The Partnership for Safe Families & Communities of VenturaCounty,
The Designated Child Abuse Prevention Council
General Partnership MeetingMinutes
February 02, 2010 from 10am - 12 noon
Child Development Resources of VenturaCounty,
221 Ventura Blvd., Rooms A & B
ATTENDEES
- WELCOME (Jennifer Frank)
Jennifer Frank welcomed all the attendees to the General Partnership Meeting.
- HOUSE KEEPING (Jeni)
Jeni announced the Contact Meeting Distribution listsare located on the front table. Attendees not on the list will be added by filling out the sign-in sheet with their contact information. New members and attendees were welcomed. New attendees were asked to fill out their contact information on the sign-in sheet and to complete a temporary name placard. A permanent placard will be made for future meetings. Attendees will also find Partnership membership information on the sign-in table. Attendees are welcomed to return each month with their resource information. The Partnership newsletter goes out the first Friday of the month and attendees were asked to give their submissions by February 4th.
- BREIF INTRODUCTIONS BY PARTICIPANTS
The attendees did a round of introductions.
- REVIEW/APPROVE DECEMBER MINUTES
The minutes were reviewed with changes to be sent to the PSF staff.
- TREASURERS REPORT
No report.
- PRESENTATIONS
A. Parents with Purpose- United Parents
Mary Ellen Collins, Ramila Sloane, Anitta Talley, Steve Talley
PRESENTATION INFORMATION:
Mary Ellen Collins
Parent Peers help parents go through similar experiences that they have gone through themselves. Many parents wonder if they’re able to trust a stranger, but knowing that they have been through the same or similar situation helps. All of the parents go through a class aboutHIPAA, during which they learn that everything is confidential. All parent partners are also mandated reporters, but in most cases they will make the report right in front of the other parent.This empowers the parent to be a part of the process of getting help.
Anitta Talley
Parents with Purpose began 6 years ago.It can be very challengingfor parents who are going through the system to understand what’s going on. Parents with Purpose helps parents navigate their way through the system. Many of the parents who are referred have anger issues, drug problems, or struggle with coping skills. Parents with Purpose currently has 95 referrals and 50 active families. There are also a lot of fathers navigatingthe system without support, so now Parents with Purposehas a support group for fathers.
Steve Talley
We have a support group for fathers, and as a father of three kids that turned my life around. When your kids get taken away it is an emotional time and very difficult because it hurts no matter what anybody says.The day the kids get taken away is the worst day and the day they give you your kids back is the best day. and Helping other fathers go through the system is a great feeling.
Mary Ellen Collins
Parents do want to learn and we are putting together an educational component. We have bilingual groups and Channing Bete resources, 123 magic, and our support groups at TAY Tunnel. We need scholarships to help parents take classes.
Ramila Sloane
Ramila is a single parent who has worked with United Parents for the past 10 years. My son went to a group home and later I met Mary Ellen who taught me about education rights. I continued to go soI started getting paid to help others in the same situation. Parents get very intimidated when they aren’t aware of certain things. The job is very rewarding because these parents can understand that they are not alone. The goal is to support families who made mistakes and help them get strong and get their family back.
Mary Ellen Collins
We are making a huge difference with families and are looking for more funding to help support more families. In the last month four families were reunified.
Questions and Answers
Q: Are there statistics for all the families that have been reunified?
A: Yes, but there hasn’t been any time to enter the information into the computer. We need someone to help enter them.
Q: Nan Tolbert.- Peer to Peer isstarting aCMH Rainbow Connection working with families who have babies in the NICU.can United Parents provide training for these Parents?
A: Yes have United Parents has7-8 different support programs.
B. Oxnard Community Peace Project
Priscila Cisneros and Olivia Barajas, Oxnard Community Peace Project: An opportunity for leadership development, community connection, and to advance a safer Oxnard community.
PRESENTER INFORMATION:
Presenter Bios
In 2005, Priscila Cisneros received a B.A in Chicana/o Studies with a minor in Political Science from UCLA. Currently, Priscila works as a Community Building Manager for CEDC; in this position, she enjoys creating opportunities for individuals and groups to gain and practice the skills needed to bring about change in their communities. For the last three years, Priscila has been part of the Oxnard Community Peace Project and other projects focused on violence prevention and leadership training. Along with her husband Chuy Leon, with whom she shares a passion for the arts, she serves in the Leadership Council for Arts for Action. In the spectrum of the arts, Priscila is most attracted to the art of dancing; her favorite genres include cumbia, samba, and folkorico. In addition, Priscila is interested in immigration reform and social justice, as these topics tie into her personal experience growing up in the U.S. as an immigrant.
