When young people age out of the foster care system, they are faced with tremendous challenges. These challenges often include the most basic living expenses. Without these basics, the road to full independence is rocky and many of these young people experience setbacks which can have long-term repercussions.
Life and Job Skills
In most people’s teens, they learn fundamental life skills. These include how to fill out applications, how to interview, how to manage money and how to set up their own space. Most teens continue to receive a stable source of financial and emotional support from their families even after they leave home. Organizational, time management, planning and coping skills are all hindered by a lack of stability early in life, and these are the skills young people aging out of foster care need the most.
Basic Supplies
House-warming gifts depend on having a robust enough network of people who support you. Often, foster families do not maintain relationships with children who have aged out of the system. Having to start completely from scratch is a costly disadvantage.
Income
Developing income can be challenging, as teens in foster homes or group homes tend not to have summer jobs the way many high school students do. As much as these young people want to find work, often they have little idea how, as adult decisions are suddenly thrust upon them. These young people may have no savings, no accounts in which to save, and they suddenly have the same bills everyone else has.
Fortunately, there is help. Our Keys to Success program reaches youth as they enter adulthood, while our post-secondary scholarships bridge the education gap. Donate today or learn how you can get involved with AFFCF,