Current Opportunities
LEAD the Summer registration open
The Nebraska Children Youth Advisory Board is hosting its annual event, LEAD the Summer, from Aug. 3-4 at the Leadership Center, near Aurora, Neb. LEAD the Summer is an opportunity for young people across the state to connect with others with a similar lived experience. The program includes interactive leadership activities to learn about healthy relationships both professional and personal. Meals and lodging will be provided, as well as a stipend, to all participants. See the flyer for more details. To sign up, visit https://bit.ly/LEADtheSummer2024. The registration deadline is July 17.
Share Your Voice for the Comprehensive Youth Services Plan
Douglas County Juvenile Services is hosting three community meetings over the summer to gather information from the community regarding what Douglas County’s needs are for the 2025-2029 Comprehensive Youth Services Plan. This Plan will aid in allocating State of Nebraska Community-Based Juvenile Services Aid Grant funds. Priority areas include diversion, excessive absenteeism, mental health services, and other services that will divert youth from the juvenile justice system. The meetings will be on Saturdays from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the following dates and locations:
- July 20 at Metropolitan Community College Fort Omaha Campus, Building 22, 5300 N 30th St
- August 10 at Concord Mediation Center, 2910 S 84th St
JUVENILE movie debut on July 17
UNO, UNMC and the City of Omaha is hosting the official Nebraska premiere of "Juvenile: Five Stories," a film driven by the personal stories of five youths who were justice-involved as teens, JUVENILE traces their pathways into the system, their journeys of trauma and healing, and their lessons for how to break and remake the juvenile system. The film will be shown Wednesday, July 17 from 1-3 p.m. at the UNMC Durham Research Center (BLD 1), Room 1003, S 45th St. The film can also be viewed online. To do so, please register here. You will receive a viewing link via email after registration.
No registration is needed for in-person attendance. After the film, Shimaine Holley, one of the stars, will participate in a live Q&A session! Online viewers will not have access to the Q & A. For questions or suggestions, contact charity.evans@unmc.edu. Watch the trailer for the film here.
NCC seeks information from interested parties
The Nebraska Crime Commission is seeking input from criminal justice professionals and other interested parties to develop a comprehensive plan to address needs and challenges within and among the various sectors of the Nebraska criminal and juvenile justice systems. The goal is to diversify how JAG funds are spent to reach the state’s most critical justice system needs. Stakeholders involved in this strategy include state/local governments, law enforcement, victims' services, juvenile delinquency prevention programs, and other community service providers. Complete the Nebraska Crime Commission Justice System Needs Assessment survey with this link.
Appleseed Youth Fellowship Available
Nebraska Appleseed is taking applications for its Child Welfare Youth Fellowship. Fellows will gain experience working in a nonprofit advocacy organization focused on child welfare and juvenile justice reform and support for older youth who are aging out of these systems. They will have the opportunity to build and strengthen skills and explore interest in advocacy professions by connecting with other Nebraska Appleseed staff, community members and organizations and taking part in professional development and training. The goal of the program is to provide opportunities for young adult advocates, especially those who were formerly in the foster care system or juvenile justice system, to grow their skills as leaders and equal partners in child welfare reform. Please apply using this link!
Contact Sarah Mitchell at smitchell@neappleseed.org or (402) 739-9939 for more information or questions.
Seeking Opinions on Costs of Child Welfare System
The National Center for Youth Law seeks input about the costs imposed on families involved in the child welfare system. There are two separate surveys -- one for youth/families and one for practitioners. Youth and families who complete the survey will be entered into a drawing to win a $50 VISA gift card and any family who has a follow up conversation will be given an additional $50 gift card.
Seeking student and families input on educational information
Many agencies in Nebraska share education information — like school history, attendance, and transcripts — about systems-involved students, including the Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, the courts, and probation to support students as they change schools. We want to hear your perspectives and experiences on how that education information is shared by those agencies. Your stories and ideas will help inform the recommendations provided to these state agencies for improving how they share that information to better support students. See the flyer below for more details on how to participate in the survey or a virtual open meeting.
Post-system involvement supports survey
Appleseed is looking for young people to share their voice to complete a survey on what life after foster care looks like. Your participation in this survey will contribute to a deeper understanding of the challenges and successes within the child welfare system. All information provided will be anonymized and used solely for the purpose of generating insights and advocating for policy changes that improve the lives of those impacted by the child welfare system. Thank you for your willingness to share your experiences and insights. Together, we can work towards a brighter future for all individuals involved in the child welfare system. Complete the survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeFAcYLqot_TZhw_Ky8U6c4yDbKHrm21N-Vfw0qaoAsqP3Bew/viewform
How to obtain a free state identification (ID) for voting
Any person who is a resident of the state of Nebraska may obtain a free state ID card for voting purposes from the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The applicant must indicate on the application that the purpose for the request is to obtain a state identification card for voting purposes. Please note, no person shall be a holder of an operator’s license and a state ID card at the same time.
Download this document for more information.
Coalition seeks youth members
The Nebraska Coalition of Juvenile Justice (the Coalition) is seeking youth applicants for the Coalition under federal and state statutes. The Coalition is a group of youth justice stakeholders committed to improving the youth justice system in Nebraska. An important part of that work is having those voices at the table that have lived experience in the system. The Coalition is seeking youth and young adults up through age 27 who are willing to participate and take leadership roles when they are ready in making real change recommendations to the Nebraska Legislature and Governor. This could include leading a young adult coalition that seeks youth voice of those currently in the system to hear what changes need to happen now. This could also include active involvement in making grant funding recommendations to programs and services statewide to serve youth and families in the system and to keep youth out of the system.
If you are interested in applying for a position on the Coalition, submit your application for Executive Appointment. Interested parties can apply by completing the Executive Appointment form online. If you need more information, contact Elaine Menzel (Elaine.Menzel@NebraskaCounties.org) or Amy Hoffman, Director of Juvenile Programs and Interventions at 402.471.3846 or amy.hoffman@nebraska.gov.
We Want Your Voice To Be Heard!
Are you a young adult aged 18-25 with experience in the Nebraska state and/or tribal child welfare system? We want your voice to be heard!
Tribal youth are not accessing services to help in the transition to adulthood. We want to change that and YOU can help!
If interested in this discussion, please email Kitty at kitty@nicwc.org, scan the QR code on the flyer, or visit this link to get started.
Incentives and travel reimbursements are available for participants.
