VOY has a reputable history of providing skill building training for youth and staff in the child welfare system. What has always set us apart is that this training is provided by youth with first hand knowledge of that system. We have set the standard for this kind of work throughout the City and nationally.

Born out of the Public Speaking Training Academy, The Youth Trainer’s Association is made up of VOY professionally trained youth with a variety of foster care and training experience. This pool of speakers and advocates will be able to represent the youth voice in child welfare activities and serve as onsite experts within their specific agencies.

Our goal is to encourage our child welfare system and partner agencies to make youth-lead staff training a priority by investing in creating a team of youth trainers who will complement adult child welfare trainers within their agencies and available around the city.

A list of trainers is coming soon!

The Public Training Academy

Our Training Academy trains youth in foster care and those who have aged out in public speaking skills so they can effectively bring their experiences and expertise to life in the training room of child welfare workers, judges, lawyers, foster parents and anyone working with youth in care. With twenty-one hours of basic skill building training, youth begin to see that owning one’s personal story is both empowering and healing.

While learning the strategic use of personal stories and experiences as a means of advocacy within the child welfare system, these youth prepare presentations around issues of their choice to deliver in the training room. At the end of their basic training, youth enjoy a Stepping Up ceremony where they publicly deliver their first official speech on an issue of their choice to an audience made up of their peers and adults working within child welfare. These youth also earn the title of Youth Speaker and begin representing themselves and their peers in a professional way at various forums including conferences, staff training; peer training and even committees where the youth voice is required.

With experience and exposure youth advance to take on more responsibilities as trainers and co-facilitators and learn that they have the option to turn this skill into a career.

Please click here for our flyer and response form.

Sample video clips and speeches coming here soon!