"When I first learned of Getting Beyond the System I knew
our young people would benefit greatly from participating in this
seminar. We want to see them approach their futures and careers
with more confidence."
-Jessica Chambliss
Managing Coordinator,
NYANA
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  Components
Orientation and Outreach—YAC reaches
hundreds of teens each year in outreach programs. Through meetings
with a range of youth-serving organizations, we set up one-hour, tailored
presentations for teens to familiarize them with the concepts of self-advocacy
and informational interviews. YAC’s video, Beyond the System
(2000), is screened as a means of engaging teens in the idea that
there are methods for taking control of their futures. The video shows
the true story of a young woman from foster care using her self-advocacy
skills to learn how to reach her dream of becoming a graphic designer,
and contrasts that with a young man without a plan for the future.
Self-advocacy seminar—After a thorough admissions process,
10-12 students are selected for each seminar class. YAC uses a case
method, in which students study and analyze cases about young people
struggling to overcome a challenge to reach a goal. An experienced
facilitator, applying the Socratic method and using the YAC Getting
Beyond the System Self-Advocacy Casebook, teaches the seminar.
Teens learn self-advocacy concepts and skills including:
- Setting goals
- Analyzing how organizations work
- Presenting strengths
- Finding allies and mentors
- Depersonalizing issues and understanding the needs
of others
- Making Self-advocacy presentations
Informational interviews—As a final project, each student conducts
an informational
interview with an accomplished expert in a field in which the
student is interested. For most teens, informational interviews are
the first tangible link with their future. The informational interview,
held at the professional’s workplace, allows the teen to find
out more about the field, gain experience presenting themselves and
their goals to a professional in the business community and begin
the process of building contacts outside of the system.
Evaluation—YAC continually
monitors the effectiveness of the seminar through evaluation, including:
- Pre-seminar and post-seminar exams, which both measure mastery of
content and analytical skills
- Specificity of long-term goals for the future
- Attendance (only one absence is allowed or the student
is dropped from the class) and promptness
- Homework completion (required for each class) and
demonstrated mastery of curriculum topics
- Preparation for informational interviews and information gathered
from the interview (provided by student, teacher and informational
interviewers)
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