City Of Life Foundation Inc

PROVIDE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR FORMER FOSTER YOUTH.

COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM WAS CONVEVED BY CITY OF LIFE TO BRING TOGETHER ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS WHO WORK AND IMPACT THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDE EDUCATORS, JUDGES, COURT ADMINISTRATORS,GUARDIANS, CHURCHS, FOUNDERS, MENTORS, GOV'T OFFICALS AND OTHERS WHO IMPACT THE LIVES OF THESES AT-RISK YOUTH. THIS GROUP MEETS REGULARLY EVERY SIX WEEKS, TO INDENTIFY AND MITIGATE CHALLENGES AND OBSTICALES THAT FOSTER YOUTH FACE WHEN THEY EXIT THE SYSTWM, AND TO GET THEM PREPARED TO SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION TO A MEASNINGFUL INDEPENDENT ADULTHOOD IN OUR COMMUNITY.

"EACH ONE HELP ONE" JOBS PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2013 AND HAS EXPANDED SIGFNIFICANTLY. CITY OF LIFE PARTNERS WITH GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF CENTRAL FLORIDA TO BE ABLE TO SERVE MORE YOUTH THAT ARE PREPARING TO LEAVE THE SYSTEM OF CARE. THIS PARTNERSHIP WILL IMPACT OVER 75 YOUNG FOSTER YOUTH WHO WILL REACH THEIR 18TH BIRTHDAY AND HAVE OPTED TO REMAIN IN FOSTER CARE UNTIL AGE 21 OR LEAVE THR SYSTEM AND FEND FOR THEMSELVES. CITY OF LIFE AND GOODWILL WILL BE TASKED WITH HELPING THESE YOUTH MAKE INTELLIGENT DECISIONS ABOUT SUPPORTING THEMSELVES WITH JOBS AS THEY GET OLDER AND HELP FOSTER YOUTH BECOME SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY CITIZENS. EACH ONE HELP ONE WAS SELECTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES TO PRODUCE AND OPERATE A STATEWIDE WEBINAR ON THE SUBJECT OF HELPING FOSTER YOUTH CONNECT TO JOBS AND CAREERS.

WELLNESS AND VITALITY IS A PROGRAM CREATED BY CITY OF LIFE AS A RESULT OF A YEAR LONG SERIES OF COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM MEETINGS WITH COMPANIES, ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. THESE MEETINGS INDICATED THAT FOSTER YOUTH, CAREGIVERS AND SUPPORT GROUPS OF ALL KIND WOULD BENEFIT FROM ADDITIONAL RESOURCES RELATED TO IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH AND SELF-ADVOCACY SERVICES. CITY OF LIFE TOOK THESE RESULTS, SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS IDENTIFYING SUBJECT MATTER OF INTEREST, CONTACTING POTENTIAL PARTNERS, GENERATING APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATIONS CHANNELS AND CREATING A PLAN TO ACHIEVE THE COMMUNITY'S OBJECTIVES. THE BASIC INGREDIENTS OF THE PLAN INCLUDE PROVIDING A STEADY STREAM OF USEFUL INFORMATION TO ALL STAKEHOLDERS VIA A BROAD SPECTRUM OF CHANNELS LIKE NEWSLETTERS, EMAILS, SOCIAL MEDIA OF ALL TYPES, AND IN THE LONG TERM, POTENTIALLY CREATING AN APP THAT WILL SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR CONNECTING THE YOUTH IN THE FOSTER SYSTEM WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH CARING FOR THEM. THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THE YOUTH PREPARED TO BE SELF-SUPPORTING WHEN THEY LEAVE THE SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM AND PREPARED TO BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES NOT ONLY WHEN THEY ARE IN THE SYSTEM, BUT AFTER THEY LEAVE IT.