This October, we hosted the final convening of our most recent Digital Leaning Challenge. Our learning community of leaders from exemplar out-of-school time organizations, expert researchers and the SCE team came together to reflect on the experience of participating in the Challenge these last 18 months and the process of collaborating to develop an extraordinary new resource for peers in the field and also to prepare for what comes next.
Participants affirmed why the SCE model of support creates value far beyond the traditional funding approach. The question that both funders and grantees find themselves asking at the end of any project is, ‘now what’ ? At SCE we’re proud that our relationships with Challenge members are not simply fixed transactions or contracts with pre-determined constraints and expectations; our Challenges are communal efforts to move the needle forward. We know from the outset that we don’t have the answer to problems we want to solve…and that we’re not likely to find them in a predetermined time-frame. Our ‘now what’ at the close of this challenge is we keep going and we grow the work out to share with peers.
By creating learning communities of experts in the field and giving them time and support for what we like to call, spacious thinking, we create the possibility for their synergy to produce outputs that are always more remarkable than what any of them could produce separately with the same amount of time and funding.
One of challenge participants, Jerelyn Rodriguez, Co-founder and CEO of Knowledge House shared some thoughts on her takeaways from the experience.

 
The most important connection made during an SCE-funded learning challenge is never between SCE and individual grantees —what’s important is the synergy of the collective. The synergy is both a literal and figurative output from which the entire field can benefit, and it is what the exchange approach is all about. We’re seeking solutions, and we know that we won’t find them alone. The challenge of preparing the next generation will take all of the best work from many brilliant minds.
Describing her “aha” on why SCE would convene seemingly disparate partners together in a collective challenge, one of our challenge partners said,
“Were all driving the same road, heading the same direction, only in different lanes, doing different things”
No matter the lane the partners began their drive in 18 months ago, they’ve journeyed together, and together they’ve produced and compiled an amazing resource for other practitioners, educators and researchers to join and continue the work.
Stay tuned for our 2019 launch of their findings, tips & tricks, best practices, strategies and guideposts around navigating the work of preparing teens for successful digital futures.

Over the last 10 years of partnering closely with experts in digital learning and social and emotional learning, SCE has witnessed practitioners and educators recognize that these soft and hard skills intersect, inform, overlap and enhance reciprocally.  A new infrastructure has been emerging—digital citizenship.
Moving forward, we need to operate with the reality in mind that today’s youth have never lived in a world where digital and online engagement has not been part of their daily lives. For the rising generation, being prepared for a successful future inherently means being prepared to thrive in digital space as well as in the “real world” simultaneously. They are digital citizens.

Hallmarks of digital citizenship

The ability and practice of thinking critically in order to use digital technology in ways which are effective, respectful and thoughtful
The practice of engaging or participating in digital spaces as a means to be an agent of change in the world
We are excited about not just how digital citizenship can encapsulate all the soft and hard skills necessary for successful participation in the 21st century, but also how it makes room to ensure that youth understand the rights and responsibilities participation in the digital world brings. We believe that a solid understanding of their rights and responsibilities is a crucial first step in preparing digital citizens to ultimately become agents of change.
For that reason, we have begun our research and funding in digital citizenship with efforts to try and get to the heart of what youth already know about their rights and responsibilities in the digital world and to learn what they are still grappling to understand.
To get it right, we knew we had to go directly to youth, and that our job was to listen… so that’s exactly what we’ve been doing.
Through the lens of the youth perspective, it’s became clear that work to date in the field of digital citizenship has focused largely on the adult viewpoint of what youth need to be prepared; and as a result, has been either insufficient or inadequate. In short, we’ve figured out that there’s radical work to be done.  We’re ready for it!

What we’ve learned so far

This past summer we organized a series of listening sessions with youth across racial, economic, and geographic cross sections. We wanted to know about their online experiences. We asked questions like: How do you spend your time online? What impression do you get about online activities among your friends and peers? What do you get out of your time online and how does it influence your life and other activities? Who do you go to for advice? We were especially interested in the latter. We wanted to get a picture of where youth are on the subject of intergenerational problem solving. We knew that collaboration between youth and adults (both younger and older) was where we needed to head, we just didn’t know how far down the road we were from being on that path. What we learned in the listening sessions is this: digital citizenship, a still developing field, is in need of change.
In summary, teens told us:
Teens understand the potential to help (and hurt) others online
Teens are cautious about online connections and engagement
Teens are concerned about both safety and freedom
Teens care deeply about a wide range of social justice and community issues
Teens are curious and active online learners
Teens believe in their own potential to create change
Click here for more detailed takeaways from our youth listening sessions

With our eyes and minds freshly opened by early insights from the summer listening sessions, we were all the more enthused to delve further into the work through ongoing partnerships. Our first partner in this endeavor has been Chicago Ideas.
Chicago Ideas youth organizing is built on the principle that youth are the experts in their own lived experiences. They firmly believe that youth provide unique and incisive perspective on what change is needed—and what solutions have potential to be effective. We began working with Chicago Ideas youth membership as we completed summer listening sessions. Their youth members made key contributions in the development of a digital citizenship rights and responsibilities framework, identifying five vital aspects of digital citizenship for youth.

