Now more than ever, those of us working with children, youth and families in Haiti need one another. Together we can strive to find ways to remain committed in a country struggling under a heavy burden of conflict.
The Better Together conference will provide a dedicated space and time to convene, share, and learn over two and half days in Nashville. Workshops will be focused on topics related to supporting children in families with special emphasis on the complexity of the current context. In addition to workshops, there will be plenty of time dedicated to connecting and growing relationships.
Economic empowerment
This session will explore the ways that economic empowerment can help prevent family separation, support sustainable reunifications, and strengthen communities impacted by the challenges of poverty. You will hear from several experts on different approaches to economic empowerment, based on their on-the-ground experience in Haiti.
Reunification
Family reunification is a challenging yet deeply impactful process – and applying best practices while doing so is critical to supporting children who’ve been separated from their families. Join us to learn more about the methodology of family reunification and what best practices within that process look like; discover what challenges come up when striving to reconnect separated children with their families – and ways to overcome those challenges.
Operating within the current Haiti context
Despite the obstacles of the current situation in Haiti, organizations are continuing to operate schools, medical clinics, community programs and more. What changes to programs are being made? How have different types of programming been forced to pivot? What safety measures have organizations working with children, youth and families taken in this crisis? Join us for a discussion of these questions and more.
Expanding your organizational model
In this session we will look at the structural steps to consider when expanding your organization into family based care. We will discuss the following: mission and vision alignment, stakeholder buy-in, migrating your budget towards families, and upgrading to qualified staff.
Social work and case management
Understanding the importance of social work and case management is essential to quality program development that addresses root causes of family separation. During this session, we will not only discuss the importance of social workers within the context of family strengthening, but we will also highlight some of the basic principles of case management when working with children and families.
Strengthening the mental health of families in conflict and post-conflict settings
The effects of living in insecurity can impact the emotional, mental, and social health of families for generations. Come learn strategies to help strengthen the mental health of every member of the family during times of crisis to mitigate the effects of trauma and put families on a path of good mental health and wellbeing in the future.
Tools and resources
What tools and resources are you finding most helpful in your programming in Haiti? Join us for a look at global sources for best practice, an introduction to several Haiti-specific tools and where to find them, and a discussion about what areas of research are most needed related to working with children, youth and families in Haiti.