Our Dare to Dream program offers an opportunity to mentor a youth in foster care or youth who has aged-out of foster care (ranging from 15-21 years old).
THE dare to dream PROGRAM
EMPOWERING YOUTH IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM TO SUCCEED
What is the dare to dream program?
Aging out of foster care without a permanent home is the highest-risk outcome for a foster youth. According to Casey Family Programs, about 25,000 young people between the ages of 18 and 21 must leave foster care each year. Many are victims of abuse and neglect and may have trouble forming healthy relationships with adults and peers. They are often ill prepared to suddenly live independently and figure out, on their own, how to do what the foster care system was set up to do for them—feed, clothe, and house them. (source) However, mentoring is proven to be effective and provide positives outcomes for these foster youth.
The Dare to Dream program was created out of a need to support the older youth in our program and those aging out. The Dare to Dream program supports at-risk youth ages 15 to 21 years old. There are ten milestones that the mentor and at-risk youth meet together– these include things like getting a driver's license, creating a resume, applying for a job, learning to cook, creating a budget, and creating a life plan (we encourage our youth to either enroll in college, a trade school, or join a branch of the military).
The Dare to Dream program was created out of a need to support the older youth in our program and those aging out. The Dare to Dream program supports at-risk youth ages 15 to 21 years old. There are ten milestones that the mentor and at-risk youth meet together– these include things like getting a driver's license, creating a resume, applying for a job, learning to cook, creating a budget, and creating a life plan (we encourage our youth to either enroll in college, a trade school, or join a branch of the military).
What is a dare to dream Mentor?
Our mentors are advocates, coaches, teachers, guides, role models, valued friends, available resources, cheerful critics, and career enthusiasts. The heart of the Dare to Dream program is to give foster youth a second chance. Many of the youth we recruit are living in emergency shelters or are homeless. They need the wisdom, advice, encouragement, and community that mentors can provide. As a mentor you commit to meeting with your mentee every other week, set goals, and help them achieve their dreams. We require that mentors be a minimum of six years older than their mentee. The program is a one year commitment; however, it is our hope that these relationships will last a lifetime.
WANT TO BE A PART OF THE CHANGE?
Dare to Dream Mentor SIGN UP