The above framework serves two purposes. Firstly, it helps to distill some of what we’ve learned is important and needs focus; secondly, it helps to clarify some of the questions we should be asking. The framework does not contain the full answer to the question of what does digital citizenship mean to youth, but instead it is a tool to facilitate our approach to seeking that answer. The rights and responsibilities framework is a guide to direct and deepen conversations. To support these youth-centered conversations, Chicago Ideas created a Youth Focus Group Facilitation Guide based on real world, ethical dilemmas that youth face online. This facilitation guide and the rights and responsibilities framework were used in break-out sessions during a teen-only kick-off event we sponsored in advance of Chicago Ideas Week. Each of the breakout sessions focused on one right and associated responsibility.
Visit Chicago Ideas site and read our guest blog for a list of takeaways from the youth kick-off. Some of their insights might surprise you!

What’s coming next

Chicago Ideas will continue to contribute to our exploration of youth voice through 2019. They will inform us through ongoing on-site programming at Ideas Days to be hosted at high schools across Chicago.
We will also be collaborating with two additional partner organizations in the next phases of our work exploring the youth perspective on digital and 21st century citizenship, Common Sense Media and DoSomething.org.

We are partnering with DoSomething on a nationwide call-to-action that will encourage collaborative, intergenerational conversations and problem solving around digital citizenship.
The campaign will inspire youth members to teach an adult in their life some important element of digital citizenship.  Participants will be supported with communication and action guides around how to have productive discussions about social media and how to report abuse.
Following the initial large-scale campaign in 2019, DoSomething will invite young people to submit their own strategies and ideas on creating a positive digital community. From those submissions, we will identify a cohort of passionate and inspiring young people to be part of a mentorship program with an experienced team of digital and community-building advisors. The program will focus on helping these young people sharpen their ideas by defining both the need for and the impact of their ideas and identifying the resources required for development and implementation.

Common Sense Media has helped bring the term “digital citizenship” into the common vernacular, and supports educators and parents in helping youth develop the skills to navigate the challenges of the digital world and harness its positive potential. SCE is pleased to partner with Common Sense Media and Project Zero on a new grant to identify the most pressing digital topics youth face today.
This partnership will ensure that Common Sense Media’s forthcoming middle and high school Digital Citizenship Curriculum is solidly based on the digital dilemmas that young people are experiencing today, as heard from youth themselves, and resonates with and engages them in a way that most effectively leads them to building the habits of mind and skills to use technology responsibly to learn, create and collaborate.

As youth evolve into the leaders, workers, innovators and citizens who will drive the future, they are becoming the standard bearers who will determine what it means to contribute not only to our local communities, but also to the global community. Technology isn’t going anywhere, it’s evolving alongside youth. The key challenge of the future where connection and contribution to the world around us is both digital and face-to-face is in understanding how youth will use technological tools to accomplish change as they grow, work and live in the world.
SCE is thrilled to be entering this space…the space to first seek understanding and then to use that understanding to fuel youth success. We know it’s a radical rationale (and only part of our larger approach to digital citizenship), but we believe it’s exactly the right place to start.
(Photo credits this page to  James C. Svehla/Chicago Ideas Week)
 

To further understand the youth experience online, SCE partnered with Chicago Ideas to conduct youth listening sessions, with a particular emphasis on how youth view their “rights and responsibilities.”  To support these youth-centered conversations, Chicago Ideas created a Youth Focus Group Facilitation Guide based on real world, ethical dilemmas that youth face online. Below are some key takeaways from these focus groups.

Teens understand the potential to help (and hurt) others online

Teens are using social media to navigate and understand a range of complex issues, including identity. Hearing others’ stories, questions and concerns can give teens the courage to speak up and offer helpful advice. They understand that while social media can be good, it can also be harmful if not used well.
“I am a role model for some people … understanding what they’re going through helps me shift my mindset.”
Teens express concern about how their peers behave online, particularly when they unthinkingly spread negativity or hurt others. Disrespectful, uncaring behavior online frustrates teens. They witness significant amounts of bullying, offending others, reposting negative videos, or posting sexually inappropriate content. Too often, teens get teased or bullied based on their posts.
“Tell someone. Stick up for that person, uplift them. They may not have a voice.”

Teens are cautious about online connections and engagement

Teens are cautious about making friends online, and witness and/or experience a range of inappropriate contact online by their peers and others. They think their peers need to be more cautious and they would appreciate more designated “safe” spaces. While teens like to connect with others via social media, they consider them “associates,” not friends. They are sometimes approached by older men or women and must block them. 
Teens are somewhat hesitant to use technology to get involved in their community at times. They would appreciate additional support/incentives from adults to do so.
“Sometimes there are fake pages, and if you don’t know those people, something could happen to you … you have to be smart about who they are and what they might want from you.”
“People want to hide and say a bunch of stuff online instead of just being themselves.”

