foster youth s. children and youth who have been removed from their birth parents or other...
Post on 21-Dec-2015
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Raising Awareness @ CSU
Foster Youth
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Who are current & former foster youth?
Children and youth who have been removed from their birth parents or other custodial adults by state authority because of abuse or neglect.
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Who are current & former foster youth?
500, 000+/- on any given day are in state foster
care
59% are children of color
39% in care less than one year
28% in care for three years or more
46% live with foster licensed parents
20,000+ age out (emancipate) from foster
care annually. R
Education status of foster youth
High School Graduation =< 46%
Receive special education services =30%
7 or more school changes =65%
College enrollment rate=10% (70% want to attend)
4 year degree completion rate=2%R
Common Educational Barriers K-12 Experience
Academic/learning gaps▪ Multiple schools
Few engaged in college prep courses
Lack of educational and career advocacy
Low high school graduation rates
Emotional/mental health issues
Records transfer and confidentiality issues
Long term effects of abuse and neglect – trust issues.
Individual Educational Program (IEP)
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Common Educational Barriers Academic Support &
Challenges
Long term impacts of abuse & neglect
Lack of Support▪ On their own at a young age
▪ Survival mode dominates▪ Lack knowledge of college
Inadequate college aspirations and preparations▪ Career▪ Educational
Lack of role models, college advocates, mentors/coaches
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“I just needed to hear somebody tell me I could do it. I had never heard that before.”
Challenges as a college student
Finances Responsible for all personal costs▪ Food▪ Shelter▪ Health costs▪ Medical Care▪ Insurance▪ Cell phone
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Challenges as a college student Housing
40%-50% of emancipated foster youth are homeless within 18months of emancipation.
Few college programs are aware of their support needs▪ Seattle University▪ California Community Colleges▪ San Jose State University▪ Texas Community Colleges
“I think that for me feeling secure about where I’m going to live is always in the back of my head… I don’t know if I’ll have a roof over my head. And that is very scary to think about.”
“ I was afraid I wouldn’t have a place to stay and I wouldn’t be able to do as good in college as I did in high school.”
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Supporting foster youth @ CSU Encourage students:
serve as a mentor Set aside extra time to help students:
select a major, select classes, & develop an educational plan
Have a strong referral network for: housing, mental health, food, health care,
employment & other barriers students will encounter
Refer students to CSU’s Academic Advancement Center
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Academic Advancement Center
TRiO Student Support Services program serving students from the following backgrounds: low-income first-generation college students students with disabilities foster youth
Program purpose help students be successful in college retain students in college until they earn their
baccalaureate degreesA
Academic Advancement Center
Services Academic guidance Tutoring Mentoring Study and life skills workshops Intensive help for students on academic
probation Graduate school information Academic major and career planning Social and cultural events
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Academic Advancement Center
Academic Advancement CenterTRiO Student Support Services117 Gibbons Building(East side of the Oval)Fort Collins, CO 80523970-491-6129www.aac.colostate.edu
Financial & Social Resources
Educational Training Voucher Provides funding for▪ Books▪ Food▪ Housing▪ Childcare
www.statevoucher.org
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Financial & Social Resources
Foster Club Internships Networking and support www.fosterclub.com
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Financial & Social Resources
Foster Care Alumni of America Colorado chapter Community focus Advocates for political change www.fostercarealumni.org
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Financial & Social Resources Orphan Foundation of
America Scholarships Mentoring Internships www.orphan.org
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Resources for Faculty & Staff
Ball State University Overview of Post-Secondary Support
Programs for Former Foster Care Youth http://www.bsu.edu/csh/ssrc/media/pdf/g
s_supportguide.pdf Chapin Hall
An independent policy research center Dedicated to children & families http://www.chapinhall.org
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Resources for Faculty & Staff Casey Family Program:
Supporting Success: Improving higher education outcomes for students from foster care A framework for program enhancement ▪ overview of foster youth in higher education▪ program development tools ▪ core elements for support programs ▪ program models & examples▪ resources
Request this free Casey publication @ www.casey.org
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Thank You
An overview of post-secondary support programs for former foster youth (2007). Ball State University, Muncie, IN
A road map for learning: Improving educational Outcomes in foster Care (2007). Casey Family Programs, Seattle, WA
Community Colleges Step up to Support Foster Care Students (2008). Community College Journal
Helping Former Foster Youth Graduate from College, Campus Support Programs in California and Washington State (2009) Chapin Hall, University of Chicago, IL
Helping Foster Children Feel at Home in College, (2005), Chronicle of Higher Education
Supporting Success: Improving Higher Education outcomes for Students from Foster Care-A Framework for Program Enhancement (2008). Casey Family Programs, Seattle, WA
Help today in our community!
Contact Information
Andrea FortneyCareer/Retention Specialist Academic Advancement Center 970- [email protected]
Brittany JanesGraduate Student in Student
Affairs in Higher EducationColorado State [email protected]
Ruben GuerreroFoster Care Recruitment
CoordinatorLarimer [email protected]
Siri NewmanCollegiate Success [email protected]