Ohio CASA joins current and former foster youth, state partners for “Leadership and Life Skills Summit”

Opportunities to learn life and leadership skills, build peer connections provided for youth who have experienced foster care

Ohio CASA staff members took part in Ohio’s first statewide life skills event for current and former foster youth in over five years.

Director of Development Kristin Gilbert and Director of Attorney Services Megan Heydlauff, Esq. were excited to be asked to moderate workshops and work registration at this valuable event attended by hundreds of young people, community members and Ohio professionals.

“When I have the opportunity to interact with these youth, I am always left feeling inspired. At the ‘Leadership and Life Skills Summit,’ their talents and resiliency were on full display,” said Gilbert. “Ohio CASA is proud to have and further support these connections.”

Each youth attendee received a t-shirt on which they wrote, and then displayed, their leadership strengths and goals. You can see one of the messages written by youth on the shirt pictured below:

The June 11 Leadership and Life Skills Summit was sponsored by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth and the Ohio Children’s Alliance.

ACTION Ohio, an advocacy networked comprised of current and former foster youth, organized the summit held in Columbus in mid-June. Each facet of the summit, including all workshops, incorporated the voices of current and former foster youth.

In addition to youth-targeted workshops, the event also featured select workshops for adults and older youth.

Many of the participants attend the state-level Ohio’s Youth Advisory or a local Youth Advisory Board.

To learn more about these boards and other youth resources, check out the Youth Voices page.