Teens are concerned about both safety and freedom

Teens feel a lot of pressure around their online profiles. They work hard to express themselves authentically and want to be able to represent themselves as they see fit. They try not to appear too concerned with what others think, but feel if they don’t look good for others they will be at risk of others making memes out of them.
Teens take steps to keep their profiles private so as not to negatively affect college applications or other opportunities as well as to limit unwanted requests for connection.
Teens suggest forums could be created as “safe spaces” to communicate where no bullying or negativity would be allowed. These spaces could offer great value for people with anxiety and depression, for instance.

Teens care deeply about a wide range of social justice and community issues, including:

Police brutality/Black Lives Matter
Homelessness
Inequality in public policies (ex: immigration)
Suicide & Mental Health
Clean Water
Global Issues
Financial Aid/Financial well-being
Teens use a wide range of social media and news sources to better understand and communicate with others about these issues. These sources range from network news stations and NRP to SnapChat and Facebook.

Teens are curious and active online learners

Technology gives teens access to subjects and skill areas they aren’t learning in school. By watching YouTube videos for both how-to and inspiration, teens are able to pursue areas they are passionate about (ex: drawing, developing new artistic techniques, writing music and getting inspiration for different types of music).

Teens believe in their own potential to create change and do good

Teens view their own projects and activities as part of taking action. Though most teens we spoke to did not identify “taking action” as their primary activity online, discussion revealed that they do see connections other time spent online. These include planning events and managing their own personal brand.
Teens experience adults as somewhat hypocritical when it comes to technology. Adults criticize teens’ use of smartphones while they themselves continue to use their own – sometimes posting questionable content. Adults also assume teens are only spending their time online negatively, when the opposite is true (ex: networking, researching, finding internships).
Teens are somewhat hesitant to use technology to get involved in their community at times. They would appreciate additional support/incentives from adults to do so more often.
Teens said they mostly try to stay away from perceived negative elements/problems in their neighborhoods. They also expressed that if they could be given specific support from adults, this would help them do an even better job. 
Teens worry that adults’ perceptions are often negative and that they too often question teens’ actions and motives instead of supporting and enabling their actual good efforts.

