Needs
The Transitional Aged Youth division closes a critical gap for youth who are aging out of foster care by helping them with housing, employment, mental health care, and anything else they need to move from foster care to independence.
There is a tremendous need to provide foster youth with support as they transition out of the dependency system, considering the alarming correlation between homelessness and foster care*:
• Approximately 400,000 youth are currently in foster care in the United States. Approximately 20,000 of those youth age-out each year without positive familial supports or any family connection at all.
• Within 18 months of emancipation 40-50% of foster youth become homeless.
• Nationally, 50% of the homeless population spent time in foster care.
• A history of foster care correlates with becoming homeless at an earlier age and remaining homeless for a longer period of time.
• 65% of youth leaving foster care need immediate housing upon discharge.
• The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty estimates that 5,000 unaccompanied youth die each year as a result of assault, illness, or suicide.
*Foster Focus, August 2015 “Foster Care and Homelessness”
Equally discouraging are education and employment prospects for foster youth and former foster youth. According to John Burton Advocates for Youth (www.jbay.org):
• Only 53% of students in foster care graduate from high school, compared to the statewide average of 83% of students graduating from high school.
• Although 93% of foster youth report wanting to go to college, only 4% obtain a bachelor’s degree by age 26
• At age 21, almost half of foster youth are unemployed and of those who are employed, 70% live below the federal poverty level.
Life Coaches for Aspiranet’s TAY programs work one-on-one with each program participant to explore opportunities for education and employment, meaningful adult/peer relationships, physical and mental health services, parenting needs, cultural/spiritual fulfillment, affordable housing, mentoring, and advocacy. Housing Specialists support our youth in securing safe, stable, and affordable housing, assisting with timely rent and utility payments, apartment care, and building and maintaining landlord relationships. Some TAY programs additionally offer Educational and/or Employment Specialists who encourage and guide participants with their educational goals, employment ambitions and opportunities, and provide linkages to community resources. Since 2007, Aspiranet has offered programs dedicated specifically to assisting youth emancipating from foster care in making the transition to independent adult living.
We believe that all young people deserve a strong foundation from which to launch their futures.