Lessons Learned From Lessons Learned From Supporting Former Foster Supporting Former Foster Youth In Post-Secondary Youth In Post-Secondary

EducationEducation

What do we know about youth What do we know about youth aging out of foster care aging out of foster care making the transition to making the transition to

adulthood?adulthood?• Former foster youth face many Former foster youth face many barriers as they age out of foster barriers as they age out of foster carecare– HousingHousing– EmploymentEmployment– Emotional/Mental HealthEmotional/Mental Health– EducationEducation

• Key factor: lack of StabilityKey factor: lack of Stability

• HousingHousing– Many youth experience homelessness at least onceMany youth experience homelessness at least once– 12/2006 study found ¼ of homeless adults surveyed 12/2006 study found ¼ of homeless adults surveyed

were former foster youth…more than those who were were former foster youth…more than those who were suffering from substance and alcohol abusesuffering from substance and alcohol abuse

– Financial barriersFinancial barriers– Returning ‘home’ not an optionReturning ‘home’ not an option

• EmploymentEmployment– Only 38% are employed 12-18 months after leaving Only 38% are employed 12-18 months after leaving

the foster care systemthe foster care system– Not allowed in many placementsNot allowed in many placements– Only 11.9% of foster youth surveyed in 2003, had Only 11.9% of foster youth surveyed in 2003, had

their drivers licensetheir drivers license• Emotional/Mental HealthEmotional/Mental Health

– more than 1/3 suffer emotional disturbances and more than 1/3 suffer emotional disturbances and accompanying behavior problemsaccompanying behavior problems

– foster youth are twice as likely than war veterans to foster youth are twice as likely than war veterans to experience PTSDexperience PTSD

EducationEducation

• ½+ have not graduated from high school½+ have not graduated from high school• Are encouraged to pursue a GED, which Are encouraged to pursue a GED, which

limits postsecondary optionslimits postsecondary options• Lack of post-secondary promotion and Lack of post-secondary promotion and

preparationpreparation• WHY?WHY?• Multiple placements=Multiple schools Multiple placements=Multiple schools

– every move puts them on average 3 months every move puts them on average 3 months behind academicallybehind academically

• Lack of credits OR repeating class=longer Lack of credits OR repeating class=longer time to graduatetime to graduate

What do we know?What do we know?

• Nationally:Nationally:– only 40-50% of foster youth will graduate only 40-50% of foster youth will graduate

high schoolhigh school– only 1-2% of those will graduate from only 1-2% of those will graduate from

collegecollege– First 8-10 weeks of 1st semester foster First 8-10 weeks of 1st semester foster

youth drop out of collegeyouth drop out of college• Indiana YouthIndiana Youth

– ~825 foster youth age out of foster care ~825 foster youth age out of foster care per yearper year

– >50% graduate high school>50% graduate high school– 70% of foster youth desire to attend college70% of foster youth desire to attend college

Indiana Teenage Foster Indiana Teenage Foster YouthYouth

• Lack of StabilityLack of Stability– Average stay in foster care ~6 yearsAverage stay in foster care ~6 years– Average number of placements ~5Average number of placements ~5– Average number of case managers ~3Average number of case managers ~3

• Educational Services needed: Educational Services needed: – 83.1% identified post high school 83.1% identified post high school

education education – 73.3% identified tuition assistance73.3% identified tuition assistance

Why Guardian Scholars?Why Guardian Scholars?

• Former foster youth have many special Former foster youth have many special needs because of their challenging life needs because of their challenging life experiences and their lack of a experiences and their lack of a supportive family structure.supportive family structure.

• Guardian Scholars provides a unique Guardian Scholars provides a unique opportunity for a partnership of opportunity for a partnership of resources that can provide personal resources that can provide personal mentoring and coaching to assist our mentoring and coaching to assist our young adults in achieving academic and young adults in achieving academic and life success.life success.

• The overall goal was to pilot a The overall goal was to pilot a collaborative two year project between collaborative two year project between BSU and Ivy Tech Community College of BSU and Ivy Tech Community College of IN (East Central Region)IN (East Central Region)– To coordinate post-secondary recruitment, To coordinate post-secondary recruitment,

target already existing support services, and target already existing support services, and establish new support services aimed at establish new support services aimed at recruitment and retentionrecruitment and retention

– To create youth empowerment and To create youth empowerment and leadership development opportunitiesleadership development opportunities

• Partnering goalsPartnering goals– A collaboration of key staff members from A collaboration of key staff members from

BSU and Ivy Tech BSU and Ivy Tech working together to working together to improve retention and graduation rates for improve retention and graduation rates for former foster youth enrolled on their former foster youth enrolled on their campusescampuses

Guardian Scholars Guardian Scholars HistoryHistory

• Program started January of 2004Program started January of 2004• Coordinator hired March of 2004Coordinator hired March of 2004• First students Spring of 2004First students Spring of 2004

