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Tag: foster youth

  • California State University to Honor CSUF’s Guardian Scholars Program on 25th Anniversary of Inspired Program to Assist Former Foster Youth

    California State University to Honor CSUF’s Guardian Scholars Program on 25th Anniversary of Inspired Program to Assist Former Foster Youth

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    Newswise — Cal State Fullerton’s Guardian Scholars Program, the first of its kind in the nation, will be recognized on Jan. 30 by the California State University Board of Trustees for 25 years of supporting former foster youth on their path to educational and career success.  

    The Guardian Scholars Program removes barriers for former foster youth by providing scholarships and a nurturing support system with services that promote belonging and success for students. Since its founding at CSUF in 1998, the Guardian Scholars Program has been replicated at the CSU’s 22 other campuses and 90 colleges and universities nationwide. 

    Cal State Fullerton’s transfer scholars have a nearly 80% graduation rate, essentially eliminating the gap between them and the general student population at Cal State Fullerton. Many of CSUF’s Guardian Scholars graduates have gone on to earn master’s degrees and pursue careers in social work, counseling, education and international business. In contrast, 3% to 4% of the nation’s former foster youth obtain a four-year college degree, according to the National Foster Youth Initiative.

    “A university’s greatest resource is its people. Put the right people in the right place, and you can change lives forever,” says Becky Wells ‘00, of Lakeway, Texas, the first graduate of the CSUF Guardian Scholars Program. 

    We invite you to view the presentation virtually or in person and learn more about this inspiring and transformational program. We also can assist in scheduling interviews with Wells, current CSUF graduate student Junely Merwin ’19 (B.S. human services), and Felipe Martinez, the director of CSUF’s Center for Scholars.

    Here are the presentation details: 

    What: Recognition for the 25th anniversary of Cal State Fullerton’s Guardian Scholars Program — the first of its kind in the nation to help former foster youth succeed in higher education.

    When: Jan. 30, during a 3 p.m. California State University Board of Trustees committee meeting (the presentation is estimated on the agenda at about 3:30 p.m.)

    Where: California State University Board of Trustees meeting, 

    CSU Office of the Chancellor 
    401 Golden Shore Long Beach, CA 90802
    Link to the live broadcast of the meeting
    Agenda

    Data and details: 

    • More than 250 students have graduated from Cal State Fullerton’s Guardian Scholars Program since it began with three students in 1998 and sparked programs supporting former foster youth at universities and colleges throughout the country, including all 23 CSU campuses.

    • This year, a cohort of 27 — CSUF’s largest group — will graduate in May.

    • The CSUF program also recently expanded its services to graduate students and nine are participating.

    • Students in foster care who enroll in universities deal with such barriers as living expenses, housing, access to technology and lack of guidance navigating the complexities of academia.


    About Cal State Fullerton:     The largest university in the CSU and the only campus in Orange County, Cal State Fullerton offers more than 100 degree programs and Division 1 athletics. Recognized as a national model for supporting student success, CSUF excels with innovative, high-impact educational practices, including faculty-student collaborative research, study abroad and competitive internships. CSUF is a top public university known for its success in supporting first-generation and underrepresented students, and preparing all students to become leaders in the global marketplace. Our vibrant and diverse campus is a primary driver of workforce and economic development in the region. Visit fullerton.edu.

    # # #

    Photo Caption:
    Junely Merwin, a Cal State Fullerton graduate student and former foster youth who participated in CSUF’s Guardian Scholars Program



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    California State University, Fullerton

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  • Los Angeles Mission Helps Prepare Homeless Children to Start the New School Year at Its Third Annual Back-to-School Fair & Supply Giveaway

    Los Angeles Mission Helps Prepare Homeless Children to Start the New School Year at Its Third Annual Back-to-School Fair & Supply Giveaway

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    LOS ANGELES, August 10, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
     On July 29, Los Angeles Mission, in collaboration with foster agencies Guardians of Love, Coco’s Angels, and Inner Circle, launched its Third Annual Back-to-School Fair & Supply Giveaway. The event, which took place at Iglesia Cristiana Sembrando Esperanza, supported over 350 foster families currently in the foster care system. 

    “Our deepest desire is to ignite a spark of joy and readiness within the hearts of these children so they can eagerly embrace the arrival of the new school year,” said Pastor Troy Vaughn, President and CEO of Los Angeles Mission. “Every student deserves to step into their educational journey with a heart filled with hope and the essential tools to thrive, irrespective of their financial circumstances.”

