YDEKC Field Notes — March 2021

TOMORROW, March 17, 3:00-3:30 PM — Partnership Quick Connections, Part V: Aligning Activities to Outcomes
March 23-April 22 — Register for a chair-based yoga session for youth development professionals! Tuesdays, 9:00 AM & Thursdays, 5:00 PM.
March 25, 9:15-10:15 AM — YDEKC Member Connect: Executive Leaders Check-in (for our Members)
March 31, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM — Crafting a Communication Strategy to Tell Your Story
April 7, 9:30-10:30 AM — Advocacy Coffee Talk (for our Members)
April 9, 9:00 AM-12:30 PM — Thriving as a Leader in Changing Times
April 21, 3:00-3:30 PM — Partnership Quick Connections, Part VI

March 22, 11:00 AM-12:30PM (PT) — Reframing Childhood Adversity: Promoting Upstream Approaches (Webinar)
The Fair Start for Kids Act has passed the House and Senate!
Executive Leaders, please complete the Wage and Benefits Survey to help KC gather useful data to compensate and retain talented staff.
The FCC is mobilizing people and organizations to help share details of the Emergency Broadband Benefit; become an Outreach Partner!
Check out TechConnect's flyer announcing free technical support.

A roundup of recent and relevant pandemic and vaccine news:

American Rescue Plan: YDEKC signed-on to this letter to Senators Schumer and Murray; read Afterschool Alliance's Afterschool Snack on this bill and how funds will flow.
Washington state to get billions of dollars for schools, transit, cities.
Update from School's Out Washington (SOWA): Educators, school staff, youth development and childcare providers now eligible for vaccine.
A standby list for leftover COVID vaccines; alerts are location-based.

This 5-episode Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Podcast series shares conversations on helping children develop SEL skills.
The Trauma Stewardship Institute's Tiny Survival Guide reminds us of action steps we can take to care for ourselves as we navigate trauma.
The Well Beings Greater Seattle Area Mental Health Resource Toolkit highlights several YDEKC Members (and has a recording of their recent event, Well Beings: Centering the Mental Health of Black Youth).
9 mindfulness exercises to help you manage COVID stress.

Apply now — Friends of the Children is hiring an Executive Director.
Apply by March 23 — DEEL is hiring a K-12 Program Advisor.
March-June — TableTalks and Board Talks Peer Learning Groups!
April 27-30 — Best Starts for Kids Virtual Summit: We build. We rise. We soar.
April 28-30 — Every Hour Counts Conference: Reimagine the Future of Afterschool: Building Back Better with Youth and Communities
May 17-21 — Washington State Nonprofit Conference: Rethinking Place, Space, & Time. Register by March 22 for the Early Bird price!

FEATURED YDEKC MEMBER - EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY SERVICES

View more YDEKC Member organizations.

This month we are excited to highlight YDEKC Member, East African Community Services (EACS)! Founded in 2001, EACS has been a pillar of support in King County for two decades. Recently they've been working with King County Equity Now (KCEN) to build the Family Empowerment Center and Community Housing, and KCEN shared this powerful message on their campaign page:

"EACS has served East African immigrant and refugee communities for 20 years. From its early roots in naturalization and citizenship services, EACS provides East African youth and families with holistic programs and resources to adjust to life in the United States, preserve diverse cultural heritages, and participate in a broad and collectivist community life. [...] We are honored to be in partnership with EACS, a deeply-rooted and trusted resource for the more than 75,000 East Africans in King County."

We, too, are honored to connect and collaborate with EACS, and we are grateful to have Executive Director Munira Mohamed join the YDEKC Advisory Board. Please help support their campaign to build the Family Empowerment Center and Community Housing! To learn more about EACS's programs and community offerings, please watch their Youth & Family Community Impact Video below: