Hello Readers!
A few weeks ago, we gave a brief overview of our services and programs with the promise to eventually dive deeper into them. Well, we meant what we said so this week we are exploring our awesome STEP program!
Our Successful Transitions Through Empowerment and Planning program prepares teens in our foster homes for their transition into adulthood. The STEP program is essential because research shows that each year more than 500 foster youth in Georgia are discharged from the foster care system and of the youth aging out of the US foster care system: 46% didn’t complete high school, 51% were unemployed, 25% have been homeless, 40% have become parents, 1 in 4 males and 1 in 10 females have spent time is jail. STEP combats these discouraging statistics by empowering our youth to live as independent and responsible adults. The program uses a three-sided approach to avoiding this outcome in our foster children: Pre-transitional Living Homes, Life Coaches, and the Teen Youth Group.
A Pre-Transitional Living Home gives the youth more responsibility and allows them to develop their independence, while continuing to provide a supportive family environment. Our parents include the youth in the daily operation of the homes with special attention placed on practicing practical skills such as cooking, budgeting, transportation, education, and vocational training.
A Life Coach works in partnership with the youth’s current case manager or family consultant by mentoring the youth, teaching life skills, and providing extra behavior or school assistance. The Life Coach’s objective is to better prepare the youth to live independently by helping them find supportive adult connections, stable housing, school enrollment and/or employment. The Life Coach guides the youth in identifying and planning for future goals related to education, behavior, socialization, or independence. Then the Life Coach encourages, motivates and educates his or her youth to help reach these goals.
The Teen Youth Group began after some of our teens shared that they wanted a chance to meet and hangout with other teens living in our foster or pre-transitional living homes. It is a group and not a program because our teens made it clear that they were already in plenty of programs. The group hangouts center around socialization, therapeutic recreation, and community service. Sometimes they involve seminars on specific life skills needed to function “in the real world;” at other times they participate in advocacy opportunities through Georgia EmpowerMEnt that help raise awareness in the community about the power of youth voice. The Teen Youth Group holds four activities each month with one of those four activities allowing for youth and parents to spend time together. Past activities have included cooking classes, college tours, sports games, family game night, volunteering, dinner and movies.
The STEP program uses these three elements to serve youth in foster homes, group homes, residential treatment facilities, Independent Living Programs, or birth families. STEP also works with teens who are pregnant or parenting and need assistance with parenting skills including child development, nutrition, empathy, and nurturing parenting skill.
If you are interested in becoming involved in the STEP program, please contact M.C. Bruce at 770-469-6226 or mcbruce@ccsgeorgia.org.
Creative Community Services, Inc. 