– 77

• Summer of 2004Summer of 2004– additional 6additional 6

Student DataStudent Data

• EnrollmentEnrollment– 2004-2005=242004-2005=24– 2005-2006=352005-2006=35– 2006-2007=292006-2007=29– 2007-current=302007-current=30

• Additional 21 Additional 21 students informallystudents informally– Ineligible or never Ineligible or never

officially enrolledofficially enrolled

• Ages=17-42Ages=17-42

• 6 students 6 students graduated since graduated since program inceptionprogram inception

• Maintain contact Maintain contact with graduateswith graduates– Via phone calls and Via phone calls and

e-mailse-mails

Current ProgramCurrent Program

• Currently in 4Currently in 4thth year year• Staff:Staff:

– One full-time staff, two part-time staff and One full-time staff, two part-time staff and allocated hours from other SSRC staff allocated hours from other SSRC staff membersmembers

– Variety of backgrounds; counseling, clinical Variety of backgrounds; counseling, clinical psychology, adult education, social work, psychology, adult education, social work, sociologysociology

• Stakeholders Board:Stakeholders Board:– Key people in departments on both campusesKey people in departments on both campuses

• Serve as resources/mentors for studentsServe as resources/mentors for students

Project OutcomesProject Outcomes• Outcome 1:

• Students will complete or make satisfactory progress toward their individualized education goals.

• Students will maintain at least a cumulative GPA of 2.0/4.0.

• Average cumulative GPA at end of Average cumulative GPA at end of each year:each year:– 2004-2005=2.432004-2005=2.43– 2005-2006=2.322005-2006=2.32– 2006-2007=2.362006-2007=2.36

Project OutcomesProject Outcomes

• Outcome 2: • Students who initially agree to participate in the

Guardian Scholars project will continue as long as they are enrolled at Ball State University or at one of the EC regional Ivy Tech campuses

• 13 left program in past 3 years– Only 1 left program without also leaving school

Outcome 3: Students enrolled in the project will actively participate in

tutoring, mentoring, and/or other support services (1/07)

• HousingHousing– Community/campusCommunity/campus

• FinancialFinancial– ETV, FAFSAETV, FAFSA

• Academic successAcademic success– Tutoring, advisingTutoring, advising

• Life skills Life skills – Budgeting, bankingBudgeting, banking

• SocialSocial– providing socializing providing socializing

events, guidance for events, guidance for social situationssocial situations

• EmotionalEmotional– Mentoring/guidanceMentoring/guidance

• HealthHealth– Mental and physicalMental and physical

• Emergency loansEmergency loans• Career ServicesCareer Services

– Resume/cover letterResume/cover letter– Mock interviewsMock interviews

• Campus assistanceCampus assistance– Orientation/tourOrientation/tour

• LeadershipLeadership– Opportunities Opportunities

• Biological FamilyBiological Family– Rejection/supportRejection/support

• Community Community EducationEducation

Needs AddressedNeeds Addressed

Project OutcomesProject Outcomes

• Outcome 4: • Students will participate in at least one youth

empowerment or leadership development opportunity

-Medicaid extension @ state house-Medicaid extension @ state house-Alternative Spring Break-Alternative Spring Break-speaking events: foster parent -speaking events: foster parent

training/conferencestraining/conferences-tuition waiver project-tuition waiver project-local and national conferences-local and national conferences

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

• Identification of Stakeholders– availability,

interest, influence• Space• Drop-in vs. Planned

Meetings• Open Door Policy• Emergencies

(funding)• Consistency

• Post Graduation Plan

• Essential Links• Student Focused vs.

Academic Focused– Year in school– Campus– Initial Meeting vs.

Application Process

– Need

SustainabilitySustainability

• Originally funded through Originally funded through Breaking Breaking the Cyclethe Cycle grant from Lumina grant from Lumina Foundation for EducationFoundation for Education

• Additional support from Anne E. Additional support from Anne E. Casey FoundationCasey Foundation

• Private donorsPrivate donors• Sustainability Task ForceSustainability Task Force• Sustainability Advisory BoardSustainability Advisory Board

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

• Partnering more with communityPartnering more with community– Foundations for financial assistanceFoundations for financial assistance– local food banklocal food bank– Local foster care agencies for referralsLocal foster care agencies for referrals

• National ModelNational Model– Best practice manualBest practice manual

• SustainabilitySustainability

Contact InformationContact InformationAlishea Hawkins, M.A.Alishea Hawkins, M.A.Program CoordinatorProgram CoordinatorSocial Science Research Social Science Research CenterCenterBall State UniversityBall State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306Muncie, IN 47306765-285-5538765-285-5538gscholars@bsu.edugscholars@bsu.edu