At Youth Solutions, we’ve never worked alone, and we never will. As an organization, we deliver a wider-reaching and more sustainable impact when we work together. This is why the theme of this year’s Summer Summit, our annual statewide professional development conference, was Together We Can.
Our theme this year had many meanings, and it was designed that way. First, when we work together, as one team across the state, we deliver consistently high quality services that help youth achieve futures beyond their imagination. Second, It is essential that, together, we address the topics of diversity, equity and inclusion. Over the past year, we have taken deliberate steps to expand our understanding of the issues and we have taken action to address them. The population we serve needs us to be Champions and Allies and we support all those who are marginalized. Third, we were FINALLY back together in person for the first time since 2019!
Together we can do anything.
Together we can do everything.
Together we are unstoppable.
This three day-long event sets the tone and approach for the upcoming year, allowing Youth Solutions to highlight priorities, provide training and resources, and celebrate the accomplishments of our network. In addition to our typical content, we also included sessions dedicated to leadership development, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) training, quality employer engagement and Trauma-Informed Care training. Everyday we had conversations around extremely important topics to help our Specialists and Managers better serve our youth in JMG programs across the state.
Each year, the Summer Summit allows us to get together with our partners and colleagues across the state, building trust and a sense of community, while sharing information needed to better serve youth in Michigan. As a network, we made connections with old friends and new ones, learned new tips, tricks, and best practices, and shared some good laughs and stories. For us at Youth Solutions, Summer Summit is one of our favorite weeks of the year, and we’re so thankful for all the individuals we have the privilege of working alongside!