History ~ As many of us are aware, each year nationally 20,000 young people age out of the US Foster Care System. See https://www.nfyi.org/51-useful-aging-out-of-foster-care-statistics-social-race-media/ Many are only 18 years old and most do not have the knowledge, resources or access to services to live independently. Most have not had a meaningful connection with a caring adult role model in many years. When many foster kids “age out” of the foster care system, even the most motivat-ed are unprepared for independent living. In the system, at no fault of their own, they leave without jobs, stable homes, savings or adults they can count on. They often find themselves unexpectedly alone, in legal trouble, even homeless.
May 2011 – Michael S. Goldstein Esq., LCSW decided to give back to the community by establishing FTEN for foster teens, “aging out” of the foster care system.
Our First Mentees ~ Michael contacts Family Service of Westchester (FSW) for recommendation of foster teens appropriate for the planned program. FSW recommends graduating seniors at WPHS, enrolled in college for the fall and living in a group home in White Plains. FTEN1 interviewed for a job at Michael Goldstein’s office on June 1, 2011. She was hired and started work on June 3, 2011. FTEN4 (from Children's Village Transitional Living program) started at Salon Maffei on November 5, 2011.
What is FTEN? ~ A network for foster teens forging connections with adults who will become their employers/mentors and will stick with them through the ups and downs of growing up. Teaching them the necessary survival skills and how to build relationships with adults. A network who will provide a job/internship to allow the teens to have work experience in a controlled environment, where they can make mis-takes under the supervision of professionals. Teens go through the inter-view process and learn the skills necessary to hold down a job. The mentor/employer helps the teen work out the rough edges so their first work experience is a successful and not negative one.
Our Goal ~ As an office, dedicated to finding forever families for children, we are committed to giving back to the Foster Care System by working to find employers who will also act as mentors for foster teens. We have discovered that Westchester County has resources for aging out foster teens through employers, Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, Starbucks, FSW, the community Youth Bureaus, Education, Re-sources) of Westchester, Hope House, Westchester County Department of Social Services and a list that goes on. We would like to engage you or your representative in a discussion of how we might coordinate our efforts, rather than duplicate them. Our ultimate goal should be foster teens leaving the system educated, employable, able to live independently and with the social skills necessary to lead productive lives.
Mentors and Work Really Matters ~ Become a role model, a grown up from whom an impressionable foster teen can emulate, turn to and learn on. We all know that times are tough and you may not have considered hiring an additional employee. Without a family, a foster teen has the highest rate of “morbidity” into homelessness. Your support can keep a foster teen off the street, out of trouble, and provide a fresh start.
Your First Step ~ If you would like to make a difference in the life of a foster teen, please contact Michael S. Goldstein, at (914)-939-1111 or [email protected] for further information.
The rewards are……...
