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Comprehensive Preparation
and Ongoing Support for
Foster Care Youth:
Building and Sustaining Support Structures Necessary for Post-Secondary
Education and Employment Success
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Table of Contents
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Topic Area Page
Executive Summary 3
Introduction: The Problem 4
Success Story 6
Framework: Comprehensive and Ongoing Support 7
Program Structure 10
Outcomes 13
Importance of Continued Funding 16
Provider Contact Information 18
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Executive Summary
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Providing Quality Education with a Specific Emphasis on Inner-city Children, Youth, and Adults
For years now, the poor health of the American economy has inflicted difficulties on the
unemployed populations and yet some would try to mask the situation and say that the pain and
suffering is affecting many in society. Ironically, the same may be true of the population of youth
who are transitioning from the foster care system into society at large. These youths, who have
had the deck stacked against them throughout their lives and are in a constant battle for mere
survival, are most frequently unable to climb the ladder to success without intervention through
comprehensive social service programs.
Alternative School Networks - New Futures Program
Alternative Schools Network (ASN) in Chicago is the largest and oldest formal association of
non-public, community-based alternative schools in the country. Thirteen of the ASN schools
participate in the Project New Futures (PNF) program that seeks to serve youth from the foster
care system between the ages of 16–21, who are out of school and have not obtained a high
school diploma or a GED. ASN provides a wide range of comprehensive, educational, social,
employment and work-related training services to youth and adults in the Chicago area with the
purpose to build and sustain support structures necessary for foster care youth’s post-secondary
education and employment success.
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Introduction: The Problem
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Project New Futures (PNF) began in 2004 as a five-state U.S. Department of Labor
Demonstration Program to enable youth from foster care backgrounds to successfully transition
to adulthood by strengthening their job skills, academic achievement, and general life skills. By
providing comprehensive and supportive services, networking opportunities and mentoring,
PNF participants have achieved success in college and job training programs. These gains
contribute to self-sufficiency and the satisfaction of attaining employment. These outcomes
reflect the potential benefits of investment to support PNF and reduce homelessness, criminal
activity, the toll of mental illness, and the concomitant long-term burden of poverty and
dependency on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
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Recent statistics reveal there are over 15,000 youths currently in foster care in Illinois, with over
5,300 living in the city of Chicago. Too often, when they “age out” of foster care and are
expected to become a productive member of society, they are ill-prepared to successfully join the
workforce and manage the challenges they face:
• Mental illness and maladaptive social and workforce behavior skills;
• Homelessness;
• Educational deficits and lack of self-esteem typically generated by strong familial bonds and
life experiences;
• Inadequate employment experience, career exploration, and academic achievement.
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Studies conducted independently by Casey Family Programs and the University of Chicago’s
Chapin Hall show that both youth in foster care and alumni of foster care experience greater
rates of unemployment, poverty and homelessness than the general public. Chapin Hall’s 2005
study Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth: Outcomes at Age 19
found that only 40% of youth in care were employed at age 19, compared with a rate of 58.6%
for 19 year olds in the general population cited in the Add Health study the same year. The same
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5. study found that 22.2% of the alumni were homeless within a year of emancipation from state
care, and that 33.2% were living at or below the poverty level at the time of the survey.
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Casey Family Programs 2006 Northwest Foster Alumni Study researchers reported the
employment rate of alumni eligible for work was 80.1%, much lower than the national average of
95% for eligible youth ages 20-24 in the year 2000. These high rates of unemployment and
underemployment, along with high rates of homelessness, high school dropout and low post-
secondary education are not rare. They are the norm, characteristic of the foster care alumni
population.
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The most effective way to impact the lives of these youth and change such dire figures is to
provide a pathway fraught with effective wrap-around service, guidance and support to help them
develop belief in themselves, trust in the people around them and hope in a better future. To gain
quality academic and work-related skills and the desire and discipline to complete high school,
vocational training or college, these youth need a full-continuum of services. When they are
independent adults and self-sustaining workers in society, they will no longer fall prey to an
impoverished future of welfare support.
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ASN holds a total of seven years experience in offering services specifically tailored for foster
care youth. As part of the Foster Youth Demonstration Project from January 2005 through June
2007, youth were enrolled in the PNF program in the second semester of their junior year or
during their senior year. Part-time transition counselors were housed in the participating
member alternative high schools and assisted youth in preparing for postsecondary education
and employment. A part-time transition counselor worked at each of the schools and provided
youth with intensive postsecondary preparation and planning, including preparation for the
workforce. Youth participated in summer internship programs and were assisted in finding work.
