Our Transition Program serves former foster youth in Wake County ages 18-24 (27, if they are parenting). Children (ages 0-8) of our participants also receive services. Our Transition Specialists are the backbone of this program. They build safe, stable relationships with our clients and help the youth develop a plan to overcome barriers as they journey toward adulthood.
We operate on a Housing First model and follow trauma-informed care principles to help former foster youth and their young children achieve stability. We help clients access affordable housing options, find available units, negotiate with landlords, serve as a liaison with Wake County, schedule mandatory County inspections, attend inspections, coordinate lease signings and, sometimes, serve as the muscle to help move a client into their new unit. We also work with our clients to set and achieve goals in education and employment to lay the foundation for long-term stability.
Some of our clients are parents of young children. We provide resources on positive discipline and the 5 protective factors that are known to prevent child abuse. We also help parents meet their children’s basic needs, providing food and financial assistance. Our Parenting Specialist also connects families with high quality child care, safe sleeping arrangements, and baby supplies.
“When you are going through aging out you think that no one cares. You think that your life is so hard, so wrong, and that you should be able to have freedom, that you should be able to do what you want. Then your life would be right. Its not true. No, not at all. I wish I could have stayed in foster care. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about rent and saving money, and my money would be my money. Having a minimum wage job-I can’t pay rent on just one job. I have to go find another job. And I have no social life because all you do is work, work, work, then come back home, then work, work, work. No. I’m tired.”
Nationally, 50% of young people with a history in foster care are unemployed at the age of 24.
Our Career Development Program is designed to provide young people with a history in foster care the opportunity to gain the exposure, skills and knowledge necessary to successfully participate in the workforce as adults.
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