Vox Teen Communications

Interview with Susan Landrum, Executive Director, Vox Teen Communications

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Organization Name
VOX Teen Communications
Organization Website
www.voxatl.org
Population Served
Teens ages 13-19 in metro Atlanta (Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties)
Organization Location
Atlanta, GA
Founding Year
1993
Organization Mission
VOX is metro Atlanta’s home for uncensored teen publishing and self-expression. We connect diverse metro Atlanta teens to resources for building their confidence, increasing their capacity to meet life’s demands and ensuring their future success. VOX is creating a culture where adults and teens alike value the voices of teens in metro Atlanta, and where through VOX, teens are prepared, connected and valued.
Please describe the problem your organization is working to solve and the ways in which your organization’s approach to this work is new or unique.
The problem that VOX is committed to solving is ensuring that teens have an uncensored platform to share their stories and experiences through digital and print media. Through our intentional process of training teens in journalism, digital media and communications skills, we support their holistic development. We know that communication is just as much about listening as it is about talking, and we incorporate social emotional learning and leadership development into every aspect of our programming.
Our emphasis on being teen-led makes VOX a unique organization. We work to create a level playing field for teens and adults to collaborate, and teens play a role in every aspect of the organization. They serve on our Board of Directors, lead newsroom tours, edit their peers’ work, co-facilitate workshops, work as interns and much more. Our teen-centric culture and emphasis on regular formative evaluation ensures that teens’ voices are a part of every conversation, even when they are not physically present. The adult staff and volunteers are here to serve as “guides on the side” for the VOX teens and we often tell them “we work for you!”
What are some key accomplishments your organization has achieved.
In May 2018, we celebrated our 25th anniversary of serving teens in Atlanta! We are proud of VOX’s longevity and the way we have evolved and adapted over the past quarter century. We have a seen a lot of firsts – first email address, first dial-up Internet access, first Twitter account. We have been a part of many big events, including the 1996 Olympics and an economic downturn. Through all the ups and downs, VOX has remained a safe space for teens in Atlanta to be valued, to use their voices, and to develop skills for successful futures. We have remained nimble and responsive to the ever-changing needs of teens, but always with a focus on our mission. We know who we are as an organization and we are aware of our identity as the place where teens speak and Atlanta listens.
In recognition of this important milestone, we are in the process of a special 25th anniversary campaign. This campaign is supporting the recent build out of an audio recording studio in our downtown Atlanta newsroom as well as updates to our website to maximize our ability to reach teens with regular digital content. Funds raised are also being used for our upcoming strategic planning process and for strengthening our financial resources so we are poised for future growth. The final piece of this anniversary campaign is a needs assessment. We are evaluating the current landscape of youth development here in Atlanta as we determine how VOX and our plans for the future fit into the existing framework. We are engaging a variety of stakeholders in this process, including teens, Board members, staff, donors and community partners.
What obstacles (either expected or unexpected) has your organization faced and how have you addressed them?
An expected obstacle that we face is the reality of scarce resources. Like many nonprofits, we have a lot to do with a small but mighty team and there’s always more to do! There are always more teens who need supporting and more people who we need to engage with. Our staff work tirelessly to maximize the resources that we receive from the funding community, but cash flow is often a challenge. We opened a line of credit to help alleviate that burden, and we always work to maintain a healthy reserve account.
Unexpected obstacles that we have faced include the impact of current events on our teens. In recent years, this has included everything from school shootings to hate crimes to the continued weight of the political climate. Teens are dealing with traumatic events in the news and in their own lives. While we cannot control what is happening in the world around us, we can do everything possible to create a safe space for our teens. We use a narrative therapy approach here at VOX, and teens often choose to write about the impact of current events as a way to process what is happening. (We invite you to read Vox teens on Parkland or Vox Teens on Kavanaugh Hearings as examples). Everything we do is framed in a social-emotional lens, and we have several social workers on our adult staff. We are committed to supporting our teens as whole people living in a world that often feels confusing, threatening and volatile. This includes hosting social-emotional support groups, providing a space for teens to debrief, checking in one-on- one with teens and connecting them to community resources.
What current and future trends have you identified in your field?
In the youth development field, we are seeing more attention being paid to social-emotional learning and more organizations choosing to invest in this aspect of their programming. In addition, we are witnessing more conversations about the importance of trauma informed care, with the reality being that all people experience some form of trauma at some point in their lives. And we continue to hear more leaders and non-profits talk about how they can support youth voice and leadership in their organizations. We are wrapping up our needs assessment and we look forward to seeing what other trends emerge from that process. In thinking about the field of media, we continue to see a trend towards telling stories in multiple different formats so as many voices as possible are getting lifted up.
In the non-profit community, we are participating in more discussions around the importance of an organization’s culture, and recognizing that culture can matter just as much as the outputs. We are also exploring how we can talk about existential values from a data perspective. For example, how do you quantitatively represent why it is so important that teens feel valued in their communities? We know that the ability to communicate this data will help us convince potential funders to invest in VOX, and we want to learn how to better use data to tell the story behind our culture. In addition, VOX is committed to being a thought leader in the field of youth development and teen voice as we train other youth service providers on how to infuse more teen voice into their programming. We want to build a movement around this essential concept.
What advice do you have for others interested in contributing to positive changes in your field?
Our mantra at VOX is “teens first.” Our number one piece of advice for anyone in the youth development field is to engage teens in every aspect of the organization. Take a look at your landscape and ask where teens are or are not included. Create intentional times and spaces to hear from young people (and make sure they are teen-friendly times!) Remember that no community conversation is complete if it does not involve the voices of young people. We often say that teens are the future, but the reality is that they are a part of the present. Teens are active participants in society – they attend schools, frequent businesses and ride public transit. And yes, teens will be the leaders of the future, but they are also existing right now.
How can funders and supporters best help your organization accomplish its goals?
One of the most important ways funders can help VOX accomplish its goals is by increasing access to unrestricted funding. Many funding agencies will not allow grants to be used for overhead, but items like rent and administrative salaries are essential to a healthy and sustainable organization. Another way to help is through minimizing barriers to funding by using simple applications and reporting structures. Almost every funder has a different budget form, reporting process, etc. and this requires our staff to devote a significant amount of time and energy to dealing with red tape and bureaucracy. Simplifying the application and reporting process would allow our staff to spend more time actually serving and supporting our teens. Finally, we would be grateful for funders to consider supporting professional development opportunities. There are so many amazing trainings and conferences that our staff would benefit from greatly, but the cost is too high a barrier.

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Selected Media Mentions
Georgia Trend,  “Georgia Trend’s 40 Under 40: Susan Landrum”
Atlanta Pride,  “2017 Atlanta Pride Guide, Vox Teen Communications” 
WABE, “An Opportunity Lost:Vox ATL Teen’s Views on National School Walkout” 
 

