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Footsteps To The Future
Fosters Hope For
Lee County Families
News-press 08/08
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Footsteps to
the Future—Transitional Living Program
Introduction:
Footsteps to the Future (FTTF) originated in 2001 to provide
one-on-one support and critical life tools for teenage girls in
foster care in Lee and Collier counties. As the girls approached
the age of 18, when youths in foster care “age out” and are
emancipated from the care of the State of Florida, it was clear
that many were still poorly educated and insufficiently prepared
for the responsibilities of adult life and without a “family of
origin” who would provide continued support.
The average foster child will find herself:
• living in four foster homes between the ages of 13 and 18
• without a high school diploma or GED by the age of 18
• lacking basic literacy and life skills necessary for
independent living
• devoid of any longstanding, trustworthy relationships with
caring, protective adults.
During Phase One, Footsteps to the Future provided customized
training to 32 mentors who have touched the lives of over 68
teenage girls in foster care.
Some early successes of Phase One:
Since the inception of our program seven years ago, 45% of our
teenage participants have graduated high school, 25% have
attended or are attending college, and 3% are now college
graduates, one of whom will begin graduate school in the fall of
2008. Three of the graduates are now gainfully employed and
living well independently; three have recently returned to the
Footsteps program to serve as “peer mentors.”
Phase Two: The Transitional Living Program (TLP):
At age 18, the moment of “aging out” of foster care, the young
women lack resources in housing, transportation, employment and
education to succeed at independent living. The following
statistics reflect many foster youth currently “aging out” of
the system:
• One in four is incarcerated within two years
• Approximately 60% will not graduate from high school by age 19
• One in five will be homeless at some point.
The strong foundation established in Phase One enabled the Phase
Two of the Footsteps to the Future program: the development of a
Transitional Living Program (TLP). It is designed improve the
statistics above by:
• providing continued assistance and mentoring for young women
between ages 18 to 25
• locating and providing safe, affordable housing so they can:
o continue their education (high school, GED, college, or
vocational)
o maintain the relationship with their mentor toward
strengthening the skills and behaviors necessary for successful
employment, responsible citizenry, and a fulfilling personal
life.
The Transitional Living Program (TLP) will bridge the gap
between “aging out” and the start of successful, independent
lives.
TLP will provide participants with:
• safe shelter
• assistance with transportation
• connection to employment opportunities and further education
• on-going mentoring relationships
• connection to community resources
The urgent basic need is to find and finance safe housing. In a
safe environment, TLP can prepare participants to stand on their
own feet after having learned and practiced the skills and
behaviors necessary for successful, independent living.
Our vision:
By year-end 2010:
Phase One of Footsteps to the Future in Lee and Collier Counties
will:
• add 20 additional girls, ages 13 and older (from currently 68
to 88)
• recruit and train 20 additional mentors (from currently 32 to
52)
• develop and implement a specialized Phase One curriculum,
which will allow us to monitor and measure the positive outcomes
of structured, one-on-one, goal-oriented mentoring.
Phase Two of the program will:
• consist of three homes, which together will house eight young
women between the ages of 18 and 25.
By year-end 2012:
• high school graduation/GED attainment among Program
participants will increase to 65%
• college graduation will increase by 30%
• employment-readiness for Phase One participants will reach 60%
• employment (full- or part-time) for Phase Two participants
will reach and be maintained at 100%.
Intended Outcomes:
We expect that TLP will produce the following direct results for
Lee and Collier County:
• reduce homelessness, incarceration, and unwanted pregnancies
among former foster care girls
• decrease tax dollars spent on programs for drug and alcohol
abuse for former foster home youth.
We plan to demonstrate how sustained mentoring and a structured
transitional living program can enable aged-out foster girls to
complete their education, find and retain employment, and
develop the life skills necessary to become productive citizens.
Ultimately, we intend to help break the current three-generation
cycle of youth in foster care here in Lee and Collier Counties.
For immediate information regarding Footsteps to the Future, Inc
Contact: Judi Woods (239) 275-5834 or
email us.
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