she can find a way to pay for it? To go back to school for public policy, focusing on child welfare. “I can’t see myself doing anything else.”

She also tries to give back to the organizations that helped her. “It’s hard to explain how that extra help pushed me through whatever I was going through. It’s helped me be successful with my goals.”

“You guys were with me for a very long time.”

This article first appeared in the Spring 2017 edition of the Spectrum Sun, a print newsletter. Read the full newsletter here.

The post Finding Home appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

About a year ago, with support from community members like you, our Multicultural Youth Program launched “Girls Group,” which takes place every Friday from 4-6 pm.

Girls Group is open to all self-identifying young women. Each Friday, anywhere from six to 15 young women come together at Spectrum. We invite youth of all ages to join the group, though the group generally attracts 14–24 year olds, and we’ve also welcomed aunts, mothers, and grandmothers.

It is thanks to you that this program is available for young women who are building a space that is theirs—a powerful opportunity to take up space, explore future options, and connect with peers to build confidence and find their voices.

A focus on the future.

Everything we do in Girls Group is looking toward the future, but that doesn’t mean we only focus on education and job searches.

From October into January, youth focus on “Self and Community,” and from February to May, they focus on “Culture, Society and the World.” Within these broad themes, girls get to know each other and themselves, and to build trust and a positive group dynamic across many diverse cultures.

From this foundation, and with your support, girls think critically and reflectively about how they can bring their unique voices and talents to the world.

“Girls Group makes me feel like I can try new things. I feel like I have a good group of friends now too, and I’m finally not afraid to be myself.”

In the past few months, girls made collages about self-image, made calming mindfulness jars, and celebrated holidays and explored their meanings.

A whole community opens up, thanks to you.

A huge part of our youths’ success includes our community partners. We led a “Burlington Bingo” scavenger hunt, where girls walked to community resources like the Fletcher Free Library, the Community Health Centers of Burlington clinic, the Peace & Justice Center, and our own Drop-In Center. They took pictures, met staff, and learned about how these organizations can be a resource for them, their friends, and their family members. For the new year, girls reflected on the highlights of 2016, discussed plans and set goals for 2017.

In the second half of the year, we’ll get out into the community even more, with field trips to ECHO, a sailing trip with the Community Sailing Center, Green Up Day volunteering, and a Peace & Justice Center workshop to learn about women who are changemakers around the world.

How you can get involved:

If you or someone you know would like to join Girls Group, email us at myp@spectrumvt.org, or call (802) 864-7423.

You can make a gift to support our Multicultural Youth Program by clicking here.

The post A Space for All Girls appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

This is a letter from Mark, our Executive Director.

The snow has fallen and the darkness comes early each night. Young people who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless need us more than ever—this winter, and into the future.

The good news is, you can help! Join us in sleeping outside overnight in solidarity with our youth while raising funds to support them, and you can make sure teens and young adults have a place to go when the wind starts to bite.

The Executive Sleep Out will be Thursday, March 23rd, and the Student Sleep Out is March 23rd-26th.

Can you stand in solidarity with our youth and sleep out this year? Register now and let our youth know you’ve got their back.

With gratitude,

Mark Redmond
Executive Director

The post Can you unroll your sleeping bag? appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

We asked the Executive Sleep Out participants to reflect on their experience sleeping outside overnight a few weeks ago. Even though the weather is warmer now, it is clear that these community and business leaders made a difference by sleeping out, and with your help, they raised over $260,000 (and counting!) for our youth.

Here’s what they wanted to share with you:

“This event – anchored by Spectrum clients and staff – opened my eyes to the daily, even hourly, challenges and risks facing some of Vermont’s most vulnerable young people. Vermont Gas supports Spectrum because it makes a huge difference to these Vermonters, who learn skills, make commitments about their own lives, and move forward into a brighter future. It is urgent, important, challenging work, happening in our community right now.”
— Ned Farquhar, Vermont Gas Vice President of Communications and Sleep Out participant

“It was absolutely a humbling and wonderful experience for me. This was my first time Sleeping Out and I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I am so glad that I did it because it was eye opening, informative, and even inspiring. The work you all do is amazing and I love that I got to help contribute to keeping that going for young homeless people in Vermont.”

“I went into this [to give back.] Spectrum has attempted to help my nephew and he is just not ready. I wanted to give back to help replenish resources used on him. No child should ever have to spend a single night on the streets, and laying on the ground in the wind made that even more important to me. Surrounded by 108 people and I was lonely . . . a very strange sensation.”

“I felt pretty abandoned. Even surrounded by all the people there . . . my body ached and [there were] the 40 mph winds. I kept hearing sirens, cars, people walking by laughing and yelling. I didn’t realize how much I take for granted every day until I was outside all night, trying to get a mere hour of sleep, laying on top of a piece of cardboard. Working the next day was a haze and a struggle.”

“It was more meaningful than I expected . . . In fact, the fundraising process was actually inspiring and energizing. The sleep Out experience was surprisingly emotional for me because I was overwhelmed with thoughts about how much support we all need as teenagers and young adults. Some get lucky, others don’t. Blessedly, in this community support is be available to any young person in need who is willing to do the work along with Spectrum. Now that the Sleep Out has happened, I feel like the privilege was all mine to participate in such a meaningful cause.” — Grace Amao Ciffo, Dealer.com team member

Over 2,800 donors and participants came together to make the Sleep Out happen this year. You are part of a movement, and we are so grateful. Thank you.

To learn more about the Sleep Out, click here. To learn more about the Student Sleep Out, click here. To see photos of the Sleep Out, please visit our Facebook album.

The post “I wanted to give back.” appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Understanding Domestic Violence and Men Who Batter

May 8, 2015

We’re offering a one-day training that will provide an overview of domestic violence and batterer accountability for individuals working with men who batter, including individuals interested in facilitating batterers intervention groups. This training is required for new DV Solutions facilitators.

Participants in this training will:
• explore the social and historical context of men’s violence towards women
• understand the role of batterer accountability in the community response to domestic violence
• explore gender socialization in our culture and how it relates to dating/domestic violence
• gain skills in addressing behavior choices and understanding process of change theory
• explore using motivational enhancement skills when working with men who batter
• gain skills for facilitating groups with men with a history of violence

Time: 9:30 – 4:30
Location: 191 North Street Burlington, VT
Cost: $50 (free for Spectrum staff)

To register for this one day training, please fill out this registration form and return to mhutter@spectrumvt.org, or to our office at 31 Elmwood Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401.

Registration Deadline: May 1st

The post New Training: An Introduction to Batterer Intervention appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.