Online registration for the conference is currently closed. Still needing to register? No problem! If you would like to join us for the Annual Conference, you may visit the “Late Registration” desk at the event center starting at 7:15am Thursday October 3rd and someone will help get you registered.

35th Annual Conference on Youth

October 3rd, 2024

Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
4000 Parnell Ave.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805

$60* includes registration & lunch

(Early bird registration through Sept 16,
after Sept 16 there is a $25 late registration fee)

CEUs (optional): $10 (up to 6 for all sessions)

8:00 a.m.

Welcome: Senior Judge Charles Pratt

Opening Keynote Address: Live L.I.F.E. Unapologetically: Lean into the Full Experience of Being Human (Sajel Bellon)
In a world that often pushes us to be silent and hide our struggles in shame, being unapologetically human may seem unusual, risky, even radical. Society’s norms have conditioned us to avoid tough conversations, breeding stigmas, shame, and disconnection.  

But today, we are here to challenge the status quo and push past the toxic thinking that has confined and defined us. By moving beyond these toxic thoughts that permeate our perceptions and society's as a whole, we can open up and discuss what truly matters with genuine connection. Together, we can become champions for change, dismantling the stigmas and shame that divide us and chip away at our humanity. 

For example, emotions are not signs of weakness—they are proof of life. They help shape who we are, how we see the world, and how we show up. By re-humanizing our perceptions about emotions, we become open to new possibilities on how to navigate turbulent times. Let’s break free from the stigmas surrounding mental health and emotional well-being.

Let’s live L.I.F.E. unapologetically by Leaning Into the Full Experience!

9:15 a.m. Break:
Visit Service Provider Fair

9:30 a.m. Morning Workshops:

• Helping Young People Cultivate their Purpose in Life and Thrive (Kendall Cotton Bronk)
  Young people who lead lives of purpose thrive. They are happier, more hopeful, and more satisfied with their lives. They also tend to be grittier, more resilient, and have more and stronger social connections, which position them to excel at school and in work. However, despite the benefits of leading a life of purpose, most young people struggle to articulate how they want to leave their mark. In this workshop, Dr. Bronk will outline what it means for young people to lead a life of purpose and will share some strategies youth workers can employ to help young people cultivate their purpose in life.

• Helping Kids Cope with Frustration and Challenges (Janine Halloran) *This session is currently full

  Sometimes, the kids in our lives struggle with handling frustration and challenging situations. We can help kids acknowledge and recognize that frustration and challenge are part of life, and we can do something about it. Join Janine Halloran as she
  shares ideas for what you can say to help kids feel heard and understood, playful activities to encourage handling those frustrating moments, and simple strategies you can introduce to kids to help them handle frustration in healthy ways.

• Beyond the Shop: An Evidenced Based Approach to Community Mental Health (Lorenzo Lewis)
  A Harvard study revealed in 2022 that barbers and hairdressers can become mental health advocates and suicide prevention caretakers. This session will focus on four core techniques that provide every day people with mental health strategies to help support marginalized community members. Download presentation.

• Building Beloved Community: Empowering Youth Through Nonviolent Leadership (Alive Community Outreach)
  Join us to explore Peacemaker Academy’s transformative work in Fort Wayne Community Schools. This session will highlight our nonviolent leadership development program, which empowers high school students to become peacemakers in their schools and communities. Learn how our curriculum, rooted in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s principles, equips students with skills in conflict reconciliation, de-escalation, and peaceful campaign organization. Discover the impact of our ongoing efforts at South Side HS, which has now expanded to all FWCS high schools, in building a culture of peace and justice.

• Creating a Culture of Care: Essential Skills and Instilling the 4 Cs (Kerrie Fineran and Brooke Sellhorn)
  We know that feelings of depression, anxiety, and suicidal behaviors are increasing amongst children and youth. In this session, the presenters will explore barriers to mental health, how to identify youth who are at risk for mental health issues, essential skills for creating a culture of care, and how to utilize Lew and Bettner’s Crucial C’s (Connection, Counting, Capability, and Courage) in your work with young people. This session is designed for anyone working with youth who may want new ideas for helping them feel valued and safe in our communities.

