Illinois Collaboration On Youth

LGBTQ+ Learning Community
2026-02-02 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/bXgD5GkPSPOdD_iB1-BeWw
Join us for our monthly LGBTQ+ Learning Community, facilitated by Marlee Goodman, ICOY’s LGBTQ+ Liaison, HRC, and Manager of Healing-Centered Community Support. These 1-hour conversational and informational sessions will create a space to bring together leaders in the field committed to advancing the rights, safety, and authenticity of queer youth, families, and service providers across the state. Together we will discuss common topics that impact our work and these communities. During these sessions, participants will have the opportunity to collectively share experiences, while crowd-sourcing potential solutions, supports, and resources. Each session will be inclusive and empathetic of ways to support program participants by using a hopeful and non-judgmental approach rooted in collective care and liberation.
Please note that this event is not a training, and as such, no Certificate of Attendance or CEUs will be provided. Everyone is welcome to attend!

Grant Budget Basics
2026-02-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
Developing a budget for a grant proposal is as important as the project narrative. Kristin Olson will guide participants through the process of creating a grant budget and budget narrative, demonstrate how to complete the Illinois Uniform Grant Budget Template, and provide templates for multi-year budgets and budget narratives. By the end of the two-hour session, participants will have the knowledge needed to construct a grant budget and budget narrative.
Two continuing education units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy/
Trainer: Kristin Olson

Gender and Sexuality 101
2026-02-04 09:30 - 12:30 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tbxUmeYnTQer4F-cTODFrg
This is an introductory course on Gender and Sexuality 101. This virtual training will focus on building foundational knowledge as well as best practices. Gender and Sexuality 101 aims to be accessible and beginner friendly, to support facilitators who are beginning to work to make their programming more inclusive. This training will center on the understanding that all youth deserve access to safe spaces, and this training will lay foundational knowledge for developing safe and inclusive practices in out-of-school time for LGBTQIA+ youth.
Topics will include:
– Spectra of Identities
– Intersectionality
– Pronouns
– Social Determinants of Health
Three Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy
Trainer: Andrew Hitzhusen

Legal Training for Practitioners Working with Youth in Crisis
2026-02-04 09:30 - 15:30 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/284dePaFRVWbNRCMZutE_g
Please join ICOY’s legal training to review best practices for working with youth and families in the context of an agency’s legal responsibilities. We will address decision-making authority and the various players, juvenile justice laws, and intersecting legal proceedings, crisis situations and responses, rights of minors without parental consent, and legal guidelines for case managers.
Five continuing education units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy/
Please Note: There will be a one hour lunch break.
Trainers: Rights and Restoration Law Group

Building a Trauma-Informed Organization
2026-02-05 10:00 - 12:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/qX6p04EpTJe2EJ1AcSy92g
Creating a trauma-informed organization does not have a one-size fits all approach. This training serves as a guide for organizations in developing and growing trauma-informed care within its organizational structures. Organizations will learn how to develop strategies to create and enhance their trauma-informed practices in teams, programs, and overall agency systems. We will discuss policy and procedure revisions and offer approaches in developing and building a trauma-informed organization. Participants should leave the training feeling empowered to respond empathically, develop realistic goals, and resist re-traumatization.
Two continuing education credits will be offered for this training. If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy/

Developmental Trauma and Maternal Stress
2026-02-06 09:00 - 11:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/4zOU7-DbRDG0jjQqcHTi2g
This session offers attendees a foundational understanding of how trauma and stress can impact us even before birth. While it’s often assumed that children are naturally resilient to stress and trauma, true resilience is dependent on the context and wider systems in which a child develops. Together, we’ll explore key concepts such as maternal buffering, epigenetics, serve and return, and neuroplasticity, examining how these factors can either support or hinder the development of resilience intergenerationally.
Two continuing education credits will be offered for this training. If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy/

