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| Council of Canadian Child and Youth Care Associations |
The Poster Project attempts to address the need for both the general public and
practitioners to have a better understanding of child and youth care work. Many who enter
the practice of child and youth care do so by word of mouth, learning from a friend or a
friend of a friend about the work and becoming involved. In recent years the emergence of
child and youth care at the university and especially college levels have provided a more
formal avenue to the work. Still, confidentiality and the marginal nature of the work keep it
shrouded in a kind of mystery. The idea of a poster to help explain aspects of child and
youth care work emerged and was developed. This page presents a series of such
posters, all letter sized, which can be downloaded and printed for display by those working
in the field. It is an attempt to expand upon the word of mouth approach in a hard copy
format that can be displayed and shared.
The posters are published here as PDF files and you will need an Acrobat Reader to do
this (link provided). You are welcome to go to the one or more that interest you and save it
to a downloads file on your computer. Once saved you can open and print the poster.
While colour photo paper media is recommended, the choice is up to you.
The Poster Project is an initiative of the Council which debuted to recognize International
Child and Youth Care Workers Week 2007 and the years to follow. Members and guests
are invited to print and display posters in their work places and publications to promote the
association movement and the public understanding of the child and youth care.
This page is designed to be read along the horizontal using your slider bar at the bottom
of the screen to go to the right to view the posters.
practitioners to have a better understanding of child and youth care work. Many who enter
the practice of child and youth care do so by word of mouth, learning from a friend or a
friend of a friend about the work and becoming involved. In recent years the emergence of
child and youth care at the university and especially college levels have provided a more
formal avenue to the work. Still, confidentiality and the marginal nature of the work keep it
shrouded in a kind of mystery. The idea of a poster to help explain aspects of child and
youth care work emerged and was developed. This page presents a series of such
posters, all letter sized, which can be downloaded and printed for display by those working
in the field. It is an attempt to expand upon the word of mouth approach in a hard copy
format that can be displayed and shared.
The posters are published here as PDF files and you will need an Acrobat Reader to do
this (link provided). You are welcome to go to the one or more that interest you and save it
to a downloads file on your computer. Once saved you can open and print the poster.
While colour photo paper media is recommended, the choice is up to you.
The Poster Project is an initiative of the Council which debuted to recognize International
Child and Youth Care Workers Week 2007 and the years to follow. Members and guests
are invited to print and display posters in their work places and publications to promote the
association movement and the public understanding of the child and youth care.
This page is designed to be read along the horizontal using your slider bar at the bottom
of the screen to go to the right to view the posters.
Editor/Webmaster: Garth Goodwin
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| 2003-8 Council of Canadian Child and Youth Care Associations/Garth Goodwin All Rights Reserved |
| The Poster Project |
Streets are for the birds.
Youth at risk often run away from parents and caregivers. Most
come home a day or so later but some never return. Child and Youth
Care workers don’t ever want to give up on a young person and
strive to create a place of acceptance and belonging for them. Child
and Youth Care workers struggle often to maintain a placement in
care. They know, first hand, the tragedy of losing a youth to the
harm of the streets. They are also employed across a range of
services with the mission to bring youth and young adults in from
the cold.
Youth at risk often run away from parents and caregivers. Most
come home a day or so later but some never return. Child and Youth
Care workers don’t ever want to give up on a young person and
strive to create a place of acceptance and belonging for them. Child
and Youth Care workers struggle often to maintain a placement in
care. They know, first hand, the tragedy of losing a youth to the
harm of the streets. They are also employed across a range of
services with the mission to bring youth and young adults in from
the cold.
Sexual Abuse is one secret a young person should not have to keep.
A significant number of youth at risk have been victims of sexual abuse. Child and Youth Care workers help
young people to work through their resistance, denial and disassociation toward a healing path.
A significant number of youth at risk have been victims of sexual abuse. Child and Youth Care workers help
young people to work through their resistance, denial and disassociation toward a healing path.
Suicide IS kid's stuff.
Youth at risk idealize and commit suicide far too often. Northern
isolation, sexual confusion and sexual abuse, among other reasons,
all claim young lives every year. Young people can appear fine yet
have intensely emotional perceptions of the world around them.
