On The Move

Voice our independent choices for emancipation support ("voices")voices is a youth-developed, youth-led emancipation center, focused on supporting current and former foster youths' transition into healthy adulthood. Voices provides community centers where foster and other systems-involved transition-aged youth have access to comprehensive housing, education, employment, and wellness services. Voices' approach blends youth engagement with support services that young people need as they leave systems of care. Voices' youth are active leaders in coaching their peers, guiding the evolving vision of program delivery and advocating for the youth voice in the community. Each center focuses on empowerment and action, mobilizing youth through leadership opportunities that challenge communities to build better and more innovative systems to support youth, caregivers, and professionals. Today, thousands of transition-age youth utilize voices' peer-based resources to find connections and build a foundation for their futures. Voices' success in helping transition-age youth to overcome adversity has been recognized locally and nationally by leaders seeking effective strategies for addressing the unique needs of this population. Over the last 17 years, voices has successfully founded programs in napa, sonoma, santa clara, monterey, and solano counties and leaders from 20 different california counties have visited a voices' program site to learn about the voices' youth engagement model and the positive impact it has on young people.

Neighborhood initiative ("ni")ni utilizes a community-schools model within the city and county of napa's most challenged schools aimed at increasing educational equity and engaging the community so that every child claims a future full of real and attainable possibilities.since 2005, ni has worked to close the glaring and longstanding educational and leadership gaps between whites and latinx in napa. Annually, ni engages over 2,500 parents, youth, and children on seven campuses, offering parent education, family support services, and youth leadership training. School leaders and otm staff collaborate to raise academic outcomes and shift the academic and professional trajectory of children. School-based family resource centers support family health and wellbeing while promoting parent leadership and learning. Included in the ni programs are elementary, middle, and high school youth leadership academies, which collaborate with parents and community members to foster an inter-generational pipeline of learning and leadership.this combined focus on academic achievement, parent engagement, and youth leadership results in young people who are engaged in school and community, secure a path to college and careers and build community. Lastly, through its resiliency services arm, ni provides support for community needs resulting from all disasters, providing outreach and education, information and referrals to community-based services, emergency financial assistance ("efa"), and case management for napa county residents. As trusted messengers, ni staff serve as liaisons for latinx and indigenous-speaking communities who would otherwise not engage in disaster relief due to their mistrust of the government and/or inability to navigate government services.

On the verge ("otv")otv is the flagship program of otm. It supports emerging leaders in building knowledge, clarity, and strength at the personal, interpersonal, and professional levels. Since 2004, otv has mobilized nearly 600 emerging leaders to build and sustain a culture of effective action while enhancing california's nonprofit and public sectors. Offered through year-long cohort programs, each leader, or "verger," works collaboratively to develop projects in response to identified community needs. Through meaningful and challenging shared work, vergers form life-long connections with peers that sustain their commitment to remain in leadership within the nonprofit and public sectors. Otv has provided programming in 26 counties throughout california.lgbtq connectionslgbtq connections is a youth-led effort in napa and sonoma counties to promote lgbtq leadership, support underserved people, develop partnerships, build the community's capacity to include and welcome lgbtq people, and serve as a hub to local lgbtq communities. In napa and sonoma counties, the program operates lgbtq community centers, supporting underserved lgbtq youth and older adults. These community centers provide a safe and trusted space to cultivate hubs of vibrant activities and a caring community.each year, lgbtq connection engages approximately 3,500 lgbtq people, their families and allies. The program has trained approximately 2,000 community professionals from 200 organizations across northern california to increase the safety, visibility, and well-being of lgbtq residents.innovations community center ("icc")icc is a peer-led mental health program that supports providers and consumers to work together to foster healing through storytelling, artistic expression, healthy living, spiritual practice, and social connections.icc was designed by mental health practitioners and consumers committed to improving wellness outcomes for underserved people in napa county. The program is staffed by consumers of the mental health system and explores the complex interplay between mental health services and aging, poverty, race, immigration status, sexual identity, and substance abuse. Providers and consumers work together to foster healing through storytelling, artistic expression, healthy living, spiritual practice, and social connections. Icc engages approximately 300 people annually in a variety of wellness workshops, support and recovery groups, one-on-one peer coaching, internships, and volunteer and leadership opportunities.