    The presenting sponsor CVS Health made a generous check presentation of $50,000. This gift will help kick-start mental health services at Los Angeles Mission and increase access for children and families experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County. The Project Health mobile van provided by CVS Health also helped make it an extra-healthy occasion, offering free physical and mental health screenings to those most vulnerable Angelenos. This donation is more than just a financial gift; it’s a symbol of hope for the community.  

    “The Los Angeles Mission is such an incredible organization, working to ensure equitable access to the support and resources children and their families need to thrive,” said Jeff Hermosillo, West Region President, Aetna, a CVS Health company. “We are helping to increase their impact to support the launch of Los Angeles Mission’s mental health services program because we believe high-quality mental health services should be available to everyone and that mental health is just as important as physical health.”

    This resource fair featured free clothes, shoes, backpacks, food, school supplies, music, haircuts, manicures, and a range of activities for kids ages 0-17. Target, which set up a bespoke shopping experience, mobilized 50 employee volunteers to distribute much-needed back-to-school supplies. 

    “As parents, it is heartbreaking to witness the struggles that children in foster homes face when it comes to their education,” noted Kinikki Fullerwood, CEO of Guardians of Love. “Many of these precious kids dread going to school due to the lack of brand-new clothes or trendy items, fearing they will be singled out or bullied. The Back-to-School Fair aims to uplift and support these children, providing encouragement and igniting a flame of motivation within them, allowing them to thrive academically.”

    Race To Feed is a program launched by Los Angeles Mission in October 2021. It is a response to food insecurity which helps individuals stabilize and reinvest resources in their communities. Since its inception, this program has provided over four million meals to struggling families across L.A. County. Through this program, attendees left the back-to-school event with a full week of groceries. 

    Vaughn concluded by stating “The Los Angeles Mission is grateful to all of our partners, including Supervisor Hilda Solis, Walmart, Chick-Fil-A, CVS Health, Project Health, Target, Guardians of Love, Coco’s Angels, and Inner Circle, who together made this event a major success.”

    For more information about Los Angeles Mission or this event, please contact Ellis McGinnis at j.ellis@lamission.net. 

    Source: Los Angeles Mission

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  • One Size Doesn’t Fit All: How First Place for Youth is Using Data Science to Better Serve Transition-Age Foster Youth in U.S.

    One Size Doesn’t Fit All: How First Place for Youth is Using Data Science to Better Serve Transition-Age Foster Youth in U.S.

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    Press Release
    –


    updated: Mar 18, 2021


    OAKLAND, Calif., March 18, 2021 (Newswire.com)
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    New research released today by First Place for Youth draws from precision analytics to offer customized support plans to greatly improve the likelihood that a foster youth will successfully transition to adulthood and earn a living wage. First Place for Youth, a 20-plus-year veteran in the foster youth support world, is using data science and precision analytics to make new predictions about how we better serve transition-age foster youth in the United States. A key focal point of its research entails delivering these personalized plans through a framework of extended care, customized milestones and a clear focus on education to employment.

    Every year, nearly 25,000 youth who have grown up in the foster care system turn 18. According to a 2011 study, by age 26: nearly 40%+ of foster youth will experience homelessness and incarceration, and less than 5% will graduate from a four-year college. Not surprisingly, more than half of this vulnerable population will also face unemployment. Like many of their peers, transition-age foster youth benefit greatly from receiving additional support on their paths to self-sufficiency. And, while extending the timeline for foster service eligibility has had tremendous positive outcomes, it has not been tied to college persistence or increased earnings in adulthood.

    To illuminate this issue, First Place for Youth collaborated with Dr. Mark Courtney and the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood (CalYOUTH) team to begin identifying the particular aspects of extended care associated with positive outcomes. First Place for Youth also partnered with Peter York, MSSA at BCT Partners, to develop the Youth Success Roadmap Tool, a web-based decision-support system for practitioners. This novel tool uses precision analytics to recommend individualized, interactive service and support roadmaps for transition-age foster youth.

    “Some of the most compelling data we found using the roadmap tool indicated that the amount of time youth need to reach self-sufficiency in the program ranges from 1.5 to 5.5 years. This huge range strongly suggests the need for service providers to effectively assess a young person’s unique background and recommend a customized roadmap using a racial equity lens,” said Peter York, Principal and Chief Data Scientist at BCT Partners.

    Within the largest participant group studied, First Place for Youth revealed that when youth were properly supported with a combination of extended care alongside customized services and support, their likelihood of achieving 80% or more of the living wage standard increased from 20% to 80%.

