I was searching through some things the other day, in an attempt to find something new to write about, and I came across my Youth Communication catalog. Youth Communication was started 25 years ago as a writing program for teens. The executive director of the program is Keith Hefner. Mr. Hefner now runs workshops for after-school programs, schools, and foster care agencies to help teens with important issues in their lives and to help strengthen their reading skills.

They are based in New York City, and they have a wealth of information about teens and what they face in their lives on a daily basis. The books and publications are written by teens, and are true stories that focus on personal responsibility and making good choices. The writers come from diverse backgrounds, and the stories emphasize teens’ resilience and strength.

They also have several youth development resources for teachers or others who work with teens, as well as resources for foster care and independent living. They even have a foster parent resource kit that outlines what teens in care think about and are concerned about.

Some of the topics that are covered in booklets that are written by teens are:
Domestic Violence, Adoption, Sexual Abuse, Good Relationships, Anger, Parents in Prison, Teens and Therapy, Birth Families, Sex and Intimacy, Changing Placements, Good Foster Homes, Girls and Body Image, and many more excellent books.

I ordered their Growing up Girl booklet for our daughter, and it is a great resource for her on the topic of transitioning from girlhood to womanhood. It covers issues like fashion, sex and relationships, family expectations and other things relevant to young girls, all from the viewpoint of girls who have been there, done that.

Youth Communication also publishes New Youth Connections (NYC), a magazine that features the voices of urban teens. It is written and produced by New York City public high school students, and comes out 7 times per year. It explores current events from a youth perspective. Click here for ordering info…

Another publication is Represent (formerly Foster Care Youth United), a magazine that is 40 pages long and published bi-monthly. It covers the issues of foster parents, anger, loss, mental health and other topics relevant to youth in foster care. For ordering information, contact Youth Communication.

They also have videos and dvds, and several wonderful books. Titles include The Heart Knows Something Different: Teenage Voices from the Foster Care System, by Jonathan Kozol, and The Winners: Prize Winning Essays by Teens in Foster Care.

And while we’re on the subject of teens and writing, there is another great publication for teens that I saw in the library. It is called Teen Ink. They have some excellent writers as well. It’s not specifically geared toward kids in foster care, but is something that can connect a teen in care with other teens. There is also a summer writing program, and many contests that kids can enter. You can even get a free issue!

So, stop by both of these sites, and see what they have to offer. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.