Santa Clara County - California Connected by 25 "Here's How It Works"
"They can because they think they can."
.... Virgil
"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own."
.... Ben Sweetland
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Every year between 150 and 200 youth emancipate from foster care in Santa Clara County. For too many youth, this means having to find a job, as well as pay for education and housing, with little or no assisstance from family.
Santa Clara County Connected by 25 (CC25) is a collaboration with youth, caregivers, community partners and the Santa Clara County Department of Family and Children's Services that builds a continuum of services to support foster youth, ages 14-24 as they transition to adulthood.
Santa Clara County will focus on the creation of supportive partnerships in the community in two primary areas that have the greatest impact on a successful transition into adulthood: Housing and Employment.
To Get Connected Contact:
Jim Anderson, CC25 Coordinator,
Phone: (408) 975-5129
Fax: (408) 975-5858
James.anderson@ssa.sccgov.org
http://CC25.sccgov.org
Department of Family & Children Services
373 W. Julian Street
San Jose,CA 95110-2335
| Employment |
| CC25 will develop educational, training and employment programs to increase the income and self sufficiency of emancipating youth. In coordination with the area’s Workforce Investment Networks, community college districts, and employer programs will prepare youth to secure jobs and will encourage education and skill-development beyond high school learning. |
| Housing |
| CC25 is developing a continuum of housing options for young adults to live independently in the community while working on educational, employment, and other life goals. Santa Clara County is working with housing developers, foster families, and other community partners to develop safe and affordable housing for emancipating youth. Shared, transitional, host-family, and other rental housing models will be developed to meet these needs. |
| Additional Supportive Strategies |
| Santa Clara County will focus on additional strategies that will supplement and further support foster youth and their transition into adulthood. Building Financial Literacy
Teach youth to build assets, how to save money, and spend wisely. Individual development accounts and Debit Account Programs will help manage and create the best money savings plan for them. Banks and other financial savings institutions are key partners. Strengthening Education
Improve reading literacy and math skills for foster youth ages 14 to 18 years. Improving Independent Living Program (ILP)
Improve services to prepare youth to be productive adults. Enhancing Personal/Social Asset Development
Develop a model of best practices to connect emancipating youth with life-long adults. Creating Data Management and
Create a data management and information system that collects comprehensive data for emancipating and emancipated foster youth. Use the data to improve youth outcomes
and integrate data collection into program planning and evaluation. |
| Funding Resources |
| To support this program, Santa Clara County is one of five participating California Counties receiving funding and support for a 3-year period as follows: • Annie E. Casey Foundation Family to Family Initiative www.aecf.org • Walter S. Johnson Foundation www.wsjf.org • Stuart Foundation www.stuartfoundation.org • William and Flora Hewlett Foundation www.hewlett.org • Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation www.schabfoundation.org
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| This partnership, commitment and co-investment in CC25 is strengthening youth transitions policy and practice and developing tools for data collection, outcome measurements and self-evaluation.
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| 4 Ways You Can Become Connected Act as a caring, committed
adult to a foster youth. Provide housing for a
former foster youth. Offer employment to a
former foster youth. Provide a scholarship or
loan for a foster youth. |
YOU
ARE HERE › Santa Clara County California Connected by 25 (PRG)
