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The Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson handles complaints from anyone, prioritizing concerns from young people about their rights, care, safety, and placement in Minnesota foster care, including youth in Extended Foster Care and those who have recently aged out of care.
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We are excited to share the new Foster Youth Rights page on our website, which shares the current rights a Foster has in MN. You’ll see the rights are grouped by category, with sections like “Who to Talk to,” and “Family Connections.”
This is just the first phase of a larger project for OOFY: stay tuned for an expanded section on foster youth rights with more engaging and interactive features.
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OOFY board meetings are open for the public to attend. For the meeting schedule please visit our website. To request a meeting link, email info.oofy@state.mn.us.
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Foster Youth Bill of Rights Stakeholder Sessions
The Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson is hosting sessions to share about our Foster Bill of Rights project.
Opportunity for those holding professional roles to learn more:
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Thursday, December 19, 3:30 to 4:30pm (location TBD, Twin Cities) Sign Up Here.
Sessions for Fosters Only:
The following sessions are for those with lived experience in foster care in Minnesota. Attendees are required to be over the age of 18. Fosters will have an opportunity, both in the session and asynchronously, to give broad feedback. Those who participated in the Foster Bill of Rights Focus Groups are highly encouraged to attend. Participation for this opportunity is unpaid.
(Please note, if you have lived experience in foster care and ALSO hold a professional role, please try to attend a session listed above on 9/9 or 9/19.)
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Board Openings
The Advisory Board for the Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson will have several seats opening in January 2025. Open seats include roles for:
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Adults Formerly in the Foster Care System (2 seats)
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Attorney Who Works in the Juvenile Court System or Family Court (1 seat)
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Nonprofit Professionals who Work at Nonprofits Serving Foster Youth (1 seat)
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Youth Who is Currently in the Foster Care System or Was Recently in the Foster Care System (1 seat)
The OOFY Advisory Board is an integral part of our work and as part of the founding board, members have a unique opportunity to help shape a new agency. Meetings are held monthly; the upcoming schedule can be found here. Board members are compensated for their work.
You can register for an account and submit an application here. We recommend all applicants submit a current resume, cover letter, and letters of recommendation. Please help us spread the word about our Advisory Board openings!
Contact info.oofy@state.mn.us with questions or if you need assistance completing your application.
United States Ombudsman Association Annual Conference
The OOFY staff spent several days learning from our Ombudsperson colleagues in other states.
We were excited to hear and see examples of the Foster Youth Bill of Rights from other states and were especially interested to hear about the first Foster Bill of Rights, passed in California in 2001!
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Opportunity for Fosters: Congressional Leadership Academy Applications Are Open!
Disclaimer: OOFY is excited to share opportunities that may be of interest to the Foster community but does not endorse or assume any liability for participation in projects led by external entities.
This 10-month leadership program is open to Fosters between the ages of 18 and 30. No matter where they live or the amount of time they spent in care — their experience will have an impact at the local and national levels. Plus, they’ll make connections and learn new skills that will be applicable at school, at work, and in their personal lives! It’s FREE to apply to this program and all participation expenses — from trainings to travel — are covered. Apply here by December 16!
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