ORANGEWOOD CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION - 2009

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B. Experience 1. Briefly outline all youth programs that your agency has operated during the last 2 years. Include discussion of past performance as related to WIA performance goals. Organizations with no experience in providing WIA services should explain unique advantages or value associated with their proposal. • Children's Trust Fund: Provides financial assistance for higher education and special needs such as summer camp, sports programs and counseling. • Guardian Scholars: In collaboration with local educational. institutions, this program provides scholarships and on-campus support including academic advisement, housing, job assistance, tutoring, financial aid, and mentoring to help former foster youth navigate the personal and academic challenges of university, community college, or trade school. • :Rising Tide Communities: 'I'bis collaborative transitional. housing program. offers subsidized apartment living personal. development activities, a mentor, job placement and school assistance to prepare foster youth for a successfiil transition towards independence. • Peer Mentor Program: Young adults, once part of the dependency system and now working or enrolled in college, work to help teens in the foster care system find their way to success. • Youth Advocate Program: :Peer mentors provide support to foster youth at Emancipation. Planning Conferences and Team. Decision Malting meetings to ensure the yolrth's voice is heard and their interests are considered in decision that will affect their life. Youth advocates also participate in com2niuiity meetings and trainings representing the foster youth perspective. • Foster Youth Liaison Project: Peer mentors provide one-on-one case management to faster youth to assist them with occupational development and preparation for the labor force. The Foster Youth Liaison Project (FYLP) has effectively serviced. 12 foster/emancipated. youth in PY 06/07, 19 foster/emancipated you h in PY 07/08, and we are currently serving 15 foster/emancipated youth in PY 08/09. FYLP has proven to be an effective program, helping clients attain and retain employment, develop employment skills, earn a diplomalcertif Cate, enroll in school, and improve literacy/numeracy rates. For example, of the 15 clients we are serving in PY 08/09, our goals are to have at least 10 0l' them enter employment or education, at least 7 complete a diploma or certificate and at least _5 improve literacy/numeracy rates. Up to this point, we have helped 5 clients attain employment, 8 clients enroll in school, 6 are working toward a diploma and 13 are basic skills deficient anal working toward literacyhlumeracy improvement. • Independent Living Program: Education, career, relationship, and daily living skills preparation for the time when they will be released from the dependency system. • Independent Living Coaches: One-on-one guidance and support to help foster youth make a successful transition to independent living. • Orangewood Resource Center: Drop-in center for current and former Orange County foster youth offering services they need to become independent adults, including educational activities and resources for jobs, college, housing, health, etc. • Transitional Housing Referral Clearinghouse: As Orange County's referral resource center, we support current and developing transitional housing programs for former loster youth. OCF/Foster Youth Liaison Project 13