Youth Development Program
Who Are We?The Youth Development Program is under the administration of Elevate Youth Services, but further subcontracts with eight local mental health agencies across the state to administer our case management services.
Our Team
Ellyn Leamon
Program Director
Hannah Heinchon
Assistant Director & Billing Specialist
Youth Advocacy CoordinatorZoe Souder
The Youth Development Program (YDP) is Vermont’s statewide extended care program serving 450+ teens and young adults ages 14 up to 23 who have experience in the VT foster care system. h ages 14-23 who are currently in custody or exited at 16 or older are eligible for case management, funding and advocacy opportunities YDP is a voluntary program and youth may connect with YDP any time before they turn 23.
Our Mission & Philosophy
Our mission is to ensure that youth with foster care experience enter adulthood with the necessary support to build productive and fulfilling lives through youth-driven support and resources—namely, case management services, financial assistance, and leadership & advocacy opportunities.
Youth who have experienced foster care are at higher risk for adverse outcomes such as homelessness, unemployment, and lower educational and vocational attainment. The YDP aims to ensure that youth exiting the foster care system in Vermont have the opportunity to rise above risk factors, find resilience, and not only survive, but thrive.
We strive to be the program that partners with youth to help them knock down barriers, uncover interests and skill sets, provide opportunity, and help youth turn dreams into plans! We believe in providing services and supports that are strengths-based and fully driven by youth-identified goals.
How YDP Invests in Youth
Relationships: The most effective indicator of long-term success for youth is having supportive relationships with adults, friends, community members, and siblings who care about them.
Enrichment & Normalcy: Access to enriching activities help youth build connections, explore personal interests, engage in healthy risk-taking, build social and emotional skills, and have a more normal adolescent experience.
Housing: Having a stable and safe home allows youth to turn their focus towards future goals.
Education: Support to complete high school and pursue higher education - including college, tech schools, or certificate programs - puts youth on a path towards realizing their professional aspirations.
Employment: Exploring career options and learning how to maintain employment is a key step to building a productive and fulfilling life.
Transportation: Living in a rural state makes access to reliable transportation a necessity for most youth to attend school, maintain employment, and fully engage in their communities.
Health & Wellbeing: Once health and wellbeing have been achieved, people have the opportunity to focus energy on broader goals.
Identification: Many youth with experience in foster care face barriers to education, employment, housing, and transportation because they lack proper identification. Case managers are able to help them navigate complicated legal systems and acquire these important documents.
Basic Needs: Any number of things pose challenges to youth as they work towards their goals. YDP aims to provide support wherever it's needed.
By investing in youth, YDP promotes healthier and better-connected young adults, families, and communities.
Case Management
Youth Development Coordinators (YDCs) are case managers who partner with youth to help them set goals, explore personal interests, connect with natural supports, and transition to adulthood successfully. There are 18 total YDCs across all 12 DCF districts.
Reach out to the YDC nearest you to learn more about the program, make a referral, or start working with YDP! Youth Development Coordinators (YDCs) are located across the state at the agencies listed here.
Barre
Elevate Youth Services
Joe Nowlan
jnowlan@elevateyouthvt.org
802-477-2302
Bennington
Sunrise Family Resource Center
Caitlin Harrington
charrington@sunrisepcc.com
802-733-7830
Katie Burdick
kburdick@sunrisepcc.com
413-663-1658
Brattleboro
Interaction
Lilly Coco
lilly.coco@interactionvt.org
802-257-0361
Burlington
Spectrum Youth & Family Services
Leslie Schwartz
lschwartz@spectrumvt.org
802-324-3944
Taylor MacHarrie
tmacharrie@spectrumvt.org
802-363-7432
Monica Van Ollefen
mvanollefen@spectrumvt.org
802-373-4455
Hartford
Easterseals Vermont
Becca Paradis
rparadis@eastersealsvt.org
802-318-2594
Newport
Northeast Kingdom Community Action
Belinda Webster
bwebster@nekcavt.org
802-624-0994
Rutland
Easterseals Vermont
Brie Gould
bgould@eastersealsvt.org
802-989-6821
Madison Greene
mgreene@eastersealsvt.org
802-282-1666
Springfield
Easterseals Vermont
Paige Marcou
pmarcou@eastersealsvt.org
(802) 282-5074
St. Albans
Spectrum Youth & Family Services
Ashley Rainville
arainville@spectrumvt.org
(802) 324-1422
Kristin Arles
karles@spectrumvt.org
(802) 373-7928
St. Johnsbury
Northeast KIngdom Youth Services
Brandi Thornton
brandi@nekys.org
(802) 748-8732
Financial Support
YDP offers financial assistance to qualified youth in need through flexible funding opportunities, also known as Youth Investment Grants (YIGs). While we try to prioritize needs vs. wants, these grants generally support the interests and goals of youth who are engaged in the program.
YDP helps foster families and other supportive adults care for youth beyond the age of 18 by offering several extended foster care options.
YDP Extended Care—Adult Living Partners (ALP): agreements where we financially support foster families and other supportive adults to provide care to youth beyond the age of 18.
YDP Extended Care—Independent Living Stipend (ILS): Funding paid directly to youth to help them maintain an independent living situation.
*The Vermont Department of Children and Families (DCF) also has its own extended foster care program.
YDP, in partnership with VSHA, oversees 39 Foster Youth to Independence housing Vouchers (FYI) for eligible youth who have experience in the Vermont foster care system. Vouchers are for terms of up to 3 years and require youth participation in housing-related case management services.
Youth Leadership & Advocacy Opportunities
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Youth Advisory Board
The Youth Advisory Board, or YAB, is a collaborative and project-focused group of youth and adult supporters working to improve the foster care system in Vermont, build skills for youth, and elevate youth voices. The board meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month for two hours over zoom and youth participants are eligible to receive a $50 gift card for attending.
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Training DCF Staff & Foster Parents
YDP youth advocates and young adult consultants partner with the Child Welfare Training Partnership (CWTP) to train DCF social workers, central office staff, foster parents, guardians ad litem (GALs), and other supportive adults by speaking on panels, giving presentations, joining community conversations, and providing valuable insight regarding their experiences. These opportunities provide a space for youth to directly affect how adults approach working with youth. Youth are provided support and training so they are fully prepared to authentically engage in these activities in a healthy and meaningful way.
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Travel and Training Opportunities
Leadership activities can extend past Vermont! Youth leaders meet monthly with advocates from the New England Youth Coalition (NEYC) to take trainings, discuss challenges, and identify emerging trends within child welfare policy. Youth leaders can apply to attend conferences and internships through NEYC, FosterClub, Foster Youth in Action, and more!
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Youth Empowerment Summit
An event that's been enjoyed by youth around the state since 1990, the Youth Empowerment Summit is for young Vermonters, ages 14-23, who have experience in the foster care system. Attendees participate in a wide variety of workshops to explore new skills and hobbies, learn about local resources, network with peers, and find opportunities to get involved in their communities. This event also hosts the Youth of the Year Awards - an annual celebration to honor young adults who have given back to their communities, worked to improve services for other youth, or made terrific strides in accomplishing their own goals
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Community Events
YDP hosts an annual picnic every summer to celebrate the wonderful foster care community in Vermont. We invite program participants, case coordinators, community partners, and foster families to join in summer festivities—swimming, games, crafts, food, and more!
Every October, YDP partners with the Selfless Love Foundation to spearhead Foster Youth Voice Month to elevate youth voices nationwide. YDP highlights art, written works, short stories, and more created by youth to share their story.
YDP also works with community partners to host panels, focus groups, workshops, surveys, and more focused on transforming state policy, one youth voice at a time.