The Alliance for Experiential Problem Based Learning at UIS has developed and assisted with many training programs over the years to help better prepare the frontline for working with our communities, especially in the area of improving the lives of children and their families. When working with any family, but especially in rural communities, we must realize that belonging is central to needs. Belonging must include physiological needs, safety needs, love and acceptance, esteem building and resiliency, and self-actualization. Fostering connection and building community support is at the heart of what all families require for success. However, it is important to consider preventative efforts such as healthy parenting, access to adequate services, and being trauma informed as professionals. Partnerships with foster parents, mental health providers, police, educators and former youth in care must equally have a voice in resolutions.  

The Alliance has partnered with many entities to build a stronger workforce. Our training focuses on several key components: communication, engagement, trauma informed, identifying bias, and critical thinking. We currently are in partnership with the Illinois State Board of Education providing trauma informed trainings to a pilot group of educators across the state and will be expanding these efforts to School Resource Officers and the liaisons who work with foster youth and those with experiencing homelessness (the McKinney-Vento program). The Alliance also recently received federal funding to provide training to multi-disciplinary partners across the state. These trainings will be approached from a trauma-informed lens and will assist professionals with their own resiliency, in hopes those resiliency building skills can be passed to the youth and families they encounter. The Alliance believes strongly in moving our focus to one of child and family wellbeing and shifting our efforts to prevention and community building.