In November, Youth Villages welcomed leaders from across the country to Providence, Rhode Island, for the annual Achieving Success Executive Workshop. The three-day gathering brought together child welfare executives, policymakers, national partners and lived-experience experts to reflect on what is working in the field and what needs to change.

Representatives from eight states joined national organizations including Chapin Hall, FosterClub, the Child Welfare League of America and Foster Care Alumni of America. Parents and young adults with experience in child and youth services systems also played a central role, helping ensure discussions stayed rooted in real-world experience.

A space built for shared learning

Achieving Success is designed as a working session rather than a traditional conference. Leaders step away from daily pressures and spend time hearing from one another, comparing challenges and exploring solutions that are already gaining momentum in other states.

Patrick Lawler, CEO of Youth Villages, emphasized the importance of shared learning to the organization’s work.

“We didn’t build this work alone,” Lawler said. “Every step forward has come from partnership with people who share the same goal of helping children and families succeed.”

That theme echoed throughout the workshop, from conversations on prevention to strategies for helping young people move successfully into adulthood.

Centering lived experience

A significant focus of the convening was listening to young adults and parents who have navigated child and youth services systems themselves. Their stories brought clarity to the challenges families face and highlighted what type of supports makes a difference.

Panelists spoke openly about moments of hardship, the importance of relationships with trusted adults and the value of being included in decisions about their own lives. Their insight shaped many of the conversations that followed.

Ideas moving the field forward

The agenda featured a mix of research, practical tools and peer-to-peer problem-solving. Attendees heard updates on Map2Impact, the Chapin Hall and Youth Villages data initiative that helps states use administrative data to identify opportunities to strengthen family-based services.

It also included insight from the National Collaborative for Transition-Age Youth Playbook, a national effort co-designed with young people to share best practices and policy recommendations for supporting those moving into adulthood after foster care.

Across sessions, leaders discussed how to expand family preservation efforts, strengthen kinship care and improve outcomes for young people as they take on more responsibility and independence.

“Healing takes time, and so does system change,” said panelist Tauryian. “But both are possible. That is why we show up for this work.”

Looking ahead

This year’s event marked the first time Achieving Success was held in the Northeast. As participants returned home, they carried with them practical ideas, new partnerships and a shared commitment to improving how systems support children, families and young people.

For Youth Villages, the workshop reinforced something simple but essential: progress grows from collaboration and honesty, and Achieving Success remains a place built for both.

To learn more about Achieving Success and upcoming events, contact the Achieving Success team.

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