Center on Halsted

Interview with Modesto Valle, CEO, Center on Halsted

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Organization Name 
Center on Halsted
Organization Website 
centeronhalsted.org
Population Served 
LGBTQ and allies
Organization Location 
Chicago, IL
Founding Year 
1973
Organization Mission 
Center on Halsted advances community and secures the health and well-being of the LGBTQ people of Chicagoland.
Please describe the problem your organization is working to solve and the ways in which your organization’s approach to this work is new or unique. 
Center on Halsted (COH) works to advance community and secure the health and well-being of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people of Chicagoland. COH increases access for LGBTQ people by eliminating barriers related to the intersections of such identities as sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender and gender expression, economic status, physical or cognitive disability, and religion. COH’s approach is unique because it helps accomplish this work through providing a safe, affirming environment for a population too often exposed to violence and hate while advocating for change and acceptance in the community on a wide range of critical social issues at the individual, organizational, and community levels. Through arts, cultural, and affinity programming, it elevates and amplifies the history, lives, and contributions of LGBTQ people as a means of creating stronger identity and pride within the community while promoting inclusion and acceptance beyond it. Through social service offerings, COH provides resources to improve mental health, address the threat of HIV/AIDS to the LGBTQ community, and give youth and seniors the resources needed to live healthy and productive lives. COH also advances the LGBTQ community by hosting an array of robust, educational and enlightening programs open to the public as well as trainings on cultural competency. COH welcomes more than 511,000 visitors each year.
What are some key accomplishments your organization has achieved. 
Since opening the Center in 2007, COH has built the financial and administrative capacity to grow its annual operating budget to $7,000,000.
In FY2017, COH hired for the first time, a Director of Trans Relations and Community Engagement, Vanessa Sheridan, who took on the challenge of meeting with many Transgender groups and individuals throughout the Chicago transgender community. Today, Vanessa now serves as the Director of Gender Equity and Inclusion.
In FY2017, the Center, with support from the Board, hired an LGBTQ Person of Color for the role of a Community and Outreach Coordinator, Joanna Thompson, who managed outreach campaigns throughout the City to increase education and cultural competency while raising awareness of LGBTQ violence prevention and intervention strategies. Today, the role is now Director of Racial Equity and Inclusion.
The Youth Homelessness Initiative Program transitioned its housing of LGBTQ youth to the Woodlawn community in partnership with the Preservation for Affordable Housing (POAH) in the Winter of 2018.
The Center is setting out to open a COH youth “center” in the Woodlawn community of Chicago by FY2021.
Since the beginning of FY16, COH’s Youth Program Staff have provided support to youth through Individual Level Interventions. Among the 2,694 presenting problems noted in these interventions, about one-third (794) related to abuse, mental health, self-harm, and/or violence and trauma. Youth Program Staff have provided a significant increase in the annual number of Behavioral Health referrals compared to previous years, rising 71.43% from FY16 to FY18.
In FY2018, Senior Services provided 17,172 units of services to 1,026 unduplicated clients, of this 126 were new clients and 900 were repeat clients. This exceeded a Department goal of 500 patrons. Additionally, Senior Services served 271 unduplicated seniors 7,298 meals in FY2018. Through programming, which included an average of 66 monthly events, Senior Services reached a total of 755 seniors with 9,874 units of service.
What obstacles (either expected or unexpected) has your organization faced and how have you addressed them? 
The need for services at COH is increasingly greater than current staff capacity. COH clients present with complex issues, such as trauma, and require intensive services. At times COH staff are the only resource for these clients, and they present multiple challenges including mental health, substance use, social isolation, economic hardship, homelessness or unstable housing, family conflict, etc. on top of perhaps dealing with societal stigma and concerns about how to live with healthy gender and sexual identities. Also, public expression of hate and stigma against the LGBTQ population have recently risen. Societal stigma and oppression intensifies challenges in how the LGBTQ community is facing their daily lives. Trauma is triggered, and need for help increases. The safe space the Center has created is critical to defending these uncertain times and ensuring that the change that has been created continues to thrive and that the population it represents is counted and recognized. Despite these challenges, COH will continue to be a catalyst and expand its reach through community partnerships and competing for grant funding opportunities that will move the LGBTQ community forward, and help create a world that is more inclusive and supportive of human differences.
What current and future trends have you identified in your field?
LGBTQ Youth: According to Chapin Hall’s study, Voices for Youth Count, Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer young adults are more than twice as likely to experience homelessness as their non-LGBTQ peers. They are also at greater risk for experiencing high levels of hardship, including higher rates of assault, of exchanging sex for basic needs, and of early death. Young adults (18-25) who identify as LGBTQ experienced homelessness at more than twice the rate of their non-LGBTQ peers. Black LGBTQ youth, especially young men, had the highest rates of homelessness. COH is a member of the All Chicago CoC, provides housing, and is striving to add more housing through an application to HUD and the City of Chicago Department of Public Health.
HIV and Aging: Aging with HIV/AIDS is difficult. Many HIV-infected people, now in their 50s and 60s, who have lived for years with HIV under control, are developing aging-related conditions — heart, liver and kidney disease, certain cancers and frailty, for example — at a rate significantly higher than uninfected people of the same age. COH recently submitted a grant application to Gilead Sciences to provide a new program to help counteract these issues for Seniors 55+.
Increased access to Free Behavioral Health Services for LGBTQ individuals: Youth Program Staff have provided a significant increase in the annual number of Behavioral Health referrals compared to previous years, rising 71.43% from FY16 to FY18. From July 2017 through April 2018, COH’s HIV testing program referred 131 clients to behavioral health services. COH’s Behavioral Health Department is a critical resource in the community.
What advice do you have for others interested in contributing to positive changes in your field? 
Be patient, listen to the community while paying attention to availability and trends in funding streams and respond with compassion and action. Also, take time for self-care.
How can funders and supporters best help your organization accomplish its goals? 
Funders and supporters can best help Center on Halsted by spreading the word about the Center’s programs and services to those who may benefit which assists us in achieving greater visibility and impact. Further, unrestricted grant funding opportunities are an incredible way for the organization to achieve its funding and strategic priorities.

