Core Value Award Winner October 2021: Safety Anthony Velez

BCC Recognizes October 2021 Core Value Award winner Anthony "Tony" Velez

The Board of Child Care would like to recognize Anthony "Tony" Velez as the October 2021 Core Value Award winner for Safety!

Mr. Tony's nomination reads:

"After being in BCC's custodial department for two years, Mr. Tony recently joined the Caminos West team as direct care staff. During Mr. Tony's first week, the Caminos West program faced a challenging time when a youth in Cottage 4 was experiencing psychosis and severe anxiety. Mr.  Tony was able to keep that Youth engaged and safe by consistently providing the Youth with things to do and learning how to communicate with him better when the Youth was struggling to do so."

Congratulations, Tony, and thank you!

 

Safety as A Mindset

We value life, spirit, and health above all else and take action to maintain the safety of our workplaces, programs, and services through a trauma responsive lens. We are personally accountable for our own safety and collectively responsible for the mental, emotional, and physical safety of our community.

 

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Jim Young Memorial Golf Tournament September 2021

Thank you to everyone who made the 2021 Jim Young Memorial Golf Tournament a great success! Please check out some more of the event photos HERE

The day began with clouds and light rain which gave way to warmth and sunshine by the time lunch was over and everyone was ready to hit the links! We had a special youth guest from our UMHC Mechanicsburg Campus who shared about the Impact the Board of Child Care’s programs are making in their life. Thanks to the generosity of the tournament sponsors and players, we surpassed our fundraising goal of $50,000. The timing could not be better as we are about to begin renovations of several of the Pennsylvania living units to prepare for a new program opening in 2022 (more on that soon).

Although the gorgeous weather gave way to wind and rain later in the afternoon, the clouds cleared in time to celebrate with our closing ceremony recognizing the day’s winners. However, the real winners of the day are the youth and families BCC’s programs support.

Even as we continue to face uncertainty, it is inspiring to see a gathering of people still focused on SAFETY, strengthening RELATIONSHIPS, giving with compassion and EMPATHY to make an IMPACT through enriching communities, one family at a time.

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The BCC Compass – October 2021

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is!

by Courtney Mercado

 

 

When you think about Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion what is the first thing that comes to mind? You may think about diverse cultural holidays or interactive educational workshops. Maybe you thought about diverse leadership teams or wellness initiatives.

For most diversity and inclusion professionals our first thoughts are about money. What’s my budget? How much money has the organization allocated to a Diversity and Inclusion Department? How many people have been hired to do this work?

Money is always a touchy subject, but it is also a necessary one when it pertains to creating a culture that is more than just diversity language and marketing buzzwords. Inclusion, like everything else in the world, costs money to bring to life and organizations must think and plan about how much money will be needed to turn ideas and conversations about inclusion into your organization’s “new normal.” Here’s a few examples:

  1. Yesenia enters a building and jumps on an elevator to get to the next floor. Yesenia isn’t thinking about the reality that elevators are strategically installed into buildings to help people with mobile impairments access spaces easier and faster. What she sees as a quicker route to her destination is really an intentional inclusive practice for people who are differently abled.
  2. Ade is installing new signs for all the bathrooms in a law firm. They read “For Those Who Identify as Woman” and “For Those Who Identify as Man”. These signs were professionally designed and installed by an outside vendor and promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
  3. A Board of Directors has hired a diversity coach to partner with them to create Diversity and Inclusion goals to make the board more diverse and reflective of the agency’s client population. This diversity coach works with the Board of Directors for three consecutive years and helps the board successfully meet their outcomes.
  4. A client who is in a wheelchair makes a building manager aware that there are no ramps to safely enter or exit a building. The building manager takes this feedback to the owner, who now must bring in an engineer to effectively plan and estimate the cost of installing ramps at all the entry points.

Each of these scenarios illustrate how money is necessary to bring inclusive practices to life and it is imperative to research the costs of inclusion to be effective. At the Board of Child Care, we have a strategic goal of educating our senior leadership team on a variety of EDI competencies. To reach this goal, we needed to research and identify professionals in our community who were skilled at educating and guiding our leadership team through tough topics and helping build confidence around EDI issues and practices. This research has helped us become aware of the cost of educating our teams. With this knowledge we were able to project a budget for our next fiscal year so that in the future we can successfully reach our goal.

Embarking on your own EDI journey can be exciting and sometimes intimidating. Dedicate time to setting goals and researching the cost to meet your desired outcomes. Never shy away from advocating for funds because this work and the steps that need to be taken are important and deserve the same financial security as any other department, initiative, or strategic goal.

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BCC Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

From BCC and the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee with the generous support, content, and guidance from the Caminos team…..Celebramos el Mes de la Herencia Hispana! “Let’s Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!”