11:00 a.m. Keynote Address: Talk More to Lose Less (Sajel Bellon)
There is an urgent and undeniable need to dismantle the stigma surrounding suicidal thoughts and re-humanize the experiences of those who are suffering. Too many struggles remain hidden in silence because of the powerful grip of stigma and shame, preventing people from reaching out for help when they need it most.

Now, imagine a world where the loss of life to suicide no longer exists. A world where every person feels safe to speak up, free from the fear of judgment, shame, or stigma. This vision is not only possible—it is necessary. But it requires a collective commitment to shatter the stigma and engage in open, honest conversations about suicidal thoughts.

By challenging the stigma, we take a critical step toward saving lives. Together, we can create a world where every individual feels seen, valued, and supported—where no one has to navigate their darkest moments alone. Re-humanizing the experience of suicidal thoughts allows us to reconnect with our true nature: An empathetic, compassionate humanity.

Can we afford not to TALK MORE, so we LOSE LESS? The answer is clear—let's start the conversation today.

12:15 - 1:30 p.m. Lunch
Visit Service Provider Fair

1:30 p.m. Afternoon Workshops:

• Coping Skills for Youth Experiencing Anxiety, ADHD, and Anger (Janine Halloran) *This session is currently full When children struggle to manage anxiety, ADHD, and anger, they may have challenges managing their big feelings. By teaching kids simple, healthy, and safe ways to express their emotions and calm their bodies, they will be better able to focus at school and interact positively throughout their day. Be prepared for experiential learning and movement as we try different coping skills like grounding techniques, breathing exercises, and big body movements we can use with the children and teens in our lives.

• Wonder, Awe, and Mindful Self-Care in an Era of Burnout (Dave Johnson)
  Wonder, Awe, and Mindful Self-Care in an ERA of Burnout is needed to build resiliency and personal and team capacity to meet work-life challenges. This program is helpful for all coping with the fast paced stressful world with multiple competing, complex, global, and conflicting demands. Applications will be geared toward professionals desiring personal renewal, self-care, and applications within and outside social service settings.
  Download Powerpoint

• Hidden Victims: The Impact of Homicide on Youth and Families (Alive Community Outreach)
  This session will shed light on the often-overlooked co-victims of homicide: children and youth. Drawing from the insights of our experiences with our Survivor Support program, we will discuss the profound impact of homicide on families. The workshop will feature a panel of victims’ families, exploring their traumatic journeys from loss to the pursuit of justice. Attendees will gain an understanding of the root causes of gun violence, its devastating effects on youth, and potential community-driven solutions to foster healing and prevention.

• Equipping Marginalized Women through Promising Mental Health Intervention Practices (Lorenzo Lewis)
  Parents are facing an all time high of stress and anxiety post the COVID-19 pandemic. In this session we will walk through practical steps on how providers can utilize promising strategies to help support women of color and their children.

• Supervision Skills 101: Developing Effective Practices (Kerrie Fineran and Brooke Sellhorn)
  Many counselors and therapists are asked to provide clinical supervision to others once they become fully licensed professionals. However, most of these individuals have no formal training in supervision practices, skills, or strategies. The presenters will discuss the difference between administrative and clinical supervision, classic models of clinical supervision, highlight basic supervisory skills, and share case examples. We hope participants leave this session feeling better prepared for confident supervisory leadership in the counseling field, better connected with other professionals who are doing this work, and with a new ideas for their supervision toolboxes!

2:45 p.m. Break
Visit Service Provider Fair

3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Closing Keynote Address: Leading and Thriving with Purpose (Kendall Cotton Bronk)
We often begin our careers, especially careers working with children, with a high degree of purpose. We take these jobs because we want to help. We want to support young people. We want to make a difference. But over time, as the day-to-day busyness set in, we can start to feel drained, and that sense of purpose can begin to recede. A growing body of research has examined the important difference it makes when adults find purpose in the work they do and in their lives more generally. The good news is, purposes are not discovered so much as developed, and using evidence-based approaches, Dr. Bronk will outline steps we can take to reinvigorate our work and our lives with a personally meaningful sense of contribution and purpose.

4:00 p.m. Conference Conclusion / CEU Sign Out
CEUs and attendance certificates will be available a few weeks after the conference once payment is processed.