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Selected Media Mentions
 
Windy City Times, “Successful WERQ Job Fair Takes Place at Center on Halsted”
Chicago Defender, “African-American Program Managers at Center on Halsted Educate and Enlighten the Black LGBTQ Community”
ABC7 News Chicago, “Center on Halsted provides safe space to talk about bullying”
Windy City Times “Vanessa Sheridan helps trans community at Center on Halsted”
Chicago Tribune, “Lakeview to be future home of first affordable building for senior LGBT”

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Interview with John Draper, Executive Director, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Executive Vice President of National Networks, Vibrant Emotional Health

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Organization Name
Vibrant Emotional Health. Vibrant administers the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for SAMHSA. The SCE Catalyst grant will be used for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, so subsequent answers are for the Lifeline, not for Vibrant Emotional Health overall.
Organization Website
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Population Served
The Lifeline is a 24-hour, confidential suicide prevention hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress in the Unites States and US territories. Our target population is the total potential number of suicidal persons who might seek help through hotline or chat services in the United States.
Organization Location
New York City, New York
Founding Year
2005
Organization Mission
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States. The Lifeline is comprised of a national standards and best practices. Vibrant Emotional Health administers the Lifeline through a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant.
Please describe the problem your organization is working to solve and the ways in which your organization’s approach to this work is new or unique.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s mission is to effectively reach and serve all persons who could be at risk of suicide in the United States through a national network of crisis call centers. SAMHSA funded some of the first-ever evaluations that since 2005 have shown how Lifeline centers significantly reduce emotional distress and suicidality in callers. Lifeline sponsored trainings for centers (ASIST) significantly reduce risk in callers more than centers not receiving training. Lifeline policies are effective in reducing imminent risk through less invasive means (76% highest risk de-escalated collaboratively). And finally, Lifeline follow-up calls to persons at risk work: 80% say calls helped keep them safe, with half saying the calls were a primary factor in stopping them from killing themselves.
What are some key accomplishments your organization has achieved.
– During the period from October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017, the Lifeline answered 1,877,020 calls, including 668,610 that were directed to the Veterans Crisis Line. There were 95,996 chats answered. Crisis chat demand continues to increase greatly. At current rates, about 1.5M users will attempt to enter the chat system, about 35% higher than last year.
– Since April 2017, an average of 400,000 users a month find resources on the Lifeline website.
– Calls answered at the Lifeline in June and July 2018 hit record highs. Combined, those months were the two highest ever – 21% higher than the same months a year ago, and June broke the 200,000 answered call threshold for the first time ever (over 218,000) calls, nearly 40,000 more calls answered than in any month in the service’s history.
– In conjunction with the high profile of the Lifeline service related to media events in the last year, along with CDC reports of rising suicide rates and Lifeline’s reports of growing capacity challenges, the Lifeline is getting more attention from the federal government than ever.
– The National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act passed unanimously through all halls of Congress in July, and was signed into law by President Trump in mid-August.
What obstacles (either expected or unexpected) has your organization faced and how have you addressed them?
The Lifeline is funded by a SAMHSA network and certification grant that supports operation and infrastructure costs but not services. And Americans turn to the Lifeline more and more. Over 12M calls have been answered since 2005 and we expect nearly 12M more answered in the next four years; in 2017 alone call volume was up 60%. Increasing volume causes challenges at local call centers and potentially increased wait times for callers. Increased calls also results in higher telephone costs.
Lifeline focuses on consistently expanding the network by recruiting new centers, and by partnering with agencies such as the National Council of Behavioral Health and NASMHPD, and as well as Lifeline staff members educated stakeholders regarding the importance of supporting their local centers.
What current and future trends have you identified in your field?
In recent years suicide rates have been on the rise and the suicide prevention community has united together and set a goal toward Zero Suicide (see zerosuicide.sprc.org). While increasing rates are disheartening, they have allowed for more open communication about lived experience, which has resulted in more people with lived experience sharing their stories openly, and as result we’re learning more about what’s helpful to those in crisis; and we’re learning that everyone has a role in this public health issue (see www.bethe1to.com).
What advice do you have for others interested in contributing to positive changes in your field?
Focus on suicide prevention, and the message that healing, hope and health are happening, rather than on the rising suicide rates.
For further information, please see: www.vibrant.org/changing-conversation-suicide
How can funders and supporters best help your organization accomplish its goals?
Three things are wanted: financial support, spreading the messages outlined above, and supporting your local crisis center.