Engagement as the Foundation of Change: Rooting in the Spirit of Motivational Interviewing
2026-02-06 09:00 - 12:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/c8tHlmzMRTW1XmyuKnsi-g
This session focuses on the “Spirit” of Motivational Interviewing – partnership, acceptance, compassion, and empowerment – as the essential starting point for all change work. Participants will learn how to cultivate authentic, culturally responsive engagement that builds trust and rapport while honoring autonomy. Through exploration of MI’s relational elements, participants will strengthen their ability to support motivation as a dynamic, collaborative interpersonal process.
Three Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy
Trainer: Gabriela Zapata-Alma

Child Welfare Coalition Call
2026-02-06 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-20 11:00 - 12:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/Yp_omhpyRjubXz0_6PtQ4A
Join ICOY and other member organizations on a call to discuss key changes in the child welfare and youth-led arena.
The goal is to create a child welfare system that prepares youth to become successful and self-sufficient. Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY) seeks to focus the attention of Illinois’ elected officials in all branches of government on the systematic challenges facing the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the private agencies that deliver many of the services within their communities.
We work continuously with lawmakers and other stakeholders to educate them about the impact of nearly two decades of neglect of this system, and to advocate for the investments and reforms that are needed to fund and sustain the community-based providers of child welfare services.
These calls will take place twice a month and we are asking that all participants register to join.

From Operations to Governance: Increasing the Effectiveness of Your Board of Directors
2026-02-09 09:00 - 11:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/s1jUzmu3RO6SsMrUzLVQwQ
This two-hour virtual training will focus on the basic elements of building and sustaining a board of directors. Topics covered will include:
•The role of boards in the nonprofit sector
•The three duties of a board of directors: care, loyalty, and obedience
•The difference between governing and operational boards
•Board recruitments: including the use of a board grid, developing a recruitment policy, and onboarding
•Ongoing board engagement
Suggested Audience: Organizations that are less than ten years old, organizations with less than ten board members who wish to increase the size of their board and their officers, first time nonprofit CEOs/Executive Directors.
Two Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy
Trainer: Paul Hamann

Positive Youth Development
2026-02-09 12:00 - 15:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/TXiYDWAbQcGKHncZo60rSQ
Understanding Youth Development: Harnessing the Power to Transform Individuals and Communities: History / Core Concepts / Practical Application. This module provides participants the opportunity to ground themselves within the history and theory that have led to positive youth development. Core principles and concepts of youth development as a model to create organizational and community change is offered in contrast to traditional youth services model. Participants have the opportunity to explore practical applications of the model through small group work.
Three continuing education units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy/
Trainers: LYTE Collective

Embracing Justice for All: Immigration & Intersectional Lenses
2026-02-10 10:00 - 12:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/1fsxri-TSmeXA57jFcPfgw
This virtual training explores the impact of immigration policies on young people and families. With an emphasis on equity and culturally responsive practices, participants will explore actionable strategies through real stories and practical frameworks to better support immigrant and mixed-status youth.
Two Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy
Trainer: Issac Carter

Youth Experiencing Housing Instability 101
2026-02-10 10:00 - 2026-02-11 12:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/EvaHHQelSrKYS2dvBlDj1A
This two-day webinar provides supervisory and front-line staff working in DHS funded Homeless Youth programs with essential information they need to ensure effective practice and compliance with the program’s regulations. Participants will learn how to best engage homeless youth and create the environments and programs that most effectively meet their needs. During this training we will review some of the unique needs and characteristics of the homeless youth population and provide an introduction to best practices for working with these young people through case studies, group discussions, and linkages to resources. Additionally, the workshop will provide information about DHS requirements for Homeless Youth programs, so staff and supervisors can understand how to ensure their compliance with their contract obligations.
Four continuing education units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy/
Trainer(s): Cheris Larson

ICOY 101
2026-02-11 13:00 - 14:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/zxxptgYWSdSIxYS4A5rgSQ
Join ICOY’s Membership team for an overview of ICOY’s benefits, partnerships, history, and offerings! This session will be geared towards new staff at ICOY’s member organizations as well as prospective members. All are welcome!
Email Sr. Manager of Communications & Outreach Conor Van Santen (cvansanten@icoyouth.org) with any questions you may have!