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central, and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. The push to recognize the contributions of Latin and Hispanic communities had gained momentum throughout the 1960s when the civil rights movement was at its peak and there was a growing awareness of the United States’ multicultural identities.

The Board of Child Care honors diversity and creates opportunities for our community to continue to learn about each other and engage in joy and purpose. We would not be who we are without the contributions from our Latin and Hispanic community, and we thank you for choosing to lend your talents to BCC youth, families, and community!

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EDI Strategic Plans

Here’s Why You Need One

In June 2021, The Board of Child Care debuted an official Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion statement to our community which demonstrated our commitment to maintaining a safe and purpose-filled workplace. Our statement reads:

The Board of Child Care is committed to honoring differences, acknowledging uniqueness, and amplifying all voices. A culture of inclusivity empowers individuals at every level to enrich communities, one family at a time.

Our statement set the tone for how we expect our organizational culture to grow and develop and left our leaders asking the following questions:

  • How do we bring this statement to life?
  • How do we create buy-in from leadership to make this statement true?
  • We have a statement, but what now?

The answer to all these questions is…Create an EDI Strategic Plan! A strategic equity, diversity, and inclusion plan can help an organization make the most of its diversity by creating an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable culture and work environment. Workplace diversity is the collective mixture of differences and similarities that include individual and organizational characteristics, values, beliefs, life experiences, and behavior.  While diversity creates the potential for greater innovation and productivity, inclusion is what enables organizations to realize the business benefits of this potential. Equity refers to fair treatment in access, opportunity, and advancement for individuals.

Creating strategic plans, program models, data models, etc., are all done to ensure that an organization is meeting its outcomes. The same effort must be put into ensuring that diversity and inclusion initiatives are being prioritized within an agency. The only way to bring about positive change and positively boost organizational culture is to assign ownership. Leaders in the diversity and inclusion industry all credit the success of an organization’s advancement in diversity and inclusion to the buy-in and involvement of leaders from every part of an organization. This work is personal, so it only makes sense that people get involved to push these initiatives forward.  Look at the example that BCC provides in its EDI strategic plan.

Goal 1: Enhance Engagement & Intercultural Development

BCC provides accessible and culturally diverse learning experiences and resources for individuals of all backgrounds.

Objective 1.1 Expand professional development opportunities among staff to enhance their knowledge, skill, and capacity relating to equity, diversity, and inclusion. 

Strategic Action

Benchmark and co-sponsor quarterly ALL Staff events, educational workshops, and activities to raise awareness on issues including (but not limited to) inclusion, diversity, equity, biases, and microaggressions.

Content Creation

EDI Facilitator

Influences/Review

Senior Leadership
Diversity Partners
Training Manager
EDI Leadership

Decision Maker

EDI Facilitator

Anticipated Completion

Winter 2022

Once you have identified your goals and objectives, it is imperative to focus in on who or what team of people can push towards the milestones. Remember, giving people ownership creates buy-in and goal achievement. This is also the perfect opportunity to ensure that there is representation in decision making.

Check out these tips for getting started on your EDI Strategic Plan:

  1. Align your EDI strategic plan with your organizations mission, values, and objectives.
  2. Verify commitment from the Top. The CEO, executive team, and board of directors must back the plan and have active involvement.
  3. Leveraging Employee Diversity. Make use of individuals who want to lend their skill and knowledge base in plan implementation.
  4. Strategic Alliances and Partnerships. Creating these formal relationships between two or more parties who remain independent while working together to achieve a specific goal or to enhance an element of the strategy.
  5. Measurement and Accountability. Identify tools that will be used to determine if EDI efforts have achieved the desired results and if not, who will be responsible for correcting methodology.

Creating your EDI statement is the first step in the right direction for your organization’s EDI journey. Now the real work begins, and your agency has been tasked with the hard work of making your EDI statement true which calls for progressive planning and actions.

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BCC launches the Regional Navigator program in Anne Arundel County

For Immediate Release: September 1, 2021
Contact: Kristian Sekse
(443) 845-4395 (cell)
KSekse@boardofchildcare.org

New Hope for Sex Trafficking Survivors in Anne Arundel County

(Baltimore, MD)—Survivors of Sex Trafficking in Anne Arundel County have a new support system, the Regional Navigator program. Provided by the Board of Child Care, this program officially opened its doors in May of 2021. This single point of contact for trafficking survivors has recently become apparent to service providers on a national scale.  The concept of this innovative approach came to life during the extensive media coverage of the Brittiany Spears legal case.  Social media sites were overwhelmed with hashtags like #FreeBrittany as survivor voices, like that of Cyntoia Brown Long drew massive attention. Cyntoia Brown Long was a child sex trafficking victim convicted of killing her buyer at age 16 and was sentenced to life in prison as a result. Her journey to regain freedom was closely followed internationally.

