Happy Reframe Friday! Today we want to reframe what it means when youth we support "take steps back". Being human means we are on a roller coaster with our progress, regardless of your context. At The HUB we believe that building a strong foundation of trust is where it begins, the first block is trust for each and every one us as we start our change process. Given this everything built on top of the trust are additional blocks, that can be knocked over or pushed over by systems and circumstances. As an example, a youth becomes connected with services, builds trust with a HUB staff and seems to be on an upward trajectory. This youth becomes more connected with services, gains additional positive assets and seems to be moving forward positively with behavior change. Then, this youth finds themselves getting arrested. We have fallen back a little in terms of turning to old norms. While to some agency spaces, this means we are starting from the ground up, with all the blocks pushed over, we view it differently. While becoming incarcerated is a roadblock, and maybe knocked down some of the building blocks on this person's tower, their foundation of trust and healthy emotional assets did disappear. They have more blocks that can withstand this set back based on resiliency and a trust process with support that is simply flexible in the support plan. At The HUB, in this case, support doesn't go away because someone is spending some time in custody, support shifts. We shift to phone calls, visits, community collaboration with engaging institutions and ensure that if and when they are released they have options, leaning on what strengths they have gained throughout their change process prior. We don't lose hard work, deep emotional learning and trust based on a change in the pathway. The tower is not fully destroyed, it just means some blocks tumbled and we reevaluate how to rebuild. Systems, relationships, racism, lack of low barrier supports among a whole multitude of other factors push our towers over, and it is important that youth serving agencies see the tumble of the tower as part of the journey, not as a permanent destination. #bedifferent #buildingblocks #flexiblesupportplans
