2024 Leadership and Life Skills Summit

Link to more photos.

The Leadership and Life Skills Summit took place on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at the Crowne Plaza North. This was Ohio's first statewide life skills summit for current and former foster youth since the pandemic. For the past five years, Ohio foster care youth and alumni have been brainstorming about how to make this event happen once again. Last year’s Self Care Summit was to help lay that groundwork.

The purpose of this event is to inform and empower young people (ages 14-24) who have experienced out of home care. We received RSVPs from Allen, Athens, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Cuyahoga, Delaware, Franklin, Geauga, Greene, Hamilton, Highland, Lake, Licking, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Miami, Montgomery, Pike, Preble, Putnam, Ross, Vinton, Sandusky, Summit, Trumbull and Warren Counties. 

We are deeply grateful to the Ohio Children’s Alliance for partnering with us on the Aging Out Institute grant, which covered the cost of meals during this event. We also truly appreciate those who have supported the gathering, transport and distribution of Suits for Success. Without Velda Hofacker, Bethany Workman, Sarah Saunders, Jaye Turner, and an amazing team of staff volunteers from the Department of Children and Youth, successful transportation of approximately 950 brand new clothing items would have been impossible. 

This summit embodied “lived experience” because every workshop reflects the insights and input of current and former foster youth. Nine of the 11 workshops were facilitated or co-facilitated by current or former foster youth. There was also a learning track for with CEUs for adults who transported youth. Adults were required to transport youth in order to be eligible.