CBAT-O Final Reports & Results
2026-02-12 10:00 - 11:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/IAnTwA2aSX6rUUD9C5L1wg
This informational webinar is designed to support providers gain clarity on how to interpret their CBAT-O final report and results. Our team will walk them through each component of the report (including the Trauma-Sensitive Environmental Checklist, Comment Section, and section-by-section CBAT-O results). We will also review the information included in the accompanying email, such as training recommendations and other relevant details.

The Intersection of LGBTQ+ Identity and Systems
2026-02-12 12:00 - 14:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/ck_2hAw9T-Kp_5MR-nW1IQ
Over 30% of youth in the child welfare + justice systems identify as LGBTQIA2S+. Why is this percentage over 3X as much as their representation in the general population? This session will explore the complex and compounding factors that put queer youth at high risk for system involvement. Together we will unpack the societal factors, stigmas, and biases that LGBTQ+ people face historically and contemporarily. Using this knowledge, we will review the protective role service providers have in supporting this population, and best practices to uplift youth in our care to be safe, healthy, supported, and thriving in their individual and communal identities.
Two continuing education credits will be offered for this training. If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy/

Comprehensive Community Based Youth Services (CCBYS) Management Meeting
2026-02-17 10:00 - 12:30 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/yFraJ1jIRT6rdzaxVUXHfQ
Please join us for the quarterly CCBYS Management Meeting. As a reminder, this meeting is mandatory for each program with the purpose of increasing communication across programs and with the state. Please note: this meeting is only open to organizations that currently receive CCBYS funding from IDHS.

Restorative Justice 101
2026-02-18 10:00 - 12:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/QUzQw2DrSaKqHewlq9hlZw
Restorative Justice (RJ) 101 is a two hour virtual introduction to restorative justice that provides participants with a foundational understanding of restorative justice principles, practices, and applications. The session will cover the core concepts of restorative justice, explore its differences from traditional justice systems, and discuss its applications in educational settings, workplaces, and the criminal justice system. Interactive elements such as a case study scenario will allow participants to engage with the material actively. The training will conclude with a Q&A session and provide resources for further learning.
Two continuing education units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy/
Trainer: Karlyn Boens

Grant Writing 101
2026-02-19 09:00 - 12:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/bbMAk_60S-y3zcDnhY-EFg
This introductory session is designed for nonprofit staff, board members, and volunteers with little or no experience writing a grant proposal.
Participants will learn: how to discern if a funding opportunity is a good fit for their organization; about the difference between public- and private-sector grants; about the current trends in grant making; how to structure a grant proposal for a foundation grant; and how to respond to an IDHS request for proposals.
Three Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy
Trainer: Kristin Olson

Community Asset Mapping: Building Partnerships for Sustainable Impact
2026-02-19 10:00 - 12:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/-IBYQm1GSMyJVxrslvUaDQ
This interactive, introductory-level training will explore the fundamentals of Community Asset Mapping as a powerful tool for identifying local strengths, resources, and opportunities to support partnership development and long-term sustainability. Join us to connect, collaborate, and map your way to stronger partnerships and more resilient programs. Over the course of two hours, participants will:
– Gain a foundational understanding of community asset mapping, including key concepts and types of assets (individual, institutional, physical, cultural, etc.)
– Explore real-world examples of how asset mapping supports program planning, community engagement, and collaboration
– Engage in hands-on exercises to practice identifying and categorizing community assets using asset mapping tools and frameworks
– Learn strategies to apply asset mapping to partnership development and sustainability planning within their own communities or programs
Two Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy
Trainer: Nikki Gillani

CBAT-O Final Reports & Results
2026-02-23 13:00 - 14:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/3QPtjZ0RQzaDIiPLZr5sVA

Trauma-Informed Supervision for Supervisors
2026-02-24 10:00 - 12:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/6A89JB0XTWOIKeV6EN8bgg
This training session is designed for supervisors, managers, and senior leadership to enhance team support and build vital supervisory networks. Together we will explore trauma-informed supervision techniques focusing on relationship building, conflict management, and effective communication strategies. Finally, participants will discuss skills to create a trauma-informed environment for both staff and clients.
Two continuing education credits will be offered for this training. If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy/

