FYI Welcomes 17 New Youth and Nine Volunteer Allies
More Allies needed to help change the lives of young adults aging out of the foster care system
SANTA CLARITA (September 6, 2024) – Local nonprofit Fostering Youth Independence (FYI) experienced significant growth over the summer as Santa Clarita’s foster youth sought assistance with returning to school or entering college for the first time. Seventeen new youth joined the program since July 15th and are currently enjoying the benefits of the support system FYI provides.
To help keep up with the growing number of youth served, FYI trained, screened and onboarded nine new volunteer Allies in August. Each Ally is being paired with a youth who they will help guide and encourage as they complete a post-secondary education – a key to breaking the cycle of challenges faced by these youth.
For a young adult without parents or family support, having an Ally can be life-changing. “We are already getting such positive feedback from our new youth,” said Carolyn Olsen, FYI’s executive director and co-founder. “One told her Ally, ‘Every time I’m with you, something really good happens.’ Another met her Ally for the first time at FYI’s Back-to-School Bash last month. When her FYI Coordinator asked if she could take a picture of the two of them, the youth turned to her new Ally and asked, ‘Can I hug you?’”
FYI is seeking additional Allies to provide moral support and encouragement to Santa Clarita’s foster youth. No special skills are required to become an Ally; anyone with passion and a commitment to helping foster youth may apply.
On Tuesday, September 24, a training session will be held for anyone interested in learning more about what being an FYI Ally entails. The training will take place in the Fellowship Center at Christ Lutheran Church in Valencia from 6-8 pm. Those interested can email FYI’s Volunteer Coordinator Darlene Allen at dallen@fyifosteryouth.org.
Further information about Fostering Youth Independence and how to support this organization can be found on www.fyifosteryouth.org.
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About Fostering Youth Independence (FYI)
FYI is the largest Santa Clarita-based nonprofit supporting local foster youth who have aged out of the L.A. County foster care system without being adopted or reunified with their birth parents. FYI addresses the serious challenges faced by these youth, which include not finishing high school or pursuing higher education, homelessness, and incarceration. FYI offers local foster youth numerous resources to help overcome past traumas, complete an education, gain employment, and become successful, independent adults.
FYI currently serves 83 transition age (16-25 years) foster youth in the Santa Clarita Valley and has supported 186 local youth since its inception in 2017. It assigns each youth a caring adult volunteer Ally and a coordinator to help them set and achieve goals in areas such as education, employment, housing, finances, health, transportation, assistance with college applications, enrollment and class registration, and referrals to resources for food, housing, health, mental health, and employment. It also provides emergency financial assistance when an unexpected expense such as a car repair threatens to derail a youth’s educational plans. FYI offers The Study Place for learning support and tutoring, a Ready, Set Drive! program to assist youth in obtaining their drivers license, a monthly ReNew life coaching session, personalized Money Matters financial literacy education, hosts events throughout the year where the youth can connect with other youth and Allies to create a community of support, and partners with College of the Canyons for referrals and counseling. It also provides school supplies, holiday gifts and household items for youth moving into new homes with few possessions.
Website: www.fyifosteryouth.org
Instagram: @fyifosteryouth
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fyifosteryouth
Contact:
Carolyn Olsen
Co-founder and Executive Director
colsen@fyifosteryouth.org
(661) 360-1500 ext. 700