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Selected Media Mentions
 
Buzzfeed, “Here’s What Happens When You Call Into a Suicide Prevention Hotline”
New York Times, “What to Do When a Loved One is SeverelyDepressed”
USA Today, ‘Like a busy emergency room’: Calls to suicide crisis centers double since 2014
Good Morning America, “National Suicide Prevention Week: What you can Do to Prevent Suicide”
WSJ, “After Celebrity Deaths, Suicide Hotline Calls Jump 25%”
 

Project FIRE, ArtReach Chicago

Interview with Marine Tempels, Development Director, ArtReach Chicago

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Organization Name
ArtReach Chicago
Organization Website
artreachchicago.org
Organization Location
Chicago, IL
Founding Year 
1990
Organization Mission
ArtReach Chicago’s mission is to empower and connect people through the practice of visual arts. ArtReach is proud to offer glassblowing and ceramics, two media that are not only hard to access, but by their very nature elicit healing and build community.
Population Served
ArtReach primarily serves populations that have been impacted by collective or individual trauma, including violently injured youth, veterans, formerly incarcerated individuals, undocumented populations, and Chicago Public School students on the South and West sides.
Please describe the problem your organization is working to solve and the ways in which your organization’s approach to this work is new or unique.
ArtReach works towards equity among Chicagoans by addressing barriers to accessing the arts, mental health resources, and employment. Our participants have told us that they’re looking for opportunities to connect with others who’ve experienced trauma, legitimate ways to earn money, and safe, positive relationships with mentors and adults. Project FIRE participants, who have been violently injured, face an additional challenge– their violence-related trauma places them at high risk for further violence (2014, Baskin & Sommers, 2). Project FIRE works to break this cycle of violence by supporting trauma recovery through intensive case management, employment, mentoring, healing through glassblowing and psychoeducation to individuals experiencing violence related trauma. Through Project FIRE, ArtReach has found trauma-informed arts programming to be a powerful tool for healing and building trust among participants. Therefore, ArtReach is currently working to expand this approach to other existing and future programs.
Combining glassblowing and ceramics with a trauma-informed approach is unique to ArtReach Chicago. Glassblowing, by nature, requires teamwork as it is very difficult to create a piece alone. Therefore it demands that individuals learn collaboration and build trust. Ceramics offers a different kind of healing, its meditative and tactile qualities offers respite, and creates a space for dialogue among community members. Glassblowing and ceramics combined with psychoeducation creates cycles of support that aid in trauma recovery and can interrupt cycles of violence.
What are some key accomplishments your organization has achieved.
In the past few years, ArtReach has nearly quadrupled its operating budget, more than doubled grant and individual donor revenue, and provided more professional development and resources to teaching artists to improve program quality.
Since its inception in 2015, Project FIRE has quadrupled its number of participants. Four participants moved into leadership and mentorship positions, of whom one is now a Teaching Artist for the program and ArtReach at large. Each year, several of our youth participate in national glass programs including Expanding Horizons in Corning, NY, as well as participating in conferences and lectures across the country. In 2017, Project FIRE was featured on NBC Nightly News and the Washington Post. The documentary by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation titled PTSD: Beyond Trauma, which features Project FIRE, was presented at the UChicago Trauma Conference. Here is what CBC lmmakers Patrick Reed and Andrea Schmidt had to say about the program, “ It is truly a safe space, where people not only can learn skills, but also rediscover themselves, and their city; a place to craft new affiliations, new friendships, and new lives.”
Most recently, ArtReach Chicago collaborated with Pop Up X to offer a glassblowing event aimed a destigmatize mental health through art. The event was supported by Dwyane Wade’s foundation. At the first workshop, Project FIRE participants, as the experts, taught NBA star, Dwyane Wade, how to make a paperweight. It was a powerful and empowering day of people working with and learning from each other.
Although not specifically designed as an advocacy campaign, one of the greatest victories of the program is that it has created an outlet for youth to share their full stories with a national and international audience, as well as important stakeholders in legislation reform such as Senator Dick Durbin. In this way, the program has impacted not only Project FIRE participants, but all young black men in Chicago who face challenges due to widespread false narratives about themselves and the root causes of violence and racism.
What obstacles (either expected or unexpected) has your organization faced and how have you addressed them?
Our participants face challenges in their lives that create obstacles for the implementation of the program. These challenges include personal and familial struggles that make it hard for them to show up to work on time, trauma that causes fight or flight responses and inhibit functions in their frontal cortex, making learning challenging, and transportation issues related to safety concerns. ArtReach works in very close partnership with HHP-C to provide services to participants and help overcome these challenges, including guidance on family struggles and finding a safe transportation routine, psychoeducation to assist with trauma recovery, bus cards and full meals to help meet basic needs, and financial literacy to help participants understand how to manage their paychecks.
What current and future trends have you identified in your field?
The use of ceramics as a tool for respite and healing appears to be growing among arts & culture organizations. Arts & Culture organizations have identified a need for spaces where niches of people, such as violently injured youth, undocumented individuals, Muslim women, veterans, etc., can meet privately and take ownership of a space. Arts programming, and especially ceramics, has the power to meet that need.
What advice do you have for others interested in contributing to positive changes in your field?
It’s been said many times, but speaking directly with those you wish to support before offering help is so important. To ensure that resources are distributed appropriately and no harm is done, one must gain a deep understanding of the problem. Listen first, then support appropriately.
For those in the field–include participant involvement in every stage of a program, including planning and evaluation. ArtReach has learned the importance of working with mentors or alumni of the program when creating pre and post surveys. They have helped us identify questions that may not have been appropriate and created other more compelling questions.
How can funders and supporters best help your organization accomplish its goals?
Invest in all parts of the organization including overhead costs, capacity building and personnel.
Pro bono professional support in various fields has proven to be extremely beneficial for the growth of our organization.
Opportunities for our participants to share their stories, sell their work or fulfill commissions are also very helpful.

