YoungWilliams Mixes It Up With Podcasts

It wasn’t too long ago when we asked questions like, “what’s a podcast?” But now we ask questions more like, “what’s your favorite podcast?”

Our world has changed drastically, including how we consume information. Podcasts are a great way to learn on-demand. Podcasts exist for all kinds of subjects from news to sports to even child support.

YoungWilliams employees contribute regularly to the NCSEA On Location podcast. NCSEA On Location is an interview-based podcast and features human service professionals and stakeholders from different locations. Each episode features a host and one or more guests discussing various child support topics.

Pat O’Donnell, YoungWilliams Vice President of Payment Processing, kicked off 2022 and co-hosted “Helping Families Thrive: Principles of Procedural Justice.” Along with her co-host, she led a panel discussion about the principles of procedural justice and how to integrate them into child support case management. This On Location episode came live from Illinois and Ohio.

“I have learned so much about child support by doing these podcasts,” said O’Donnell. “It’s a great way to get information out to our community.”

In 2021, O’Donnell hosted several episodes including a lively discussion about customer engagement and its importance especially during a pandemic; a series of podcasts with the recipients of  NCSEA’s leadership awards; a discussion with child support professionals about implementing alternatives to contempt, engaging participants, and identifying and addressing barriers to the child support program; and her favorite where she interviewed child support and SNAP experts about how the two programs work together to address food insecurity in families and combat childhood hunger.

“In a typical month, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) helps 1 in 4 children in the United States and nearly half (44 percent) of all SNAP recipients are children.  The root cause of childhood hunger and food insecurity results from inadequate income for families:  There are different ways to boost income – child support is one of them in concert with other support programs.  The work we do every day in child support and SNAP provides access to food for children enabling them to remain healthy, to learn and to live to their fullest potential”.

North Carolina Operations Manager, Tammy Pearson, co-hosted several NCSEA On Location episodes, including “Empowering the Movement for Change,” which was an episode about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the child support world. Other episodes featured YoungWilliams executives discussing their roles as presidents of child support organizations. YoungWilliams Nebraska Customer Service Center Project Manager, Lori Bengston, was featured in an August episode after becoming NCSEA President. Director of Professional Development, Ellen Rutledge, was featured on the podcast in November as the immediate past-President of WICSEC.

These podcasts are available on podcast platforms, such as Apple and Spotify. Grab your headphones, enjoy a walk, and take a listen.