The Heart of Our Work

FuturesNW is dedicated to building healthy, thriving, and peaceful communities that are strong and resilient. We are committed to supporting historically disenfranchised peoples and to sharing resources that point to other leaders doing important work around these issues. As former FuturesNW volunteer Al Villafuerte noted, we have the responsibility to create opportunities for students that do not rest on the shoulders of an exceptional person but rather on strong communities and healthy systems. This compels us to create a Beloved Community within our own organization and with our partners.

We must be honest about the extent to which the United States is unsafe and oppressive for many people and we must recognize the issues in our own community and our complicity in these systems. As the Bellingham Racial History Timeline states, “The lack of racial diversity in [Skagit and Whatcom Counties] is not an accident. Colonization, followed by a history of discriminatory practices, policies, and events, has shaped our [counties]. We have to understand our history to create a better future.” Given this history of Whatcom and Skagit County, we are driven to acknowledge that we work, live, and gather on the ancestral homelands of the Coast Salish Peoples. We honor with gratitude the land itself and the people of the Lummi Nation, Nooksack Tribe, Samish Indian Nation, and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. 

It is essential to understand the historical significance of our current systems and the social dynamics that emerge from these systems, else we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes. Since our commitment is to help cultivate healthy and thriving communities, we feel that it is important to share our resources and highlight the work of other community members who share these values. Below are some organizations and resources that are actively working toward building exceptional systems and providing individual and collective support.

The path to higher education shouldn’t be a secret, so we make sure every student has the information and guidance they need to succeed in high school, college, and beyond. We achieve this through career exploration events, pathways navigation support, financial aid completion, and family engagement, as well as through programs such as QuickStart to College and From One to Many.

The path to higher education shouldn’t be a secret, so we make sure every student has the information and guidance they need to succeed in high school, college, and beyond. We achieve this through career exploration events, pathways navigation support, financial aid completion, and family engagement, as well as through programs such as QuickStart to College and From One to Many.

PROGRAM DETAILS:

QuickStart to College

QuickStart to College is a free summer camp program to uplift and encourage high school seniors as they prepare for college selection, applications, scholarships, and financial aid processes. Students enjoy 4 days and 3 nights at WWU and visits from our friends at BTC, NWIC, SVC, and WCC to help you learn more about the various types of colleges available. By attending QuickStart, our mentors and local college staff members will help students get prepared for milestones throughout their senior year, so they can confidently step into the path that lies beyond it. For more information and application details about our upcoming 2023 summer program, please visit the program page.

Learning with Leaders

Learning with Leaders connects students with in-demand career pathways by providing exploration that focuses on local employment, education, and support services. Students will get real-time, tactile training, such as the chance to operate heavy equipment under the guidance of experts, take part in virtual simulations, and discover their strengths through kinesthetic learning experiences. These events will provide a foundation of exploration to connect students with prep classes offered in their high schools and colleges that will subsequently launch them into a career of their dreams.

To learn more about Learning with Leaders and its past and future events, visit the program page here!

These images from Jan-March 2020 capture our first Learning with Leaders events:

Financial AID Events

Throughout the fall and spring, FuturesNW partners with the 12th Year Campaign to put on financial literacy events in which Financial Aid experts and admissions staff from local higher education institutions provide personalized support for families completing the FAFSA or WASFA. See our calendar for a list of current events.

Thanks to the amazing folks at the Washington Student Achievement Council, we are able to attend and co-host many statewide and regional events. For a complete list of virtual events hosted by WSAC check out their event list here.

Check out our Financial Aid resources page for more information on how to fund your education plans!

From One to Many

Futures Northwest’s project, From One to Many aims to promote and increase access to post-secondary education and training programs by implementing a community-led, peer-to-peer financial aid and access program in direct partnership with Lummi Nation leaders. Lummi Nation educational advocate Kathleen Solomon facilitates individual and community meetings where families learn and engage in financial planning for college, explore pathways and increases access to resources that support their journey. Acknowledging the historic and traumatic reality that Western education has played in Native/Indigenous communities, for many families the barriers are not as simple as applying, selecting, and paying for education. Engaging in dialogues about education and training programs, why they matter, and what support is needed to get there will support Lummi Nation’s goal in increasing the number of members who pursue higher education, reaching the community’s personal and professional goals. FuturesNW works in partnership with the Lummi Nation School District, the Lummi Business Council, Northwest Indian College, Lummi Employment Training Center, WWU Human Services Program, and the Financial Aid Offices of WWU, BTC, and WCC.

Mentor NAVIGATORS

Our mentor navigators work with high school students who will be the first in their family to go to college or who are from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds to help build confidence and provide hands-on support to help them succeed in high school and beyond. Students receive guided career exploration, college admissions applications, financial aid, and scholarship applications.

Resources PLATFORM

In 2019, thanks to generous grants from the Alcoa Foundation, Superfeet, and Whatcom Community Foundation, we were able to develop a resource platform for students in Whatcom County. In doing so, students and families now have a central nexus of information for pathways support in our region, regardless of whether a mentor is placed at their school. This is an ever-growing resource that is adaptive to the needs and opportunities of our community and is updated regularly by staff. Additionally, our aim is to have it serve as a valuable resource for school staff in assisting with High School and Beyond Planning.

Pre-Education Training Services (Pre-ETS), in-school workshops

Our Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) funded program focuses on providing 9-12th grade students with the tools needed to live an independent & self-directed life; these programs are tailored with a specific focus on students with learning disabilities who utilize an education plan such as an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan. Currently FuturesNW is serving students at Lummi Nation School, joining Hawktime workshops every other Tuesday morning.

Family Engagement

Through attending and presenting at College/Career fairs, Design Your Future events, and community outreach through our resource platform, FuturesNW is uniquely positioned to reach a multitude of families and engage in dialogues to provide support with college and beyond.