Enhancing Educational Attainment Among Foster Youth through Collaboration

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

San Bernardino County Children and Family Services (CFS) began a collaboration in 2018 for educational services with Give Something Back (GSB), a non-profit corporation, First Star California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) Academy and University Enterprises Corporation, also at CSUSB. This collaboration was established to provide educational mentorship to current and former foster youth, ages 12 to 19 (grades 8 through 12) who are currently under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Dependency Court. The purpose of the program is to:• Help foster youth reach educational goals and navigate the complexities of college preparation.• Ensure foster youth have the academic, life skills and adult support needed to successfully transition to higher education.• Provide training and long-term support for foster youth throughout high school. • Provide coaching, college readiness programs and scholarships to fully Pell-Grant eligible foster youth who have faced adversity, but are academically-driven.• Provide student coaches for advice, support and guidance.• Provide social and educational opportunities to participate in field trips including, but not limited to, a summer academy, college campus visits, sporting events and museums.This program has provided foster youth the ability to improve academically, receive scholarships and achieve their academic goals and obtain higher education.