Child and Youth Care workers are trained to notice the signs and to
address the despair by engaging youth in a relationship leading to a
more positive worldview.
Youth at risk idealize and commit suicide far too often. Northern
isolation, sexual confusion and sexual abuse, among other reasons,
all claim young lives every year. Young people can appear fine yet
have intensely emotional perceptions of the world around them.
Child and Youth Care workers are trained to notice the signs and to
address the despair by engaging youth in a relationship leading to a
more positive worldview.
Every kid should really matter to someone.
Children and young people seek attention. Child and Youth Care workers give it to
them. It is not necessarily that they want it, more that they need it. Paying attention is a
constant activity at both the individual and group level. Every worker knows to pay
special attention to one child or youth in particular to give them an appreciation of being
very important to one adult. At the core of Child and Youth Care work and the center of
most worker’s experience is the relationship with a youth at risk. Through relationship
real differences are made every day.
Children and young people seek attention. Child and Youth Care workers give it to
them. It is not necessarily that they want it, more that they need it. Paying attention is a
constant activity at both the individual and group level. Every worker knows to pay
special attention to one child or youth in particular to give them an appreciation of being
very important to one adult. At the core of Child and Youth Care work and the center of
most worker’s experience is the relationship with a youth at risk. Through relationship
real differences are made every day.
Tools for a profession?
Snacks and videos work for baby sitters. Child and Youth Care
workers are NOT baby sitters. They therapeutically intervene with
youth at risk to heal and work through painful issues in addition to
providing caretaking. Their work deserves the real tools of a
profession with standards, regulations, certification and oversight. The
Child and Youth Care association movement promotes professional
development, education and realizing genuine professional status for
this work.
Snacks and videos work for baby sitters. Child and Youth Care
workers are NOT baby sitters. They therapeutically intervene with
youth at risk to heal and work through painful issues in addition to
providing caretaking. Their work deserves the real tools of a
profession with standards, regulations, certification and oversight. The
Child and Youth Care association movement promotes professional
development, education and realizing genuine professional status for
this work.
Drugs are NOT recreational.
Child and Youth Care workers help young people at risk to work through their addictions and acting out.
They understand youth turn to drugs for more than kicks but also to numb the pain and forget. Drugs can kill
and harm like never before.
Child and Youth Care workers help young people at risk to work through their addictions and acting out.
They understand youth turn to drugs for more than kicks but also to numb the pain and forget. Drugs can kill
and harm like never before.
Home should never be condemned.
Child and Youth Care workers help young people at risk to work through their abandonment and running to
the streets. They understand young people need time, safety and acceptance to begin to trust again.
Workers often put their own lives at risk going to unsafe places to bring a young person back into care.
Child and Youth Care workers help young people at risk to work through their abandonment and running to
the streets. They understand young people need time, safety and acceptance to begin to trust again.
Workers often put their own lives at risk going to unsafe places to bring a young person back into care.
Gangs are not families.
Young people at risk crave belonging. Child and Youth Care workers provide safe, positive and empathic
relationships that will bring lasting self-esteem. They encourage self control and acceptance in the youth
they work with.
Young people at risk crave belonging. Child and Youth Care workers provide safe, positive and empathic
relationships that will bring lasting self-esteem. They encourage self control and acceptance in the youth
they work with.
Identity can be more than a tag.
Children and youth crave attention from adult caregivers. They really want to be somebody. Too often they
simply get to be and turn to extreme fashion, activities and behaviours to forge an identity. Child and Youth
Care workers understand the importance of noticing, positive praise, understanding choice and patience while
young people define themselves.
Children and youth crave attention from adult caregivers. They really want to be somebody. Too often they
simply get to be and turn to extreme fashion, activities and behaviours to forge an identity. Child and Youth
Care workers understand the importance of noticing, positive praise, understanding choice and patience while
young people define themselves.
The Graffiti Series
The Montreal Series
A note on the maple leaves may be in order. They are used to call out and unify the series. They have been gathered over
the years from all regions while attending child and youth care conferences. The green one was from the backyard of Sir
John A MacDonald's home in Kingston. The yellow or gold one from St. John's and the red from Montreal.
the years from all regions while attending child and youth care conferences. The green one was from the backyard of Sir
John A MacDonald's home in Kingston. The yellow or gold one from St. John's and the red from Montreal.
