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61 people are interested
Help young adults who have aged out of the foster system
ORGANIZATION: Family & Youth Initiative
Please visit the new page to apply.
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61 people are interested
Family & Youth Initiative (DCFYI) Open Table Members change the lives of youth age 21 and older who have aged-out of foster care.
Open Table Members serve as a "board of advisors" to a young adult to help them achieve goals they have set for themselves. This could mean anything from going with the young person to get their first driver’s license; Show them how to read a lease; Encourage them to get their diploma; or whatever goal that young person has set.
Open Table Members form a social safety net to young adults who aged-out of the system without being able to be reunited with family, or adoption. While the commitment for volunteers is for one year, nationally, 95% of Open Table Youths maintain relationships with there Table Members for many years afterward.
We will be recruiting volunteers for our next cohort in March 2023. Our Information Session (virtual meeting) will be posted shortly. This meeting will discuss the 8-week Training program and explain how the Tables work. Volunteers commit to one-hour weekly meetings for one year after completing training.
Family & Youth Initiative offers:
- Training and support;
- An opportunity to help a former foster youth an opportunity to achieve their Life goals;
- A wonderful l community of adults who genuinely care for and support each other.
Family & Youth Initiative mentors:
- Spend at least 1 hour per week for Table Meetings, plus an occasional 2-3 hours one-on-one with the young adult to help them achieve their goals;
- Make a one-year commitment to a Table, once matched;
- Listen to the young adult, and ensure that the goals the Table is working toward are Theirs, not Yours.
- Provide the emotional support the young adult needs to live a better life.
5 More opportunities with Family & Youth Initiative
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About Family & Youth Initiative
Location:
853 New Jersey Avenue,SE, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20003, US
Mission Statement
Family & Youth Initiative (DCFYI) creates enriching lifetime relationships for youth at risk of aging out of foster care. We make a difference in the lives of older children by forging pathways to adoption while building bridges between youth and a community of adults willing to open their hearts and homes.
Description
Family & Youth Initiative (DCFYI) helps older children (12 to 21) in foster care find adoptive families and make lifelong connections with caring
DCFYI focuses solely on helping teens at riskof aging out of fostercare find adoptive families and develop lasting relationships with other caring adults. We are unique in that we offer opportunities for adults who are not yet approved to adopt or mentor to meet and get to know teens so that relationships can grow naturally, which is a much more effective way for adults and teens to get to know each other and get comfortable before any formal mentor or adoption match is made.
We are one of very few organizations that create low barrier ways for adults to get to know and help teens in foster care. We encourage creative responses to the needs of individual teens and abilities and availability of interested adults.
CAUSE AREAS
WHEN
WHERE
853 New Jersey Avenue SoutheastSuite 200Washington, DC 20003
DATE POSTED
October 15, 2024
SKILLS
GOOD FOR
N/A
REQUIREMENTS
- Background Check
- Must be at least 21
- Orientation or Training
- 1 hour per week, with a one-year commitment, plus occasionally an additional 2-3 hours working one-on-one with the young adult
- Child Protective Services and FBI Background Check required of all volunteers.