“I definitely found it rewarding making a difference when I worked in the ILP and PPLA Units, as I was able to work with teenagers and young adults in the Extended Foster Care Program (AB12),” says Aida. The support and training that they provided me as an undergraduate encouraged me to continue with my master’s in social work.”Īfter earning her BASW, Aida continued to work for DSS in a variety of positions-from Emergency Response and Swing Shift to Legal Guardianship, Team Decision Making and Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (PPLA)-all of which she enjoyed. The staff were very supportive as they were always willing to listen. While working on her BASW, Aida recalls, “The support that I received from the Title IV-E program was beyond just being a student. So determined was she to pursue that education that “I signed up to CSU Fresno, and despite of not meeting the four-year criteria, I was accepted,” she says proudly. “Growing up, I was told that education was the key to succeed, and I believed it,” says Aida. “I am very thankful and honored for receiving this recognition as it was rewarding work,” says Aida. Additionally, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors presented her with a resolution recognizing her CYC achievements. Within CYC I found the importance for current and former foster youth to have a voice in child welfare policy.”įor her 10 years of hard work and dedication to the organization and its members, Aida received CYC’s statewide All-Star Award. I thank CYC for all the experiences that I gained. I am honored and proud that I was a CYC member and supporter for 11 years. I had the opportunity to network with many leaders locally, statewide, and nationwide. “I learned personal and professional skills among CYC members, supporters, and staff. “Being a member of CYC is what motivated me to follow my dream,” she says. “I realized that I was able to relate to current and former foster youth, as we had common experiences such as being separated from biological family and multiple placement changes.” Looking toward her future, she says, “I wanted to advocate for child welfare and policy change so that others didn’t have to experience similar obstacles that I had to overcome.įor Aida, CYC was a catalyst for which she is profoundly grateful. “It was not until this point that I saw a great need to become a social worker,” says Aida. “Being a former foster youth mentor allowed me to gain knowledge of how diverse the field of social work is,” she says. At the time, her job responsibilities included supporting the local California Youth Connection (CYC) chapter and promoting youth participation within the Independent Living Program (ILP). “My assigned social worker believed in me and encouraged me to work with transition age youth,” she says. In fact, the entry-level job she held as a former foster youth mentor when she was 19 piqued her interest in social work. She assists in locating Resource Family Homes on behalf of minors needing placement and in providing supports and resources to county homes, besides delivering Spanish-language Resource Family Approval orientation.Ī DSS veteran, Aida has worked there since 2002. With a BASW and MSW, both earned through the Title IV-E Stipend Program at Fresno State University, Aida currently is a social worker in the Resource Family Support Placement Unit of the Fresno County Department of Social Services (DSS). “Nevertheless, I knew I wanted to succeed.”Īnd succeed she has. “I aged out of foster care with no place to go,” says Aida Chavez.
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