Olivia Barajas has been part of the Oxnard Community Peace Project since September 2009. She is a dynamic parent leader at HaydockIntermediateSchool. Since then Olivia has become a key ally of the OCPP, one of our strongest community leaders. Recently, she also has become a highly sought-after facilitator and trainer for parent groups within in Oxnard School District Schools.Olivia also has more than 15 years of experience as an organizer and she is married to UFW Regional Director in the Oxnard office, Lauro Barajas. They have two children, Valentina who is a student at Haydock and Emiliano who goes to McAuliffe.
Oxnard Community Peace Project:
Accepting our Talents and Wisdom to become Leaders
- Oxnard Community Peace Project & Community ConsejoGoals
•Advance violence prevention and peace in Oxnard
•Leadership development– youth, parents and concerned community.
•Community building for safer more powerful communities.
- Positive Change Requires Knowledge & Power
Knowledge
• Causes of violence
• Solutions to violence
• Resources to make a difference
Personal Power
• Self-confidence to get involved
• Leadership skills to get results
• Co-powering skills to develop power among friends and colleagues
Community Power
• Skills to build community, plan and take action
• People feeling connected as community and collaborators
• People making the commitment to act together
- Conocimiento
•Communicate to create connection & understand each other
•Communicate to build relationships & community.
•Communicate to lift inspiration & develop group power.
Our Strategy: Leadership Development, Learning/Action Circles & Collaboration
•Outreach to target community members, leadership development & support ongoing learning/action circles.
•Objectives & Possibilities
•Prioritize & advance action on community recommendations
•Cultural development programs for schools
•Develop ongoing community leadership circles
Olivia Barajas
My Inspiration- Change Myself
"When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it, too, seemed immovable.
As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.
And now, as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows, I may have even changed the world."
I got involved because…
•I was angry at our indifference toward the things that negatively affect our surroundings.
• I wanted to ensure my family’s well being.
• There was a meeting at the school and I went to learn about what the school was doing to promote peace and safety in school.
• I was excited about the goals the City of Oxnard has to end violence and I wanted to know how else I could participate.
What I do to create change …
•I have faith and patience, I believe in this project. We can accomplish our goals step by step.
•I am a leader in the Oxnard Peace Project and in the Haydock Intermediate Peace Project Parent group
•I collaborate with the administration staff of schools and parent groups like DELAC, ELAC, and the Community Outreach Specialist.
Oxnard Community Peace Project
(OCPP) / Haydock
•I completedthe Community Consejo Training and even helped facilitate sessions towards the end.
•I’m part of the leadership team from Haydock.
•Along with City Councilwoman Irene Pinkard, I helped to give the official welcome to the Summit for Violence Prevention. This event was attended by close to 300 people.
•I connected the Rebozo Festival Madrinas with the OCPP and helped in the process of applying for their grant.
Parent Engagement
•I collaborate with DELAC/ELAC, Community Outreach Specialist and principals to create learning circle opportunities at their schools.
•I help school administration hold brainstorming sessions around different ways to involve parents, including how to best share information and resources.
•Current school participating are Haydock, Lemonwood, Harrington, McAuliffe and Ramona.
What’s next for me…
•Training for Community Peace Project using the new curriculum by NeighborWorks.
•Meetings at CEDC properties and nearby schools.
•Explore ways to work closer with DELAC and ELAC chapters and other groups like the Alliance and the Partnership.
•More training. Become a professional trainer for parents.
•Train the trainer program and a training center.
•Got to community collage to learn English.
C. Veterans for Peace
Lynn Weeks
Working to protect life as life purpose
Veterans for Peace……
Reaches out to students, churches, Civic groups and the media to discuss and educate about the full physical and spiritual costs of war.
Demonstrate against those who profit from war, revealing the cost in jobs and treasure of making war machines and munitions that wear out and blow upthemselves and people.
Organize campaigns to reduce military expenditures and increase funding for energy independence, health care and education, leading to peace, not war.
Prevail upon our elected representatives to make war the absolute last option on the table.
Write letters to the editor, op-ed pieces, and books, exposing the pervasive militarism that infects our society.