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Selected Media Mentions
 
WGN TV, Faces of Chicago, “How Victims of Gun Violence Find Healing in the Flames of Glass Art”
NBC Nightly News, “These Chicago Teens Are Fighting the City’s Gunfire With Fire”
Chicago Reader,  “Project Fire Offers Peace Forged in the Flame”
Greenexchange,  “On Shannon Downey’s community craftivism project for Project FIRE”
 

My Block, My Hood, My City

Interview with Jahmal Cole, CEO My Block, My Hood, My City 

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Organization Name:
My Block, My Hood, My City
Organization Website:
formyblock.org
Organization Location:
Chicago, IL
Founding Year:
2015
Organization Mission:
My Block, My Hood, My City provides underprivileged youth with an awareness of the world and opportunities beyond their neighborhoods. We take students on explorations focused on STEM, arts & culture, citizenship & volunteerism, health, community development, culinary arts, and entrepreneurism.
Population Served
Underprivileged youth (ages 14-18) from Chicago’s Englewood, North Lawndale, Roseland, and South Shore communities, 120 teens directly served to date.
Please describe the problem your organization is working to solve and the ways in which your organization’s approach to this work is new or unique.
We want to help teenagers overcome poverty and isolation they face, boosting [their] educational attainment and opening them to opportunities that make a difference in their lives.
What are some key accomplishments your organization has achieved.
To be honest, just being able to provide (120) teens with numerous safe explorations with no incidents has been a blessing. I started this program out of my jeep, with kids from the barbershop. Now we’re in seven schools. I’m also proud that we’re driving our first cohort of students to college this year. Ninety-five percent of our students know someone personally who’s been shot, but only 30 percent of our students know someone personally who’s been to college.
What obstacles (either expected or unexpected) has your organization faced and how have you addressed them?
I’ve learned that there’s a fundamental difference between the appeal of a practical organization and the appeal of a mass movement. Practical organizations offer people self advancement, but movements like My Block, My Hood, My City are about self-renunciation and self-sacrifice. I’ve learned that people can volunteer and have great enthusiasm, but after a year of working with kids in the hood, their passion for this work can become satisfied. If there’s no [personal] upward mobility [gained], then people get frustrated quicker. I basically have learned to recalibrate my expectations. Some people only with me for a season.
What current and future trends have you identified in your field?
I’m better when I play to my strengths. Instead of thinking about [broad] programs, I just stay around the kids and identify [specific] needs [and interests]. I will definitely do more podcasting with youth, actually teaching them how to produce their own podcasts, and more social media videos.
What advice do you have for others interested in contributing to positive changes in your field?
Know your goals and the risks associated with achieving them.
How can funders and supporters best help your organization accomplish its goals?
If you wake up wanting to do something about all this violence in Chicago, but don’t know what to do, listen up. My Explorers Program is a solution! If you show teens better, they do better. Exposure is key! Make a donation. We just need money, that’s all. I’m telling you, there’s plenty of money [readily available] when a corporation walks into a [local] elected official’s office and says, “Pay me or I’m leaving [the community],” but when it comes to investing in programs in poor communities, they’re like, “What have they done to really deserve it? How can we make sure they won’t abuse the system?” Come on, man. We just need money. This is the change you’re hoping for. Support this work. Help stop violence.

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More from Jahmal Cole on My Block, My Hood, My City and  “Active Citizenship”

 
Press on My Block, My Hood, My City
 
SWHelper, My Block, My City, My Hood is Combining Social Justice With Service Learning