SaySo History
The following is a brief timeline of the LIFE OF SAYSO!
July 9, 1997: Discussions begin
ILR met staff from the Child Advocacy Institute (CAI - now known as Action for Children) at a state sponsored meeting. Nancy Carter from ILR mentioned that if any organization needed youths to speak at their functions to call ILR. Michelle Hughes from the CAI called. CAI had received a Kellogg grant to start a youth advocacy organization. CAI needed access to interested youths. ILR had been using youth speakers at Youth Days Summer Conferences who were already speaking out about changes needed for foster children.
April 17, 1998. A joint meeting of state and youth stakeholders was held.
Over 75 people attended the meeting in Burlington, NC. Adults outweighed the number of youths so the group was divided: adults in one room, youths in another to enable a safe environment for youths to speak freely. Youth concluded that a youth advisory organization was needed, however the youths wanted to be more than just an advisory council. The first name for SaySo was COFFEE which stood for Coalition of Friends and Family Educating Everywhere, but later changed to SAYSO, Strong Able Youth Speaking Out, which youths felt was more representative of who they are. This began a two year process of establishing the mission, by-laws, belief statement, policies, youth membership criteria, and adult advisor responsibilities to help govern the organization. It was a painstaking process but the founding members stayed focused and established the foundation which still exists today.
March 4, 2000. The first SaySo Conference was held in Burlington, NC.
The SaySo Youth Board of Directors stressed to overwhelming group (this time, more youths than adults) that SaySo is focused on learning to speak out constructively about the needs in the foster care system. Youth have continued to learn to not whine about the problems, but be part of the solution. By doing this, youths learn to speak in a manner that allows others to respect and take SaySo seriously.
Spring 2000: SaySo Makes a Difference.
The NC Chaffee budget was earmarked to be thrown out of the state budget which meant all independent living activities for NC would cease to exist. A legislative position paper was created to by SaySo to tell the story of why young people in foster care need life skills. The paper spread to legislators by a network of support with the Covenant for NC Children’s and helped to keep this funding active. The Chafee funding continues to keep SaySo and other LINKS project in place.
March 2003: SaySo becomes a non-profit organization with the support of the Fenwick Foundation. Frank Phoenix of the foundation becomes known as the "Grandfather of SaySo". The Fenwick Foundation continues to sponsor lunch at the SaySo Saturday Annual Conferences and dinner at the Board of Directors Orientation.
SaySo Saturday Annual Membership Conference: Come Home to SaySo
This free conference and "family reunion" is held annually on the first Saturday of March to commemorate the first SaySo Saturday and the continued mission to work to improve the substitute care system by educating the community, speaking out about needed changed, and providing support to youth that are and have been in substitute care. All members and alumni are invited to attend. Each year a new Board of Directors is elected to serve the membership, local chapters are commissioned, and the achievements of the year are acknowledged.