Go to the streets to protest when the war drums beat, demanding our leaders find other ways of resolving conflict.
Give of our times and resources to returning veterans, homeless veterans, mentoring and helping them to deal with their wounds, both spiritual and physical.
Return to old battlefields and build hospitals and schools, provide clean water and repairs to infrastructure; making amends, healing the wounds of war.
These are just some of the ways we, as an organization and as individuals, work to bring about peace.
- PROJECT UPDATES
- VenturaCounty Community Commission (CCVC) Project
Christa reported that the final report was turned in to the California Endowment and we are in the process of finalizing a document of all the research that is over 50 pages long. It will be presented at the CCVC meeting.
- STANDING COMMITTEES
- CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT EDUCATION COMMITTEE (CANEC)
The committee continues to work on the strategic plan. Jeni and Jackie will be attending the Parent Leadership Conference to help the CTC-CAPC. CARPE DIEM and the Regional Convening are in March.
- DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION COMMITTEE (Renee Gomez)
Jennifer presented Renee Gomez with a letter and certificate of appreciationsigned by all the Partnership Board members, for all the hard work that Renee broughtdid with the committee. Renee has resigned from Interface and will be going back to school.
Renee reported that the DV committee is going strong. The committee was given a grant thru Verizon for Victims of Domestic Violence. Anyone is welcome to attend a meeting. Nicholle Gonzalez-Seitz will be stepping inas the committee chair until someone else is found.
- SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION COMMITTEE (Susan Becker)
No update at this time
- YOUTH ENGAGMENT & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE(Jen Gomez)
The next meeting will be Friday, February 4th at 11:00at TAY Tunnel. The committee is working on supporting the annual youth conference in April at the VCOE. There will be a youth panel presentation on March 9th at the Carpe Diem.
- FAITH NETWORK(Vacant)
No Report.
- PARTNERS
- VENTURACOUNTY ADULT ABUSE PREVENTION COUNCIL-VCAAPC(Marilyn Bebee)
No Report.
- PARENTS WITH PURPOSE
Anitta reported that the Parents with Purpose has 4 parents that will be attending the Parent Leadership Conference.
- COASTAL TRI-COUNTIES CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION(CTC-CAPC)
(Jeni Futvoye)
Working with Parent leaders in February for the Parent Leadership Conference.
- OXNARD COMMUNITY PEACE PROJECT –(Priscila Cisneros)
Pricilla highlighted the work that Barbara has done as a mentor.
- OXNARDALLIANCE FOR COMMUNITY STRENGTH (Barbara Marquez O’Neill)
Barbara reported the Alliance is close to choosing 2 task forces and they are rolling out the Tech team. The Alliance is in the process of meeting with each of the council members and updating them on the process.
- ANNOUNCEMENTS: Highlight of community announcements
- Coalition to end Family Violence
Sexual Assault advocates, if anyone is interested in volunteering for a 40 hours training march 8th $40 per registration. - CEDC- Rena Sepulveda & John Sugder
CEDC is having a resource fair for their 30th anniversary it’s $150 for a table but Scholarships are available. - Healthy families- Ruben Juarez
Blue Cross now has HMO and not PPO. The A plan is $4 per child. The proposed changes for B & C will take affect April 1st. - Ventura Neighborhood for Learning-Cathy Puccetti
March 5th Ventura Safe Kids will do a free car seat check from 10-12 at the Ventura Unified School District - First 5 –Karianne Broman
First Five is having a “Let’s Move Campaign”The opening will be February 26th from 10-12at Parke de la Paz in Thousand Oaks. It will be in English and Spanish. This is no cost to the public - VenturaCounty Children & Family Services-Sonia Kroth
For anyone who made under $49,000 there is free taxpreparationassistance. A website will be up soon. For more information you can dial 211. - Ventura County Police Department-Michael Akseven
Any organization is welcome to do a presentation at the facility for the inmates but must complete a background check first. - Veterans for Peace-Lynn Weeks
Veterans for Peace will be at the Café on A Sat. Feb. 5th at 5pm for anyone who wants to come. The theme is militarization and immigration.
- NEXT MEETING:
The next General Partnership Meeting is March 2nd 2011.
Next General Partnership meetingwill be at:
Child Development Resources, 221 Ventura Blvd. Rooms A and B,Oxnard,CA
General Partnership Meeting Minutes_020211 Last Printed: 11/02/18 Page 1 of 7
805-289-0120