Research Update: Network Improvement Community Formed
to Support Housing Insecure & Foster Youth
In August 2020, the Spencer Foundation awarded the Orange County Educational Advancement Network (OCEAN) a grant to work with local schools and community organizations in supporting the implementation of systems to support housing insecure and foster youth across Orange County. The grant is being lead by June Ahn, associate professor and OCEAN director, Richard Arum, School of Education dean and professor, and Anthony Saba, Samueli Academy executive director.
In fall 2020, Graduate Student Researchers Chris Wegemer, Lora Cawelti, and Verenisse Ponce-Soria, along with post-doctoral Scholar Erica Van Steenis, recruited educators and practitioners from schools and organizations across Orange County to form a Network Improvement Community (NIC). We then held meetings to establish team structures and norms, brainstormed ideas to connect with partners, and interviewed practitioners and educators to better understand the issues they face.
After interviews were conducted, the team took partners’ responses and organized our first convening, which included 10 core partners from seven different schools and organizations. The sessions began with an overview and timeline of the project and continued to an activity where partners reflected on how equity manifests in their work with housing insecure and foster youth. The activity set the stage for the relationship-building exercises that followed. Partners connected with each other via Zoom breakout rooms and reflected on the pressing issues they face in their work. We then collectively discussed the scope of issues we could work on as a team.
With so much energy and enthusiasm from partners, the sessions flew by. The team left the sessions feeling energized and excited to continue refining the research focus. After months of uncertainty and living in ambiguity, this project, like the world around us, is giving us energy and hope for the future.
- Verenisse Ponce-Soria, Graduate Student Researcher
In fall 2020, Graduate Student Researchers Chris Wegemer, Lora Cawelti, and Verenisse Ponce-Soria, along with post-doctoral Scholar Erica Van Steenis, recruited educators and practitioners from schools and organizations across Orange County to form a Network Improvement Community (NIC). We then held meetings to establish team structures and norms, brainstormed ideas to connect with partners, and interviewed practitioners and educators to better understand the issues they face.
After interviews were conducted, the team took partners’ responses and organized our first convening, which included 10 core partners from seven different schools and organizations. The sessions began with an overview and timeline of the project and continued to an activity where partners reflected on how equity manifests in their work with housing insecure and foster youth. The activity set the stage for the relationship-building exercises that followed. Partners connected with each other via Zoom breakout rooms and reflected on the pressing issues they face in their work. We then collectively discussed the scope of issues we could work on as a team.
With so much energy and enthusiasm from partners, the sessions flew by. The team left the sessions feeling energized and excited to continue refining the research focus. After months of uncertainty and living in ambiguity, this project, like the world around us, is giving us energy and hope for the future.
- Verenisse Ponce-Soria, Graduate Student Researcher
To learn more about the work OCEAN is doing to support housing insecure and foster youth across Orange County, please click here.
