Foster Care Transitions
Each year, thousands of older youth living in foster families and group homes make the difficult transition to independent adulthood. With few supports available, youth emancipating from foster care are more likely to experience homelessness, unemployment, reduced education levels, poor health, reliance on public benefits, and involvement in criminal activity. While most cities do not play a role in administering the foster care system, city leaders can work with other local agencies to connect youth in transition to vital education, employment, housing and health services.
Center for Juvenile Justice Reform Offers Certificate Programs for Public and Private Sector Leaders
The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University‘s Public Policy Institute has announced its 2012 Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare: Multi-System Integration Certificate Programs. The Certificate Programs are week-long periods of intensive study designed for organization and system leaders working with youth known to the juvenile justice and child welfare systems-commonly referred to as "crossover youth."
City Officials Discuss Local Structures for Reengaging Disconnected Youth
Cross-system teams from six cities convened in Hartford, Conn., in April 2011 to deepen city strategies to reengage disconnected youth - 16-24 year-olds who are out of school and out of work, including many who are "aging out" of public care systems. The YEF Institute organized the meeting as part of its Municipal Leadership for Disconnected Youth initiative, which is made possible by the support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Municipal Action Guide Highlights City Strategies to Support Foster Youth Transitions
With support from the the Walter S. Johnson Foundation and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the YEF Institute published a Municipal Action Guide on "Supporting Foster Youth Transitions to Adulthood." The guide highlights strategies for helping young people successfully transition from the foster care system and improving access to housing, education, employment, health, and other services.
Creating Pathways to Employment for Disconnected Youth: Lessons from Four Cities
In May 2009, with support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the U.S. Department of Labor, the YEF Institute launched an initiative to help 12 cities put disconnected youth to work through creative and effective use of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. Four cities - Dubuque, Iowa; Rochester, N.Y.; Manchester, Conn.; and Tucson, Ariz., - received further assistance in implementing their youth employment plans.
