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Education, Employment, and Housing

Resources and information about education and employment, and housing services within independent living programs.

• Education and training vouchers

Education and employment

It's My Life: Employment: A Guide for Transition Services From Casey Family Programs (PDF - 886 KB)
Casey Family Programs (2004)
A handbook for child welfare professionals and others responsible for helping young people transition to adulthood and the workplace by providing young people benchmarks for career exploration and techniques for job seeking.

The Path to Independence Project
Avery (2000)
In Preparing Youth for Long-Term Success: Proceedings From the Casey Family Program National Independent Living Forum
View Abstract
A program to raise awareness of the needs of youth in foster care and facilitate collaborative relationships between agencies and community businesses to help youth explore their employment choices and practice job skills.

Preparation of Youth for Employment (PYE): Description and Evaluation of a Competency-Based Approach to Economic Independence
Bach, Downs, Friend, Patz, & Topkins (2001)
In Preparing Youth for Long-Term Success: Proceedings From the Casey Family Program National Independent Living Forum
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PYE is a program designed to help youth achieve economic self-sufficiency by improving their skills in 18 competencies and placing them in jobs that utilize their strengths and interests.

Promising Practices: School to Career and Postsecondary Education for Foster Care Youth: A Guide for Policymakers and Practitioners (PDF - 162 KB)
Workforce Strategy Center (2000)
Identifies best practices for career development for foster youth, including information about career options, skill preparation for college, relevant work experience, connections to education and employment, and social supports.

What Works in Employment Programs for Youth in Out-of-Home Care
Dale (2000)
In What Works in Child Welfare
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Describes the replication of the Children's Village Work Appreciation for Youth (WAY) Scholarship Program that has been successful in increasing rates of school completion, work experience, and reducing criminal behavior among participants.

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Housing services

Developing Housing Options for Independent Living Preparation
Kroner (2000)
In Preparing Youth for Long-Term Success: Proceedings From the Casey Family Program National Independent Living Forum
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Describes Lighthouse Youth Services in Cincinnati, Ohio, which has developed a wide array of housing options for youth transitioning out of foster care. The program emphasizes the importance of the learning process by providing multiple chances for participants to demonstrate their self-sufficiency.

Moving In: Ten Successful Independent/Transitional Living Programs
Kroner (Ed.) (2001)
View Abstract
Geographically diverse programs combine housing with life skills training for foster and homeless youth making the transition to self-sufficiency.

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Updated on March 1, 2010