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| Cby25 | Youth/alumni must apply formally if they wish to train. But there is no application process to contribute to curriculum, because Cby25 wants as many different voices and perspectives as possible. | Youth (ages 14-17) can apply for a waiver for juvenile behavior that has been overcome. Alumni (18+) are subject to the same screening process undergone by all Cby25 staff. Beforehand, a list of disqualifying offenses is discussed in depth. | Foster care youth/alumni must be in good standing with their employment/education program in order to participate. If a young person is under 18, they need a recommendation from their caseworker. |
| Elevate | Possibly required, if going through Iowa's statewide foster parent organization. | n/a for youth (ages 13-17) | n/a for youth (IFAPA expects alumni to go through their training of trainers) |
| FosterClub | Nationally competitive process, in which 12 All-Stars serve a one-year term. | FosterClub conducts criminal background checks, because presenters will have contact with youth. However, a criminal background check does not automatically disqualify a young person – this is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. | Online and by phone, conducted by FosterClub staff. |
| Honoring Emancipated Youth | HEY hires foster care youth/alumni for an 11-month term. Decisions are based on thoughtful answers to application questions. | Yes. All trainers are over 18, because youth under 18 are going emancipation and often have unstable living situations, and it can be hard to hire them for 11 months. | HEY tends to hire foster care alumni (ages 18-24). Most of them are at least 21 years old, due to skill set requirements. |
| PAL-STEP | PAL-STEP youth/alumni trainers were Youth Specialists who were employed by the State. | Because Youth Specialists were employed by the State, they had already undergone background checks. | PAL-STEP staff talked with young people to determine their level of interest and comfort with training. |
| SAYSO | Up to three youth are elected from each of North Carolina's six regions. | Criminal background checks are done on any young person 18+ who is no longer in foster care. | Statewide election process. SAYSO relies on adult supporters to decide if a young person is prepared for this responsibility. |
| YOUTH | Requires 1-2 references. Quote: "We hire young people who have answered application questions thoughtfully." | No background check. Quote: "We usually choose people with whom we’ve interacted positively in the past, or who are referred to us by colleagues at various agencies and programs." | Since YOUTH hires youth from all over the state, they are unable to conduct interviews in person. They rely upon phone interviews and a reference check. |