    “In this brief, First Place for Youth embodies next-generation nonprofit leadership by answering the call to action and building evidence strategically with like-minded evaluation partners. In taking an actionable approach focused on what best serves young people, First Place for Youth committed to a common evidence plan in service of more effective, equitable outcomes for foster youth, and they delivered. We need more of this in the world,” said Kelly Fitzsimmons, founder and Chief Executive, Project Evident.

    The investigation illuminated a series of high-impact goals and services that can guide a youth’s trajectory towards a living wage. Examples include career progress, good tenancy, length of stay, level of engagement with employment specialists, and self-efficacy and long-term goal setting.

    “At the end of the day, it’s about growing a more effective and equitable foster care system,” said Dr. Erika Van Buren, Vice President of Learning, Evaluation & Strategic Impact at First Place for Youth. “When I look at the future of our organization, I see First Place for Youth as connective tissue between policy, technology and improved outcomes for foster youth across the United States.”

    ABOUT: Founded in 1998, First Place for Youth envisions a world in which involvement in the foster care system does not limit young people’s opportunity to thrive. First Place provides evidence-based, results-driven direct services to more than 1,500 foster youth each year in six California counties and through its My First Place™ Network with partner providers in Boston, New York City, Cincinnati, and Mississippi. 

    DOWNLOAD REPORT: https://www.firstplaceforyouth.org/our-work/publications/raising-the-bar/

    READ First Place for Youth BLOG: https://www.firstplaceforyouth.org/whats-new/blog/

    CONTACT:
    Vicki Whitlock
    First Place for Youth
    VWhitlock@firstplaceforyouth.org
    510.272.0979 ext. 262

    Source: First Place for Youth

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  • The Kids Kindness Project and Genesis Hopeful Haven Aim to Close Foster Youth Unemployment Gap With The Internship Project

    The Kids Kindness Project and Genesis Hopeful Haven Aim to Close Foster Youth Unemployment Gap With The Internship Project

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    While Unemployment Is At A Record Low, Foster Youth Is Still Left Homeless And Unemployed.

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Mar 5, 2019


    MIAMI, March 5, 2019 (Newswire.com)
    –
     Two organizations have come together to tackle the problem of unemployment amongst foster youth – an issue that often leads to homelessness. According to a multi-state study, 50 percent of former foster children are unemployed. Even those who do have jobs can run into trouble supporting themselves, as more than 71 percent report an annual income of less than $25,000. This population is highly vulnerable.

    The Kids Kindness Project and Genesis Hopeful Haven have aimed to close the gap by creating The Internship Project. “We are preparing our foster kids, so they don’t become just another statistic,” says Fritzie Saintoiry, CEO of Genesis.

    The longer someone has been in foster care, the smaller his or her chance of achieving adoption or permanent guardianship. Youth who “age-out” of the system have turned 18 and now face very low odds of achieving Independence and living productive lives. With no family support and a lack of essential skills, how will these youth be self-sufficient?

    Joshua J, 18, says his biggest fear of aging out of the system is being homeless. In 10th grade, now left to survive on his own, he states, “If you don’t have a place to go, you’re not getting a job. If you don’t have a job, then you’re not going to have anywhere to go.” However, Joshua’s outlook on life changed when he participated in The Internship Project last summer.

    The Internship Project prepares foster youth for the professional world by providing a chance to acquire valuable professional experience. After participating in the program, Joshua and many others discovered areas of interest for their careers, uncovered hidden talents and gained confidence to pursue job opportunities in the future.

    Too many child welfare systems don’t offer the basic programs that make the difference between a successful career and a life spent struggling to get by. For every success story, there are still countless former foster youth who don’t know if they’ll ever be able to support themselves.

    To reach more youth in need, The Internship Project staring a brand-new concept. The first “NEVER GIVE UP” conference; a motivational speaking seminar which will be held this Spring in Miami Dade welcoming 150 foster youth. “Our goal is to give foster youth the strength and motivation they need to succeed their transition into adulthood,” says Alexandra Hokfelt co-founder of the project.   

    Youth who attend the event will benefit from incredible motivational speakers and have the chance to sign up for The Internship Project to be paired up with employers in our communities.

    This project gives companies the opportunity to be part of a network of businesses that care and change lives by welcoming participants for a one-day internship. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I will learn.” 

    Contact: Alexandra Hokfelt – alexandra@thekidskindnessproject.org or Fritzie Saintoiry – fristzie@ghhaven.org

    Source: The Internship Project

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