Working with Youth to Enhance their Natural Supports: Practice Framework
Burns Memorial Fund and United Way of Calgary and Area are pleased to release “Working with Vulnerable Youth to Enhance their Natural Supports: A Practice Framework, Version 2.0.” Natural supports are relationships and associations that are ‘natural’ in the sense that they are informally and locally developed; and are based on reciprocity or give and take. Natural supports include family, friends, neighbours, coaches, team-mates, and others who comprise our social network.
A growing body of research clearly demonstrates the connection between positive natural supports and healthy youth development. Natural supports play a critical role in promoting youth resiliency, social integration, and positive development. They can also contribute to a youth’s recovery and growth process, reduce psychological distress, and help vulnerable youth successfully transition to adulthood.
Professional supports, while important, aren’t sustainable. Programs end, professionals change jobs, and youth age out of services. An over-reliance on professional supports ultimately increases vulnerability. Through utilizing the Practice Framework in working with youth, we work towards empowering youth to rely on and contribute to a life-long network of supportive family, community, and peer relationships.
This Practice Framework is the culmination of several years of work with 13 dedicated community partners, known as the Change Collective. Their knowledge and skill working with vulnerable youth, candidness in sharing their experiences, and openness to significant practice change were crucial in the development of these documents. Our partners and co-authors are:
- The Alex
- Aspen
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary
- Calgary and Area Child and Family Services
- Calgary Fetal Alcohol Network
- Calgary John Howard Society
- Calgary Sexual Health Centre
- Carya
- Catholic Family Service
- Hull Services
- Parent Support Association
- Wood’s Homes
We would also like to acknowledge the significant contributions of our writer/facilitator, Elizabeth Dozois of Word on the Street Ltd. and our developmental evaluator, Melissa Innes of MPI Associates.
The full version of the Practice Framework can be found by clicking on the image below. Please feel free to download, copy, use and distribute.
Practice Framework Version 2.0
Early in 2017, the first version of Enhancing Natural Supports for Vulnerable Youth: A Practice Framework was rolled out. In the first year:
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over 400 practitioners were trained in the approach
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funders began to incorporate natural supports into their Requests for Proposals
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organizations adapted their hiring, training, and supervisory practices and revised their strategic plans to align with the approach
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the approach was presented at conferences throughout Alberta
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Policy Fellows in Calgary drew on the Framework to develop a “Connections First” focus for their research
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groups from across Canada expressed interest in the Framework
In 2018, the Framework was revised to include:
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additional insights and practice examples
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a section titled Strategies for Engaging Natural Supports
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an Organizational Audit
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a section titled Assessing Social Support Needs
In 2025, the Framework was updated to reflect how the Natural Supports Approach applies to all people at all stages of life, extending far beyond working strictly with youth populations. The Natural Supports Community of Practice and Natural Supports Leadership Table have partnered to fund and make changes to the Framework, including:
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inclusive language
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expanded population and demographics
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updated design
The full version of the Third Edition of the Practice Framework can be found by clicking on the image below. Please feel free to download copy, use and distribute.