Every youth desiring a summer job as part of their individual goals for achieving success were
provided with one. Transition specialists were stationed at ASN to provide support to the
students once they left high school and went on to postsecondary education or work. The
postsecondary support was a key component of the program and intended to address the issue of
youth “falling between the cracks” once they left high school.
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Success Story
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Success is PNF support when it matters most
Dara
(an
older
youth
in
the
DCFS
system
–
name
changed
to
protect
privacy)
dropped
out
of
high
school
and
re-­‐enrolled
into
an
alternative
School
in
March
2008.
She
was
able
to
graduate
in
June
2008
and
go
on
to
college
in
September
2008.
In
October
2008,
she
was
raped
and
was
not
able
to
tell
anyone
until
November,
when
she
told
her
Alternative
Schools
Network
PNF
transition
specialist.
What
would
have
happened
if
Dara
didn’t
have
PNF
support?
She
would
have
left
college
in
November,
flunked
all
of
her
courses,
owed
thousands
of
dollars
of
tuition
with
no
way
to
pay
it
back
and
would
have
had
no
real
way
to
return
to
college.
In
short,
she
would
have
been
back
in
Chicago,
facing
a
nearly
complete
dead
end.
Without
the
PNF
supportive
program
and
a
caring
staff
person
she
could
trust,
Dara
could
have
been
just
another
statistic:
a
victim
of
sexual
assault
and
a
college
dropout
without
the
financial
resources
to
complete
school.
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PNF
helped
Dara
withdraw
from
her
classes
in
November
without
a
penalty
and
made
sure
she
received
the
counseling
she
needed
to
face
the
rape
and
deal
with
the
betrayal
and
post
trauma
stress
she
experienced.
Reporting
the
rape
was
a
key
factor
in
her
defense;
and
by
leaving
school
in
good
standing,
she
was
able
to
return
to
college
without
financial
burden
or
failed
grades.
Most
importantly,
she
was
able
to
take
time
off
for
treatment
and
healing.
Today
Dara
is
back
in
college
and
she
is
in
daily
contact
with
her
PNF
transition
specialist.
This
is
what
PNF
considers
success.
Helping
youth
live
better
lives;
helping
one
youth
at
a
time.

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Framework: Comprehensive
and Ongoing Support
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Today, the overall goal of the PNF project continues to be to prepare foster care youth to be self
sufficient, viable adults in society, equipping them with the necessary tools needed to become
productive and participating adults in society.
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Specifically, the PNF program is designed to help develop comprehensive, systematic
approaches for older foster care youth, ages 16 to 25, by providing continuous follow-up and
support services for post diploma/GED attainment in order to ensure college and vocational
enrollment and/or employment and sustainability. PNF provides support, resources and
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8. instructional services on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. Particularly, PNF operates on the basis
of a program cycle which includes the following:
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Transition Planning: During this phase, initial contact is established with a foster care youth
and a transition specialist is assigned to develop and manage the youth’s case load. Through
regular mailings, phone calls, in-person visits, and events PNF support staff assess the status and
progress of graduates. Transition specialists track each youth’s status and progress, establishing
plans for those youth who are encountering barriers to success. They also help participants to
build relationships with college staff for another layer of support.
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Resource Building: PNF creates a social support network that includes the school-based
transition staff, a full-time mentor, key school staff, and peer mentors that build and bridge
resources and services for a successful transition to adulthood and self-sufficiency.
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The transition specialist focuses on creating structures that assist youth in the transition to
college such as peer-to-peer mentorship structures, or “college clusters”, securing one-on-one
and group tutoring, while incorporating life skills building activities based on individual needs.
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PNF staff provides networking opportunities by facilitating Weekly/Monthly Clubs, Workshops
and/or Life Skill Meetings such as:
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Workshops and Life Skills Resources:
Newsletter Development
Goal Setting
Banking and Budgeting
Critical Shortage Careers
Effective Parenting and Pregnancy Prevention
Emancipation Preparation
DCFS Programs and Benefits
Healthy Living
Prevention-Domestic Violence, substance abuse, and mental health
Conflict Resolution
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9. Effective Communication
Job Training-Soft skills, Interview Skills, Job Matching/Assessment, Shadowing, and
Customer Service Training
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Clubs and regularly meeting groups
Leadership Development
Peer Alumni Club
Book Club
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Vocational Training: PNF provides post-secondary services to participating youth in order to
boost college and/or employment retention and success. Comprehensive pre- and post-exit
services provide the support and skills necessary to ensure increased opportunities and positive
future outcomes. An EXTRA On-Line Program, which is a comprehensive, self-paced, highly
structured open entry/exit internet learning tool, is utilized by all PNF participants to help
facilitate the PNF process.
