Youth peer advocates
Ongoing Events
& Training
We offer a variety of ongoing technical assistance events and trainings for Youth Peer Advocates and supervisors. Join a learning community led by staff experts and build your “toolbox” of skills to support, educate, and empower parents/caregivers. Continuing education hours available!
YPA Technical Assistance Trainings
Dynamic presentations on popular topics to educate and strengthen the peer workforce.
Schedule: occurs monthly on the third Thursday from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Upcoming Dates
January 16, 2025
February 20, 2025
March 20, 2025
April 17, 2025
May 15, 2025
June 19, 2025
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rcu2tqzstG9BiEnf4lBZFZ6xWcmHSglBT#/registration
NEW! “Neurodivergence and Youth Peer Advocacy“
Thursday, April 17, 2025 @ 11:30 PM – 1:00 PM
Join us for a brief presentation, panel, and Q&A about neurodivergence in youth-serving system. We will explore how neurodivergence is often and overlooked co-occurring disability for some of the youths we serve. We will provide a brief overview of neurodivergence. You will also get to hear from YPAs with relevant lived experience. Stay for a Q&A and resource sharing discussion.
Panel Moderator: Jay E. Culkin, YPA-C, Youth Training Coordinator
Panelists:
Echo Urbahn, YPA-P, she/her/they. Echo comes to us from Northern Rivers Family Services. Echo describes themselves as a professional lover of forests, intermediate at being a human being. They also call themselves a voracious lover of all forms of literature, about cats, boba tea, Donnie Darko, and trying to leave the world softer than I found it.
Marc Anthony Mendez, YPA-C, he/him. Marc Anthony comes to us from SCO Family of Services. He has an Associates degree in Human Services Mental Health from Laguardia Community College. As a teenager Marc was a council member for the DOE and the CSE, representing students with disabilities in 5 boroughs of NYC. He has spoken as places such as the Scholastic Book Fair, the Hilton Hotel, Parents for Inclusive Education, YAI, the Arise Coalition, and local NYC public schools, and even the United Nations. Marc writes poetry and is working on an autobiography right now.
J Bowen, NYCPS, they/them is based on unceded Lenape land colonially known as New York City. J works as a peer in a Crisis Respite Center based in Lower Manhattan, collaborating with individuals on their healing journeys and holding space for their stories and their autonomy.
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rcu2tqzstG9BiEnf4lBZFZ6xWcmHSglBT#/registration
Youth Peer Meetings
Statewide meeting for Youth Peer Advocates, Certified Recovery Peer Advocates (CRPA), and others in similar peer-based roles that work with youth to have an open discussion about tools and strategies, advocacy, and workforce development.
Schedule: occurs monthly on the second Thursday from 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Upcoming Dates
January 9, 2025
February 13, 2025
March 13, 2025
April 10, 2025
May 8, 2025
June 12, 2025
Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUsd-2uqzgsHda6I9WFL29U-rIJbL2Jh5i9#/registration
YPA Supervisor Cafe
Open forum for YPA supervisors to discuss the challenges and successes of supervising youth peer advocates and to support role clarity.
Schedule: occurs bi-monthly on the second Tuesday from 11:00AM – 12:00PM
Upcoming Dates
February 11, 2025
April 8, 2025
June 10, 2025
Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtdu-sqz4jHdAVGFYqrHPbikNW_vaD-iL7#/registration
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