Online Resources - Serving Foster Youth Through Mentoring
Topics: |
|
|
|
To view many of these online resources, you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software which, if your computer does not already have it, can be downloaded from the Adobe site at: www.adobe.com/acrobat/readstep.html.
- Youth in Foster Care With Adult Mentors During Adolescence Have Improved Adult Outcomes (published by the American Academy of Pediatrics)
This interesting new piece of research examines the long-term outcomes of foster youth who had, or did not have, a natural mentor in their lives as adolescents. Drawing from data in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the authors find that foster youth who had mentors had more positive outcomes in a number of key areas as adults, including health and educational success. Although centered around naturally-formed mentoring relationships, this research indicates that close non-parent adult mentoring relationships may be a key strategy for supporting foster youth.
Available as a PDF at: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/peds.2007-0508v1.pdf - Foster Youth Mentorship Training for Program Managers (published by EMT)
This outstanding resource provides detailed information for program staff and mentors on how mentoring can help foster youth address a variety of issues. It features an excellent overview of a child's journey through the foster care system and concrete program practices that can help mentoring programs better serve them.
Available as a PDF at: www.emt.org/userfiles/FosterYouthSeries5.pdf - Mentoring Children in Foster Care: Considerations and Partnership Strategies For Senior Corps Directors
(published by LEARNS)
While originally developed for Senior Corps programs, this document features lots of advice that will be applicable to OSDFS mentoring programs who will be serving foster care youth. It includes a checklist of mentoring best practices and tips for recruiting appropriate volunteers to work with foster youth.
Available as a PDF at: http://nationalserviceresources.org/files/legacy/filemanager/download/learns/
Mentoring_Children_in_Foster_Care_Final_Revised.pdf - Best Practice Guidelines for Foster Care Youth Mentoring (produced by the New York City Administration for Children's Services)
This online guide offers best practices for designing a mentoring program serving foster care youth. Particularly useful are the guidelines for coordinating mentoring services with the child's caseworker.
Web site: www.nyc.gov/html/acs/html/become_mentor/best_practices_addition.shtml - Mentoring Youth in Foster Care - Annotated Bibliography (published by EDC)
This page collects many great resources that can inform programming for youth in fostercare.
Web site: www.mentoringsiyouth.org/resources/Lit_review/mentor_fostercare.html - Fostering Positive Outcomes: How Mentoring Can Help Children and Adolescents in Foster Care (published by MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership)
This online resource highlights many of the ways mentors can make a positive impact on foster youth, provides links to promising programs, and examines the available research.
Web site: www.mentoring.org/program_staff/research_corner/fostering_positive_outcomes.php?pid=all - Effective Approaches to Supporting Youth Aging Out of Foster Care (published by Voices for America's Children)
This brief 2004 report examines some of the key research findings regarding the supports that foster care youth need as they age out of services.
Available as a PDF at: www.voicesforamericaschildren.org/Content/ContentGroups/Policy/Child_Safety/Member_Mailing1/
Supporting_Youth_Aging_Out_of_Foster_Care_What_Does_the_Research_Tell_Us_/issue_brief_8-04_c.pdf - Foster Youth Money Guide Series (published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation)
This outstanding online resource can help mentors or other care providers teach youth, particularly foster youth, about managing money and preparing for their financial future. Includes a Caregiver's Handbook and special modules for 8-11 year-olds.
Online tool : www.aecf.org/publications/moneypals.htm - Casey Life Skills Web Site (produced by Casey Family Services)
This amazing website offers free assessment tools for foster youth that measure their life skills and level of readiness for independent living. The site also offers youth planning tools and links to additional resources in a number of relevant areas, such as career choice and preparation, housing, money management, and communication skills. The main Life Skills Guidebook can be found here: www.caseylifeskills.org/pages/lp/LSG%20Version%2012-28-04.pdf
Online tool : www.caseylifeskills.org - It's My Life: A Framework for Youth Transitioning from Foster Care to Successful Adulthood (published by Casey Family Services)
This excellent guidebook was created by kids, for kids. It offers advice and strategies for a number of life skills areas (such as finding housing and healthy relationships), as well as recommendations for service providers and community leaders.
Available as a PDF at: www.casey.org/NR/rdonlyres/5FC52E1E-CCCB-42FC-B9D6-6E6D008446D5/678/casey_its_my_life_book.pdf
Recent supplements to the original publication are available here in PDF format:
~ Employment
~ Housing
~ Postsecondary Education and Training - Connected by 25: A Plan for Investing in Successful Futures for Foster Youth (published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation)
This report examines how large foundations and community leaders and services can work together to improve the economic outcomes for youth aging out of the foster care system. It also offers case studies of three major cities where such efforts are underway.
Available as a PDF at: www.aecf.org/publications/data/connected_by_25.pdf - School to Career and Postsecondary Education for Foster Care Youth: A Guide for Policymakers and Practitioners (published by the Workforce Strategy Center)
Another publication outlining best practices in moving older foster care youth towards self-sufficiency. This will be especially useful to mentoring programs serving older foster care youth or who are taking a school-to-work focus.
Available as a PDF at: www.aecf.org/publications/data/promisingpractices2.pdf - A Road Map for Learning: Improving Educational Outcomes in Foster Care: A Strategic Guide to Success in School (published by Casey Family Services)
This 2004 publication looks at how to best achieve high educational outcomes for youth in foster care. It contains resources and information for parents, caregivers, teachers, and child welfare professionals.
Available as a PDF at: www.casey.org/NR/rdonlyres/FD072CA4-864B-4AE3-8134-D59841FC4508/279/RoadmapForLearning1.pdf - Represent Magazine (published by Youth Communications)
This magazine offers select articles online for free. The publication gives a voice to youth in foster care in the hopes that their writings will inspire and support other youth while also giving care providers and educators a window into the foster care experience. A compelling read.
Back issue articles available online at: www.youthcomm.org/Publications/FCYU.htm
