Q&A
Use of credible messengers and survivors in outreach and support programs
1:52:59
ยท
157 sec
Council Member Stevens asks about the use of credible messengers and survivors in DYCD's outreach and support programs. Dr. Wilkerson explains that GEMS, one of their contracted providers, uses this model, and other providers are encouraged to recruit individuals with lived experience.
- GEMS, a DYCD contracted provider, uses the credible messenger model
- Other providers are encouraged to recruit individuals with lived experience
- Council Member Stevens emphasizes the importance of having relatable individuals in these roles
- NYPD representatives mention their use of survivor advocates in outreach efforts
Althea Stevens
1:52:59
And and I know, ACS talks about that they have, credible messengers and folks who've been in this work.
1:53:06
How is that on the, RHY side?
1:53:09
Is it the same thing?
1:53:09
Do you guys also have, like, a credible messenger program in folks who are survivors and and who've been through these things to also to relate to these young people?
1:53:16
Is that something that you guys, you know, work with providers on identifying with staff?
Dr. Amy Wilkerson
1:53:23
So GEMS is one of our, contracted providers for runaway and homeless youth services.
1:53:31
So GEMS is definitely one of the organizations that uses that model.
1:53:35
Yeah.
1:53:36
But outside of GEMS, I think that, you know, it's it's encouraged for our providers to, recruit individuals with lived experience and people with adjacent lived experience that can best, connect with the young people that we serve.
Althea Stevens
1:53:51
Yeah.
1:53:51
I just you know, I for just hearing some of that today, I just think it's just, like, so important because, again, it does come with a sense of shame.
1:53:58
And so to have someone to be able to identify with that at these these places, and also thinking about how do we then if that's not a requirement, how do we then collaborate to then whether that's them being part of some of those groups and doing the work.
1:54:10
I don't you know, you know how I feel.
1:54:12
Like, I don't understand why we're not doing a lot of the cross collaboration anyway.
1:54:15
If, you know, if ACS is doing it and they have this, then how are we making sure that everyone has access to it?
1:54:20
It's all the city.
1:54:21
These are all our children.
1:54:22
And so, you know, even thinking about if providers don't have that, you know, how do we then open up the space to use the resources that we have?
1:54:30
So that's definitely something we should be thinking about and working on because I think that it's so important that these young people do not feel shame and that there's other people who experienced it, and they've been able to overcome it and understand that there is, like, on the other side.
1:54:46
So we need to figure out how your incredible messengers can go to these, you know, RHY shelters and be talking to these young people and just working together because I think that that is really important.
1:54:56
And I see, you guys wanted to
Kathleen Baer
1:54:58
add to that.
1:54:58
Yes.
1:54:59
Just to your point, I also think that that's incredibly important.
1:55:03
When we go and do outreach in some of the areas that are prone to sexual exploitation, we, do outreach with some of our advocate partners, and, they all have survivor leader programs.
1:55:15
And they, some of the survivor advocates do come out with us to do that outreach so that it's not just an advocate or a member of the police department approaching, these young individuals.
1:55:27
It's actually a person who has that lived experience.
1:55:30
So we absolutely agree with you, and we are going to continue to do work in that space.