Reimagining Community: Practice & Application Lab
2026-02-24 12:00 - 14:00 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reimagining-community-practice-application-lab-tickets-1977308870058?aff=oddtdtcreator
This in-person workshop is a facilitated learning environment where providers apply the concepts from the virtual series to real scenarios and organizational contexts. The lab focuses on practical skill-building, reflective dialogue, and collaborative problem-solving.
Focus Areas:
• Making meaning of the four core elements of thriving community life: safety, youth voice, belonging through intentional space design, and sustaining the people who hold the work
• Applying the core elements into real provider contexts
• Peer exchange and shared learning across provider sites and roles
What Participants Leave With:
• Concrete strategies for building relational trust with youth and families
• Tools for designing environments where belonging can emerge
• Language and approaches for supporting youth agency and shared leadership
• A personal sustainability plan and organization-specific takeaways.
Two Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy
Trainer: Karlyn Boens

Managing Unconscious Bias
2026-02-25 09:30 - 11:30 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/YdGZNDZXRuSc2p__sWzcKA
Recognize, understand, and manage unconscious bias to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) workplace. Participants will explore the nature of unconscious bias, its impact on decision-making and behavior, and strategies to mitigate its effects.
Two Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy.
Trainer: Heshima Mance

ICOY Monthly Member Call
2026-02-25 12:00 - 13:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/rnBsuXFtSqiNaIICo7AUPg
Register below for ICOY’s monthly member call where we’ll provide updates from state and federal agencies on topics related to your work. If you don’t currently belong to a member organization but would like to participate, reach out to ICOY’s Senior Manager of Communications & Outreach, Conor Van Santen, at cvansanten@icoyouth.org.

Guiding, Not Telling: Using Motivational Interviewing to Shape Session Focus Together
2026-02-27 09:00 - 12:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/kuSTBB7vQfuMxvQWPqehYw
Participants will learn how to collaboratively develop agendas and guide conversations in ways that support, rather than steer, the people they serve. This session introduces core MI strategies for establishing focus while honoring autonomy, enhancing engagement, and creating a shared sense of direction for the work ahead.
Three Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy
Trainer: Gabriela Zapata-Alma

CBAT-O Learning Communities
2026-03-02 10:00 - 12:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/28iIkqUkTJOSpPLXnzdSyQ
These learning communities offer a dedicated space to support shared learning, peer-to-peer connection, and organization-wide action planning. Both sessions will be held virtually and will feature presenters who will share their journeys and approaches to strengthening trauma-informed care practices based on their experience utilizing the CBAT-O. Participants will also have time to work independently on a SWOT analysis informed by their CBAT-O report and results.

Homeless Youth Management Meeting
2026-03-03 10:00 - 12:30 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/vmPFwj9pS02uEmhBjXOb2A
Please join us for the quarterly HY Management Meeting. As a reminder, this meeting is mandatory for each program with the purpose of increasing communication across programs and with the state. Please note: this meeting is only open to organizations that currently receive HY funding from IDHS.

Community Youth Services (CYS) 101
2026-03-03 10:00 - 13:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/kFydo3YASbWIkEqB3rAdZg
The purpose of CYS 101 is to engage providers in intentional, productive, and constructive ways to fulfill grant requirements while recognizing and enhancing their strengths. Training will promote positive outcomes by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships, and giving the support that is needed to develop mechanisms that enhance program goals and objectives. Topics to be covered include, assessments, reporting, outreach, committee development and engagement.
Three Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for participants with social work and professional counseling licenses (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC). If you would like to request CEUs, you may do so in the evaluation survey sent after completing this training. For more information on ICOY’s training attendance policy please see here: https://www.icoyouth.org/attendance-policy/
Trainer: Emily Middleton

CBAT-O Learning Communities
2026-03-05 13:00 - 15:00 | https://icoyouth-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/iDA829zVSyGUR0Eph25fhQ
