www.gazeti.org7 Hampton Roads Gazeti October 2015

New Vision Youth Services

Remember when you were 17 years old and full of rebellious teenage energy? Now imagine that when you woke up on your 18th birthday, you were all alone. Imagine having to navigate the "real world" all by yourself at that tender age. Sure, at 18 you might have felt like an adult, but as you got older and gained perspective, you realized you still had a lot to learn and needed a lot of support and guidance. What if you had no one--no family, no support system at all? That is the predicament 18-year-olds face each year when they "age out" of the U.S. foster care system. Chelsea-Badeau, Comcast.net News

Moving out on their own is chal-lenging for most any young adult. For Virginia's more than

500 18-year-olds aging out of foster care each year, the challenges are greatly mag-nified. Foster children are wards of the state until age 18, at which point they are eman-cipated. These young adults who, through no fault of their own, lack a family support system, are largely left on their own to flounder and succeed or fail at being pro-ductive adults. Many foster children are placed in lov-ing homes and do fine in young adulthood. But the majority are faced with inadequate schooling, due to being placed in multiple homes and transferring schools. Low self-esteem and lack of family ties also take a toll of these young adults, leav-ing them generally unprepared for life and at risk of homelessness, unemployment, dropping out of school, and involvement in the criminal justice system. And according to USA Today, research shows that most victims of sex trafficking come straight from the foster care system. New Vision Youth Services seeks to bridge the gap by helping disadvantaged youth and young adults who're aging out of the foster care system. Founded in 2009 by Clara Wilson, ex-ecutive director, New Vision focuses on providing them the knowledge, resources and tools needed to prepare for indepen-dent living. Working with a network of other organizations, they have served hun-dreds of foster youth, helping them navi-gate the tricky route to stability. Services include life skills training, edu-cational and school-related services, job

readiness, information and referrals, and health/nutrition information. The organization also serves an advo-cacy role and keeps the youth informed about new legislation they need to know about. Mrs. Wilson points out that recent changes to the housing stipend for those leaving the system have created new chal-lenges. Previously, some former foster youths were allowed to continue living with foster parents until age 21, with sti-pends going to the foster parents. Now the $644 monthly stipend is paid directly to the youths, who are left to find housing on their own. In order to be eli-gible, they must both attend school and work. With no family support, most are ill-equipped to make major decisions such as finding an affordable place to live, ar-ranging transportation, or navigating the education system. Not everyone leaving the system is ready to work. If they lack the skills to get a job, they're not ready to live on their own. But some are forced into it. “The Extended Family Connection” is a New Vision program for aged-out foster youth who are enrolled in college. It seeks to connect them with mentors who serve as life coaches. "The goal is to have a caring adult who, like an extended family member, will pro-vide a listening ear and be there for them,"

Mrs. Wilson noted. Mentors aren't expect-ed to be chaperones or take mentees on so-cial outings. Instead, they will help with life skills and problem solving — such as mak-ing a grocery budget or role playing before a job interview or helping to choose a cell phone plan. Help with finding furniture or household supplies are other examples of assistance that may be needed. Each mentor is partnered with a student in a one-year relationship, helping to iden-tify resources and learn skills that will help them become self-sufficient by age 21. "Just having someone to cheer them up or to walk them through changing a tire," is such a big help," Mrs. Wilson stated. "Be-ing away at college during holidays, when the dorm closes, and not having a home to return to at a time when family is valued the most, is another rough time for former foster youth." Michael Strother Jr., 28, recently became a mentor. A college student majoring in social work, he gained mentoring expe-rience as a volunteer for other youth pro-grams. "I am deeply rooted in the community, so I understand the importance of helping foster care youth bridge the gap, making ethical decisions, avoiding poverty, and becoming self-sufficient and successful young adults," he said. "Mentoring, for me, is a wonderful way to give back to the community."

New Vision file photo

"I am excited to be with New Vision, which shares my passion for helping foster care youth facing real world challenges. I personally know the significance of having a listening ear and a strong family support system in a time of need." Mentors must be at least 21, agree to a background check, and complete a four-hour training session. Mentors are needed in all Hampton Roads cities, especially in Newport News. "New Vision Youth Services envisions a community in which every youth experi-ences nurturing one-to-one relationships and community support," Mrs. Wilson ended. "This will allow each of them to develop into their full potential, capable of making informed, responsible decisions as involved members of our community." New Vision will host a showing of its new film, "Foster Care: My Story — Bridging the Gap" on Monday, October 20, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Indian River Li-brary, 2320 Old Greenbrier Road in Ches-apeake. Attendance is free and open to the community.

To become a mentor or

volunteer, or make a donation:

www.newvision-youthservicesinc.

Mentors needed to help aging-out foster youth succeed in college

Above, the cover photo for a short film titled "Foster Care: My Story —Bridging the Gap." In it founder Clara Wilson, at right, shares her experiences

involving the many problems faced by youth in foster care.