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Centering Youth Voice at the 2026 “Stronger Together” Conference
Written by Crystal Blanton, Open Doors Deputy Director This year’s Stronger Together Conference, organized by the California Alliance of Child & Family Services, brought providers from across the state and beyond to Anaheim to connect, learn, and explore the many issues that impact how we serve children, youth, and families. The Open Doors team had…
Our Partnership with Community Solutions: Building Stronger Support for Young People
Partnership has been central to Open Doors from the beginning. As the program has grown, organizations, experts, and young people across California have helped us strengthen the training, expand its reach, and create learning experiences grounded in the needs of youth and the adults who support them. Community Solutions has been one of those partners.…
From Youth Voice to Youth Facilitation: Inside Our Facilitator-in-Training Program
Written by: Kat Besse, Open Doors Facilitator As part of our Facilitator-in-Training (FiT) program, all FiTs have the opportunity to participate in the Open Doors Core Training, which is designed to equip non-medical youth-serving adults with practical tools for engaging young people in honest conversations about substance use and other behavioral health challenges — with an…
Calling People In, Not Out: Practical Strategies for Facilitators
Open Doors Facilitator Kat Besse discusses her techniques for managing challenges during trainings in a way that preserves dignity, strengthens connection, and encourages participation.
Putting Train-the-Trainer Into Practice: MSW Intern Doris Sanchez’s First Co-Facilitation Experience
This past July, I had the privilege of co-facilitating my very first Open Doors Core Training alongside seasoned facilitators, Kat Besse and Francisco Valverde, in Yuba City, CA. Our hosts, the Sutter County Probation Department, welcomed us so warmly into their space, where we had the opportunity to train about 28 adults working in a…
Youth Voice: Grace Wolfman’s Perspective as a Facilitator-in-Training
Facilitator-in-Training Grace Wolfman reflects on bringing youth voice to the Partnerships for Well-Being Institute Conference and shares how restorative justice, support, and meaningful mentorship helped her grow as a young facilitator.
“So, What’s With the T-Shirts?”: A Reflection on Belonging & Showing Up for Youth
If you’ve participated in one of our training events, you may remember that the facilitators, including our youth Facilitators-in-Training, typically wear a very unique shirt. On each shirt is a photo of the facilitator as a young person, along with one word they needed to hear at that time in their life.
Open Doors Launches First Virtual Core Training
Open Doors recently launched its first virtual Core Training to expand access and create more opportunities for youth-serving adults throughout California to participate in the program.
What is Juneteenth, Exactly?
Written by: Crystal Blanton, Deputy Director of Open Doors This once-forgotten or often-ignored celebration of freedom for Black Americans is now a national holiday. While many within the Black community have celebrated Juneteenth as part of their culture for generations, the holiday was largely unknown to many others until recent years. In 2021, President Joe…
Community Spotlight: Riverside County Department of Public Social Services
Written by: Francisco Valverde, Open Doors Facilitator On May 27, 2026, we had the honor and privilege of partnering with the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) to facilitate an Open Doors Core Training. Riverside County DPSS’s mission is to support and improve the health, safety, well-being, and independence of individuals and families…
