ADELANTE, Youth Advocates of New Mexico
HGNMF sponsors ADELANTE, a statewide, youth-led organization of foster youth ages 16-21, who meet monthly in Santa Fe to advocate for themselves and younger foster children, broaden their own horizons, and learn team building and life-skills that will serve them in adulthood. Today there are twenty-four or more active members of ADELANTE; nine months ago, there were five.
ADELANTE Mission Statement: “As current and former youth in foster care, we will make sure the concerns, opinions, and experiences of our peers are heard by helping, supporting, educating, and training the child welfare community to influence positive change and promote success in the lives of foster youth.”
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ADELANTE of New Mexico
HGNMF sponsorship of ADELANTE helps facilitate goals members set for their organization and themselves by offering support for positive experiences and opportunities as a means to a productive adulthood. Though not substitutes for a permanent family, experiences and opportunities can be invaluable – and even a major factor – in providing a brighter future and career opportunities for foster youth.
Before 2007, ADELANTE was under the umbrella of CYFD. To better advocate and to be the youth voice within the foster care system, both CYFD and HGNMF encouraged them to redesign their organization to self govern. HGNMF provides networking, funding, and organizational support for ADELANTE’s self proclaimed objectives and mission.
Through ADELANTE members learn and experience leadership, discipline, responsibility, and accountability to themselves, the organization, and the community. Following are ADELANTE members’ identified goals and reasons involvement:
- Let their voices be heard, advocate for others,
- Work as a group,
- Improve the system for all foster children,
- Change stereotypes of foster youth,
- Learn/experience new things,
- Present interesting programs,
- Appreciate difference/similarities in youths’ situations,
- Learn team building, and
- Support each other.
In early 2007, ADELANTE members met with representatives from National Resource Center for Youth Advocates for a weekend workshop in Albuquerque to learn the process of for creating a workable organization. Officers were elected, job descriptions created, meeting guidelines and rules of order set, and mission and goals developed. Continuing support from the Resource Center was provided at a weekend workshop in Taos in July 2008.
Results:
With the consent of ADELANTE members, in 2007 HGNMF organized:
- A day at Santa Fe Mountain Center for team building with Rope Courses
- Provided Etiquette Class during a seated lunch
- Co-sponsored Youth Advocates Track at weekend Children’s Law Institute
- Sponsored a Day at the Legislature for youth to tour the Chambers and meet their legislators during New Mexico’s one month Legislative Session
- Provided cultural experiences with tours of Shidoni foundry, glass blowing workshop and pewter studio.
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