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Youth in Transition Toolkit:

Youth in Transition Toolkit

4

Action steps for leadership and staff

For Leadership

A circular graphic depicting the Minnesota Youth In Transition Framework. The words 'Youth in transition' are in the center, surrounded by four overlapping circles. The four circles contain the words: Best Life, Outcomes: Use skills to envision and advocate for their best life. Independent Living, Outcomes: Successfully live as independently as possible. Employment, Outcomes: Find competitive, integrated work they enjoy. Postsecondary Education and Training, Outcomes: Obtain industry-recognized credentials. Surrounding the four circles are the words: learning expectations, guiding principles, and shared practices.

Those in leadership, including special education directors / supervisors, Vocational Rehabilitation regional area managers, and waiver case manager supervisors, have an important role in applying and implementing Minnesota's Youth in Transition Framework.

Learn about key responsibilities and actions steps you can take to align your work at the system level to the Framework.

Action Steps:

1. Understand the Framework and its three key elements

2. Assess alignment and outcomes

  • Assess your organization’s alignment with the Framework: Work with the members of your team/staff to find out where work aligns or doesn’t align with the three key elements of the Framework. To do this, you and your team can take Minnesota's Youth in Transition Framework Assessment. 
  • Build collaborative, cross-agency team(s): Support your staff to build teams with those they collaborate with across schools, VRS/SSB and county lead agencies/tribal nations to support youth. For a resource to help you do this, check out the Building Your Regional/Local Transition Planning Team activity.
  • Review youth outcomes: Use data and metrics to assess current youth outcomes in your area. For a resource to help you do this, check out the Reviewing Youth Outcome Data activity.

3. Set expectations, support change, and promote the Framework

  • Support change at all levels: With your team/staff and within your organization, set expectations, and champion and model the Framework's concept of coordinated services and supports and its three key elements.
  • Share information about the Framework with all team members and partners: You can find resources to assist with your communications in the Youth in Transition Communications Kit.

1. Determine goals and plans

  • Use data about youth outcomes, and the results from assessments, to determine goals that support improved youth outcomes.
  • Make plans for how you will change or strengthen your organization’s programs and services to align with the Framework.

2. Align programs and services with the Framework

  • Implement plans and align resources: Align funds, staffing, training and cross-agency MOUs so they align with the Framework and support its anticipated outcomes.
  • Support your team: Support your staff in integrating the Framework into the work they do, and regularly review the Guiding Principles and data with them. Encourage them to use the resources in the Youth in Transition toolkit’s Educate yourself, Engage families, and Support youth areas.

3. Learn about what others are doing

  • Learn about the successes and innovations of your statewide colleagues—check out these success stories.

1. Assess implementation

2. Share promising practices and successes

  • As you assess and see where ways of working are making a difference in the lives of youth and their families, share those insights with agency leaders and others you work with.

3. Respond and adjust as needed

  • Go back to your plan to identify where to focus and strengthen.
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