The Regional Navigator Program is a response to national outcry, that children who are victims of sex trafficking should be rescued and not criminalized.

The Regional Navigator program is largely based on the BCC’s theory of change, which is trauma-informed, and relationship-based. The Board of Child Care was appointed by Governor Hogan to act as a single point of contact for survivors aged 24 and under. BCC’s Regional Navigator program is one of a few statewide pilot sites and serves individuals in Anne Arundel County.

The goals of the Regional Navigator program include creating safety plans for survivors, as well as survivor empowerment. The program offers a variety of basic needs to survivors such as provide clothing, toiletries, connecting them with legal advocacy groups, and informing survivors about victim compensation. There are many dimensions of the program that support victim empowerment. Additionally, the program provides education for community members on how to identify, report, and avoid situations that might lead to sex trafficking.

For more information, community members and survivors should call our hotline number at: 833-888-0535 or visit our website at boardofchildcare.org.

About the Board of Child Care

The Board of Child Care has a long history of serving children and families in the community.  The organization began as three United Methodist orphanages that opened in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which later merged in 1960 to become the Board of Child Care.

Today, the Board of Child Care’s $44 million annual budget provides programs that enrich communities, one family at a time.  Serving over 1,000 unique clients and their families each year BCC offers residential treatment, mental health, special and early learning educational programs, and community-based services throughout the Mid-Atlantic.  To see a map of all program locations and descriptions of each BCC program, visit boardofchildcare.org.

For more information, please email ksekse@boardofchildcare.org.
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Core Value Award Winner – Impact – July 2021

Impact Drives Lasting Change

We seek to make lasting change in the lives of those we work with by providing services that are inclusive, measurable, and durable. We maximize our impact by investing in staff and board development. Feedback presents the opportunity for action, which enhances and strengthens our programs and their outcomes.
Epiphany eagerly expressed her desire to help with EDI initiatives and use her talent and skill to promote equity and safety for her colleagues. Epiphany used her voice to advocate for BCC to acknowledge Juneteenth as a holiday. She interviewed her co-workers, presented research, and spoke confidently on the behalf of others. Her voice impacted and encouraged the decision to make sure that the liberation of Black Americans was celebrated and acknowledged.

Congratulations Epiphany and thank you!

 

 

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Core Value Award Winner – Empathy – July 2021

Listen and Respond with Empathy

Empathy will guide our programming and culture at all levels. A supportive work and program environment means valuing the voices of all people, ensuring equitable representation, and growing a desire to know and understand others. We recognize that with empathy we will better understand what type of care and encouragement to provide.

As Campolina’s Front End Lead TSS, she creates an environment that is supportive and welcoming for both staff and youth. She offers encouragement to all and always makes herself available when she is needed. Recently, Campolina received a new resident who was struggling with the transition. Nasheena had been one of the first to realize he was struggling and she made sure to talk with him one to one to better understand his needs and wants. She continued to check in with him daily to ensure he was not struggling and remind him that he had someone he could talk to.

Congratulations Nasheena and thank you!

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Core Value Award Winner – Relationships – July 2021

Foster Relationships Within our Community

Openness and honesty with all stakeholders make for both the best program outcomes and team culture. Inclusive practices are the building blocks for trust. We create space for conversations that grow transparency about our decisions, promises, and understanding of one another.

Tiffani Williams organized a diversity potluck, which is one of LA’s activities for Diversity Month. She invited me into House 9 where I lead a discussion around Cultural Appreciation. The staff were SO engaged, and the conversation was extremely rich. We even had staff and youth who acknowledged their personal areas for improvement. Tiffani displayed the type of dedication that I want to see from our leadership. Tiffani created the space to highlight the importance of relationship building and understanding of each other. The input from the staff proved that they felt safe enough to be open and vulnerable to share their experiences and perspectives. A huge thank you to Tiffani for using her platform to push our diversity work forward.

Congratulations Tiffani, and Thank You!

 

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Core Value Award Winner – Safety – July 2021

Safety as a Mindset

We value life, spirit, and health above all else and take action to maintain the safety of our workplaces, programs, and services through a trauma-responsive lens. We are personally accountable for our own safety and collectively responsible for the mental, emotional, and physical safety of our community.

Ms. Norma is by far one of the most outstanding workers in our program. She tackles issues with the youth right away.  Ms. Norma is an amazing communicator and has been able to mediate and resolve conflict flawlessly, creating a lasting impact on our youth’ behaviors and relationships in the cottage. She is appreciated by co-workers and youth alike. The atmosphere in C4 is always welcoming and inclusive because of her.

Congratulations Norma and thank you!

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