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Continuum Support: The sustainability of a placement is achieved by teaching youth how to
balance every day incidentals, family and societal trials and challenges, while maintaining focus
on their specific goals.
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Program Structure
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Criteria: Population, Referral and Enrollment
Youth participating in the PNF program are enrolled in the program for a projected length of
services of 36 months. Services are offered upon graduation as youth begin to accomplish
individual goals and move toward self-sufficiency. Services continue to be extended to youth who
have voluntarily or by age emancipated from foster care, if they have graduated from alternative
high schools. These youth will have special consideration for extended enrollment based on
progress toward Individual Transition Plan Goals.
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Emancipated participants have a six-month review in order to be approved for re-entry into the
program. Re-enrollment will be based on the level of need for assistance in the areas of college,
employment, housing, and physical and/or mental health issues that require immediate and/or
long-term attention.
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The referral process for older foster care youth preparing to graduate is handled by ASN
counseling and mentoring personnel. The PNF Program Coordinator conducts intake,
orientation, and a PNF program overview to youth that are referred, prior to graduation. Upon
enrollment, PNF youth will be assigned to a Transition Specialist Case Manager for post-
graduation services. The PNF Program Coordinator visits each school four times per year to
review student progress with school personnel.
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Full-time direct service staff require a four-year college degree in Education, Social Work,
Juvenile Justice or Psychology or related field; or a non-related degree and two years experience
with at-risk youth, foster care youth, and/or a strong knowledge or background in the child
welfare system from personal experience, volunteer work, internships or mentorship.
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Program Positions:
Program manager
Program Coordinator
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11. Four full-time ASN Transition Specialists
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PNF staff has at least one monthly in-person meeting with each youth on their case load. The
ASN Transition Specialist does not retain more than 30 participants on any one caseload.
Constant communication with youth is established by phone and email contact. Case
management services include campus visits, financial aid assistance, counseling, life-skills and
employment trainings and referrals.
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Staff and youth will create an Individual Transition Plan (ITP) and work toward the goals set in
the following seven areas:
1. Employment
2. Education
3. Housing
4. Transportation
5. Personal well-being
6. Permanency
7. Parenting
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Assessing and Tracking Student Success
PNF Youth participant progress is tracked through a variety of measures. Using both qualitative
and quantitative data, PNF staff is able to determine which students are encountering barriers to
success and develop a plan of action to ameliorate or eliminate these barriers. For example,
students who are receiving a “C” or below in their college classes are provided with tutoring
options in order to improve grades.
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In order to assess programmatic outcomes, PNF participant progress and success is tracked by
the following indicators:
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Students grades (quarterly or by semester)
Rate of Completion
Vocational Trade/Training Programs
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12. College Degree
Employment
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Rate of Retention
Job Retention(tracked quarterly)
Rate of college credit accrual
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Additionally, students’ progress towards successful transition to post-secondary education is
assessed through college participation indicators, such as involvement in campus activities and
by staff observation. PNF is currently engaged in an effort to improve data collection and
program evaluation efforts via an improved program database.
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Outcomes
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Highest Ranked and Rated Program in Chicago
The Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies, Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) and
the Casey Foundation (The Casey Family Programs) have evaluated the performance of the
Alternative School Network (ASN) awarded administration of PNF services in Chicago.
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A review of these studies indicates that PNF was found to be consistently be the highest ranked
and rated program among the five states of Illinois, Texas, Michigan, California, and New York
for provision of college preparatory services, and positive outcomes associated with employment
and attainment of GEDs or high school diplomas.
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Table 5 shows the percentage of youth who achieved each of three specific outcomes: attained a
GED or diploma, entered postsecondary school, or achieved an employment outcome. The
fourth row shows the percentage of youth who achieved any one of these three outcomes:
Table 5: Outcomes Achieved - State Comparison (PNF Program)
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Outcomes Chicago Detroit
Houston
Los
Angeles
New
York
City
GED
or
Diploma
43.6% 4.6% 27.9% 15% 8.7%
Post
Secondary
33.5% 10.5% 19.3% 9.2% 0.8%
Employment 56.4% 38.8% 31.8% 24.2% 20.5%
Any
Positive
Outcome
66.1% 45.4% 46.4% 32.4% 23.6%
Number
of
Youth
214 152 358 207 127
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14. Program Success
The ASN New Futures Program Older Foster Youth Demonstration Project exceeded all goals.
