2024 Bridge Conference

Young people navigate from one space to another throughout their days, often unaware of the complex regulatory environments, funding streams, or even organizations that are supporting them - from before school programs to their K-12 experience, to an afterschool mentoring program, to back home. How can we as systems leaders create more seamlessness across our ecosystem to ensure young people can thrive?

If you are a system thinker, local, state, or regional leader, funder, or policymaker, please join us to continue the conversation around intersections within the eco-system of youth development! The Systems Conversation at the Bridge Conference will take place on Monday, November 4th. This session will center conversations with leaders as we dive deeper into the importance of youth development intersections. In the eco-system of youth development, there are powerful and obvious connections to K-12, Higher Education, and Childcare, but the intersections do not end there. At some point, along the journey of a young person’s life, there will be a direct point of intersection in spaces not so visible as the ones mentioned above.

We will talk with local, county, and statewide leaders and community partners that align as an eco-system in these critical touchpoints to center around children and youth in an authentic and intentional way.

Objectives:
-Be inspired by statewide leaders and community partners intentionally and authentically building the youth development eco-system through critical touchpoints, centering children and youth.
-Explore your own role and expertise in building a more connected, integrated ecosystem of supports for young people through experiential activities.
-Learn about opportunities to get involved at the policy level to strengthen the Youth Development sector in Washington State.

Facilitated by Public Profit and the BSK Expanded Learning Team
 
In this closed session, SOWA’s external evaluators, Public Profit, will share quantitative and qualitative data from Year 2 of the BSK Expanded Learning Initiative.  Grantees will get the opportunity to connect, reflect and engage in dialogue about what’s working and what can be improved.

Experience a sound bath session of frequencies and vibrations from crystal singing bowls that will move your high stress and anxiety Beta brain waves of into calm and clear minded relaxed Theta and Delta brain waves. Take a moment for yourself to breathe, reset, and rejuvenate as you listen to the music and sounds that will recenter you with your inner peace.