Collective STEP for Youth is a group of professionals and community members who are passionate about building the capacity of organizations serving youth 10-19 to prevent teen pregnancy and enhance adolescent wellbeing.
Would you like to learn more about us? Visit our Newsletter Archives here!  
 COALITION NEWS
Thank you to those who joined us for the December Coalition meeting. We were excited to see so many new faces! We were hosted by Native American Connections and the City of Phoenix at the historical  Phoenix Indian School Visitor Center. Progress was made in the Professional Development, Collaboration and/or Grants, and Hub Work Groups and our Youth Steering Committee Members, Nemesis and Izaiah, led us in a fun networking activity.  
 
Please join us in February for the next STEP Coalition meeting.  
 
Wednesday, February 7th  
1:30pm-3:00pm  
Arizona Department of Education
1535 West Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007
 
 
For more information, please contact Tracy Pedrotti at 602-372-1441 or [email protected]

  CONNECTING HOPE: UNITING FOR YOUTH
2018 ADOLESCENT SUMMIT


We invite you to expand your network and build future partnerships! Breakfast and lunch are included and there will be a number of exhibitors, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities to connect with colleagues working in adolescent health and wellbeing throughout Maricopa County.  You will walk away from this Summit with strategies and solutions to enhance youth services.

Who Should Attend: People who are passionate about improving the lives of youth. This FREE event unites seasoned and new professionals, students and community members from various disciplines with a focus on adolescent wellbeing.
                                                                                   
 Registration deadline is February 14, 2018.

Interested in submitting an abstract? Learn more here!

The official call for abstracts is now open. Collective STEP will convene 3, 1.5-hour breakout sessions that will be presented at three different times throughout the day of the Summit. Breakout session themes include:
  • Inclusive Practices and Diverse Populations
  • Adolescent Health Issues on Point
  • Taking Action, Improving Adolescent Health and Wellbeing
  • Positive Professional Development 
Please click here for breakout theme descriptions. A stipend of up to $500 will be given to selected abstract presentations. All proposals are due by Monday, January 8, 2018.

  Submit an abstract to the Connecting Hope: Uniting for Youth 2018 Adolescent Summit Now!
 
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Eileen Aguilar, Adolescent Professional Development Coordinator at [email protected].
STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
   Meet the Collective STEP for Youth Steering Committee Members!      
 
 
Sharlet Barnett 
Sharlet serves as the Collective STEP for Youth Coalition Vice Chair. She serves on the coalition committee because of the positive, strength-based approach the coalition is proactively working towards to help youth. She feels the key to future success for young people is focusing on their well-being and how to help them prevent issues by educating them and giving them tools to be successful. Sharet is interested in learning ways to integrate multiple components to develop comprehensive programming with young people and new emerging best practices. She enjoys traveling, loves history, and is very interested in learning more about the mythology of Ireland, Greece and Egypt. 
 
 
 
 
Cynthia Burr 
Cynthia serves as the Vice Chair Community Member on the Collective STEP for Youth coalition Steering Committee. She grew up in Central Phoenix and is now attending University of Arizona. She started out volunteering for therapeutic foster families when she was just 16 years old. Social services has always been near and dear to her heart. She has always had a passion for helping others, especially at risk and vulnerable population. She currently works with vulnerable youth and has three amazing boys.

EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES
EVENTS
The Rayvan Group is hosting a workshop, Accelerate Your Nonprofit on Friday, January 26 from 9am to 4pm. Register here.  
This full-day event will help your organization design (or redesign) funding strategies to do more than keep your doors open.    
 
Save the Date. Mentally Ill Kids In Distress (MIKID) will be presenting the Sue Gilbertson Leadership Award on Saturday, March 10 from 6:00pm until 10:00pm. Register for the event here.   
OPPORTUNITIES
Opportunities For Youth (OFY) is now accepting applications for a Youth Outreach Coordinator. Deadline is December 28. Learn how to apply here.   
 
Manuel Valenzuela Scholarship is a $1000 scholarship open to all young adults between the ages of 16-28, who demonstrate an active commitment to fighting AIDS through their leadership and social change in the city of Phoenix. Deadline is January 27. Learn more here.
RESOURCES

Quail Run Behavioral Health provides in-patient psychiatric stabilization services. Please call their 24/7 intake line at 602-455-5694. Learn more here.  

 

Learn more here about Sounds of Autism. Their mission is to integrate autistic children and their families back into society through love and support.     

 

We can help you spread the word!
Please fill out the Events, Opportunities & Resources (EOR) form here.
Submit EOR forms the first and third Monday of the month to be included in the newsletter.

INTERESTING READS
Not Sure What to Read Next? 
Here is a recommendation for you! "None of the Above" by I.W. Gregorio is a story about newly crowned homecoming queen, Kristin Lattimer. She has what seems like an ideal life-star athlete, full scholarship to college and a boyfriend-then something unexpected happened. She took a trip to the doctor's office and was diagnosed as intersex. The diagnosis was leaked to the whole school and now Kristin must come to terms with her new self. Check it out on your next visit to the library!
When Opportunity Knocks: Making the Most of Teachable Moments
Here are some tips on how parents can make the most of teachable moments to support healthy decision-making. Read more here. 
 

Collective STEP for Youth shares resources for adolescent wellbeing as a service to its partner community.  
Any questions about a resource shared here should be directed to the organization it came from.
The project described is supported by Grant Number TP1AHOOO129 from the Office of Adolescent Health. 
Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.