YMCA News Archive

YMCA CEO Glen Gunderson’s Perspective on Supporting Youth Aging Out of Foster Care to Be Successful and Thrive

Yadmin — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 15:56:31 +0000

YMCA CEO Glen Gunderson’s Perspective on Supporting Youth Aging Out of Foster Care to Be Successful and Thrive Yadmin Mon, 11/09/2015 - 09:56

For any child to have a lack of stability and basic needs is heartbreaking. I think about Eric, who in his short time on earth, has lived in 50 different foster homes.

“It was hard knowing I had to go home at night and that this might not be the last place I’m going to be at,” he said. “I might be at a different place tomorrow and just being scared.”

You think of the resiliency that might very well develop with the upheaval, the uncertainty, the lack of self confidence, and the lack of a foundation. How do you optimize your learning, your character development, and your ability to build and develop friends if you’re constantly being uprooted?

How do you add all that up for a child, whether he or she is 2, 10 or 20?

We know that these cycles can be generational, so that’s why a program like our 24/7 Life Coaching is so critical in breaking that cycle, so Eric has the potential to find a network and find stability through his mentor.

It’s sobering.

I think of James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…”

Talk about relentless service. These youth support specialists and life coaches, by the very essence of their job, go above and beyond. They are committing to be accessible, any time of day or night.

Jenny Miller, our youth support program director, is someone I’m over the top impressed with...and humbled by. She’s got a huge heart for our mission and the community. She’s tireless and relentless in pursuing the basic services for the folks that her team is serving. She is just entirely convicted by trying to break these cycles, whether it be training those life coaches, reaching out in an authentic way, persuading leadership within the Y to make sure this program remains a priority, and finding funding to continue and expand the work because we’re not meeting the demand.

This program is the essence of the YMCA’s mission: One-to-one service to people who have all the potential in the world, but maybe no one has given them the opportunity to realize it.

Think of how much some of us take for granted, how we can look past things that may seem simple and easy to access. But without a role model, accessing any service – like even getting an ID – can be daunting.

These kids are otherwise forgotten and passed by. It’s indiscriminate: Different ages, races, genders and faiths. So invariably, when they try to be successful in their own right, it’s not likely to go well.

Trust plays into this in a huge way.

With 24/7 Life Coaching, maybe it’s the first time in this person’s life that they’ve been able to depend on an adult.

It’s awesome.

Think about the confidence for someone who felt helpless but maybe now believes that a career that was once only a dream can become a reality. Maybe they will be the first in their family to go to college then set an example for their children, or nieces or nephews, and what are the odds that they become the trusted adult for others who are trying to find their way?

Day to day, it can be frustrating for our coaches and specialists. But this work will have a longitudinal impact.

How many jobs empower you to do that in such a personal and intimate way?

I’m proud that this program has grown. Since 2007, we’ve added partners and channels. But each year, there are about 2,000 Minnesota youth that “age out” of the foster care system and nearly 40 percent of these young people do not have a plan to get health insurance, a job, housing or even a driver’s license. We have much work to do to ensure all can thrive.

For Y Give Week, consider donating to the 24/7 Life Coaching program, so we can provide these life-changing resources to more young people in need.

Thank you for your support.

YMCA Supports Youth Aging Out of Foster Care to Be Successful

Yadmin — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 19:15:51 +0000

YMCA Supports Youth Aging Out of Foster Care to Be Successful Yadmin Thu, 11/05/2015 - 13:15

The YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, provides support and resources to help Minnesota youth aging out of the foster care system to be successful and thrive independently in a safe and stable environment.

Each year, approximately 2,000 Minnesota youth “age out” of the foster care system.
Thirty-eight percent of these young people do not have a plan to get health insurance, a job, housing or a driver’s license.

Studies show that youth who have spent time in foster care often face barriers when seeking education, employment or housing. For example, 50 percent of young people who have experienced homelessness have also been in foster care.

“At the Y, we are committed to strengthening our community by addressing the barriers young people face,” said Matt Kjorstad, YMCA executive director. “Our Youth Intervention Services team provides outreach in a variety of ways to offer support and help young people who have been in foster care gain safe housing, secure employment, achieve academic success, learn self-sufficiency skills and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.”

Kjorstad explains that in Minnesota, young people may opt to continue to receive some foster care services until they are age 21. The YMCA serves this population with the 24/7 Life Coaching program. This service connects young people ages 17 to 21 in Hennepin and Anoka counties, who are either involved in extended foster care or who have left care and need ongoing support, to a helpful life coach who assists them in identifying and reaching goals. Life coaches also work with young people to gain independent living skills like budgeting, cooking, writing a resume or securing independent housing.

The YMCA connects young people who have experienced foster care not only to resources, but to a network of caring adults who can help them build skills for the future through a variety of resources. Other programs that address the needs of this population include:

Girls Services, a program serving girls ages 12 to 17 in Hennepin County who have been involved in foster care or the juvenile justice system who experience high levels of trauma or exposure to sexual exploitation
Independent Living Skills, a collaboration between community agencies and YMCA staff to coordinate, plan and deliver workshops on crucial self-sufficiency skills like budgeting, healthy cooking and safe relationships
Pipeline to Leadership, a program to help young people who are or have been in foster care to develop their skills to be leaders and advocate for change in the foster care system for future youth

Discover how the Y’s life coaches helped Jermeisha gain employment so that she can support her children and pursue her dreams – watch Jermeisha’s Story.

Learn how Eric, who has lived in over 50 foster homes, found consistency in the Y’s program, which gave him the skills and support he needed to secure housing and reach his potential – hear Eric’s Story.

YMCA Youth Intervention Services provides a variety of programming to meet the needs of youth facing barriers, including academic support, employment programs, enrichment opportunities at the YMCA, and life coaching. In addition to programs serving foster care youth, the YMCA offers assistance to youth experiencing homelessness, involvement with the juvenile justice system or other barriers. Among these services is the Youth Resource Line, a free resource staffed seven days a week by Y team members to assist youth ages 12 to 23 who are in need of community resources: 763-493-3052.

Y Give Week: November 8-14

Y Give Week, November 8-14, offers people in the community the opportunity to give back to their neighborhoods by donating to the Y and providing young people with access to life-changing resources, safe spaces, education and enrichment opportunities and more. People can text YGIVE to 41444 to give easily and help strengthen programming and services until all can thrive.

Because the Y is a leading nonprofit committed to helping all young people thrive, financial assistance is available to those in need. With the generous support of community members, the Y ensures that all have the opportunity to participate in enriching programs. Learn more about the Y’s .