Most foster youth who have participated in the program are completing their high school
education and go to college and/or find a job.
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This program helped keep students off the streets and on track:
• 44% have been placed in jobs, working for the first time in unsubsidized employment;
• 39% have gone to college;
• 65% earned a high school diploma.
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PNF has developed good relationships with local community colleges, which are particularly
productive partnerships as community colleges are generally able to provide youth with the extra
supports they may need to successfully continue their education.
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Post-Secondary Success
Since January 1, 2005 –
• Over 204 youth have attended a community college
• Youth have received college scholarships ranging from $250-$40,000
• Youth have received Associates and Bachelor’s Degrees in Business Management and
Psychology
• Youth continue to earn 6+ college credit hours per semester
• Over 110 youth have attended college
• Over 240 youth have held at least one job
• Youth have retained gainful part-time and full-time employment, some inclusive of
benefits: in areas of retail, security, food industry, customer service, healthcare; also in
Chicago based organizations and privately-owned business; profit and not-for-profit
agencies. Some of the nation-wide chain stores where youth are employed include
Walmart, Jewel-Osco, Walgreens, Macy’s, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds, and Burger
King.
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15. • Over 30 youth have received professional certifications, most of which are in the
healthcare industry: Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Billing and Coding, Medical
Assistant, Phlebotomy, and Pharmacy Technician.
• Over 60 youth have completed internships, some of which were with former Senator,
now President Barack Obama; Chicago Alderman and Commissioner Offices; a
prominent African-American law firm; Chicago Transit Authority; several community
based organizations, as well as community centers and healthcare facilities in Chicago
and in the metropolitan Chicago suburban areas.
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Importance Of Continued
Funding
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Job Placement
The needs and challenges of youth in the foster care population make getting and retaining a job
particularly challenging. The larger issues for youth in foster care centers focus on finding and
maintaining long term employment. First, many of the youth are unprepared for work, even for
part-time employment. Second, many, if not most, of the placements are short-lived. We
acknowledge that young people typically move from job to job before settling in a career track;
so, the fact that the youth tend not to keep their first jobs is not, therefore, the main concern.
Rather, it is how unprepared the youth are for work, in spite of the work-readiness program
offerings. The job preparation facet of the PNF program needs to employ more staff (job
specialists and job developers) to expand the job services component of the program and offer
more intensive and long-term assistance in job skills and preparation.
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One way, PNF has tried to address this issue is to add a career exploration and preparation
curriculum, and hire a job specialist who follows up with the employers and the youth on a
regular basis to try to resolve issues while the youth is still employed. Internships and summer
employment are now a part of the program offerings across the PNF school sites, and they serve
as a way to introduce youth to work. However, more work must be done so that the first job is a
positive experience for both young worker and the employer; and so that jobs lead to long term
employment and ultimately, careers.
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Homelessness and Mental Health
Other barriers to higher education and employment are continued homelessness, mental health
and substance abuse issues. Affordable housing for these youth once they have emancipated out
of the state system is lacking, as are funds for mental health and substance abuse treatment.
While ASN has been successful in raising funds in general and in raising visibility around the
issues of high school dropouts, its next phase is to develop closer relationships with child welfare
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17. agency providers and the agency that administers the State Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
youth programs for the city.
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Big Payoff for Youth
A high school dropout who graduates from high school and goes to college will make over
$700,000 more in their lifetime than a high school dropout.
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Big Payoff for Taxpayers
The Center for Labor Market Studies in Boston research shows that households headed by adults
with high school diplomas contribute major fiscal benefits to the country over the years - that
“the combined net fiscal” benefits – including the payment of income taxes – adds up to more
than $292,000 per youth who re-enrolls and finishes high school – significantly more than those
who do not earn a high school diploma.
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Provider Contact Information
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By providing extensive supportive services before PNF student participants graduate and
continuing those services after graduation, school-based transition counselors and ASN
transition specialists work together to create a seamless program of support. The purpose is not
to handle life challenges for these older foster care youth but to offer them a hand in building and
sustaining the kind of support structures that many of us take for granted. With this period of
mentorship, older foster care youth can gain the solid foundation necessary for post-secondary
success.
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Provider Agency: Alternative Schools Network
PNF Program
1807 W. Sunnyside Suite 1D
Chicago, IL 60640
Corporate Office: Legal Entity Status: Not-for-Profit
Executive Director: Jack Wuest
Telephone: 773-728-4030
Program Contact: Program Coordinator: Tamara Harrington
Telephone: 773-728-4030
Fax: 773-561:3781
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Transition does not end at high school graduation....