ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Foster Care Initiatives
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ has a commitment to providing access to post-secondary education opportunities to students impacted by foster care or with out-of-home placement experience, through our foster care initiatives.
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ provides access programming for middle and high school students with out-of-home placement experience. The University collaborates with First Star, Inc (), who’s focus is improving the lives of youth with foster care experience and providing them with the resources and supports necessary to transition from high school into young adulthood. Using components of the First Star academy model as the foundation for programming for middle and high school students, youth with foster care or out-of-home placement experience are served through the Fostering Pathways for Bright Futures program. The program provides participants with leadership development, life skills training, career exploration, social-emotional wellness and caregiver support resources to encourage on-time high school graduation and readiness for higher education, military enlistment or entry to the workforce.
The Purple Umbrella Network is the foster care initiative for ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ students or prospective students with foster care or out-of-home placement experience. ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ is recognized with the Ohio Reach Post-Secondary Designation, for the work of the Purple Umbrella Network. This designation, from the Ohio Department of Higher Education, recognizes Ohio post-secondary programs that have infrastructure to serve youth with child welfare impact. The Purple Umbrella Network is focused on providing community, resources and support to encourage retention and persistence of ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ students with foster care impact.Caregiver Support Caring for a youth can be overwhelming, so we also provide foster parents, bio parents, and kinship caregivers with resources, support, and fellowship. Currently groups meet monthly and are led by a family support facilitator contracted by First Star.
Permanency and Caregiver Support
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ has received support from the Dave Thomas Foundation to provide caregiver support, focused on sustaining legal, permanency for program participants. Caregiver and permanency support programming is incorporated in existing foster care initiatives. Additionally, the Foundation’s grant support includes coaching on the permanency-caregiver support model for other academies in the First Star, Inc network. This work is focused on replicating the model developed for ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ State foster care initiatives in other First Star academies, to impact permanency for more youth with foster care experiences.
Eligibility
The recommended student must be:
- Currently in foster care in Ashtabula, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Mahoning, Portage, Summit, Stark, Trumbull or Tuscarawas counties.
- Currently enrolled in the 8th, 9th or 10th grade.
- Able and willing to participate in the four-week residential component at the university and monthly Saturday sessions.
- Maintaining at least a 2.3 GPA and 90% attendance in current and previous school year — with some exceptions for extenuating circumstances.
- Demonstrating maturity and potential to thrive in a college-prep setting.
Questions?
Email Danielle Green-Welch at firststarinfo@kent.edu.