Change is only instant in fairy tales.
Child and Youth Care workers know the young people who come into their care have issues
that may take a lifetime to work through. Often, much of their work involves confronting and
working through the resistance to being cared for. They know patience and doing what they
can to help, can go a long way.
Child and Youth Care workers know the young people who come into their care have issues
that may take a lifetime to work through. Often, much of their work involves confronting and
working through the resistance to being cared for. They know patience and doing what they
can to help, can go a long way.
Growth is rarely in a straight line.
Child and Youth Care workers study and understand human development. They know emotional and
mental growth can take deep turns, halt or even become arrested. Through insight and just being there
they attempt to provide the conditions sufficient to promote healthy growth.
Child and Youth Care workers study and understand human development. They know emotional and
mental growth can take deep turns, halt or even become arrested. Through insight and just being there
they attempt to provide the conditions sufficient to promote healthy growth.
The Metaphor Set
These two posters were the first generated. The idea
was to pair a visual image with a child and youth care
fact or truism in such a way to make an attractive
statement about the work.
was to pair a visual image with a child and youth care
fact or truism in such a way to make an attractive
statement about the work.
resulted in the Graffiti Series. Confidentiality prevents direct image illustration of the work. A walk
in the neighbourhood found young people are speaking up all the time through their graffiti. The
combination of the images and the reference they make to aspects of child and youth care work
resulted in the format for the Poster Project.resulted in the format for the Poster Project.
in the neighbourhood found young people are speaking up all the time through their graffiti. The
combination of the images and the reference they make to aspects of child and youth care work
resulted in the format for the Poster Project.resulted in the format for the Poster Project.
While roaming the streets of Montreal while
there for the International Conference of 2006,
the concept was extended.
there for the International Conference of 2006,
the concept was extended.
A germ of an idea can develop into a formula and going
forward new posters may be generated with additional
images that suggest references to child and youth care work.
forward new posters may be generated with additional
images that suggest references to child and youth care work.
The Continuing Series
Empathy Warms the Soul.
Youth in care are defensive for good reason. Child and Youth Care Workers
listen acutely with empathy in order to hear the young person’s true self
beyond the defenses. The Child and Youth Care Worker attempts to engage
that true self in a dialogue over many conversations. In time and through
listening at all levels a thaw takes place and the young person is able to re-frame
the past and heal.
Youth in care are defensive for good reason. Child and Youth Care Workers
listen acutely with empathy in order to hear the young person’s true self
beyond the defenses. The Child and Youth Care Worker attempts to engage
that true self in a dialogue over many conversations. In time and through
listening at all levels a thaw takes place and the young person is able to re-frame
the past and heal.
Use your bottom slider bar to move to the right...
Walking a Fine Line
Child and Youth Care workers practice with delicate balance. On one hand they provide structure and safety
to the youth in their care. On the other, they need to encourage youth to take their own steps, make their
mistakes and learn from them. Finding that balance between control and trust is at best a mutual process
growing out of a relationship based upon shared understanding.
Child and Youth Care workers practice with delicate balance. On one hand they provide structure and safety
to the youth in their care. On the other, they need to encourage youth to take their own steps, make their
mistakes and learn from them. Finding that balance between control and trust is at best a mutual process
growing out of a relationship based upon shared understanding.
Making memories out of moments.
Youth at risk are often out of touch and uncomfortable with spontaneous behaviour perhaps because they
have often been victims of it and sometimes remain victims to it. Child and Youth Care workers who practice
with positive humour, a can-do attitude and healthy fun; all while demonstrating self-control and safety can do
much to return young people to the joy of innocence.
Youth at risk are often out of touch and uncomfortable with spontaneous behaviour perhaps because they
have often been victims of it and sometimes remain victims to it. Child and Youth Care workers who practice
with positive humour, a can-do attitude and healthy fun; all while demonstrating self-control and safety can do
much to return young people to the joy of innocence.