Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI)

Current or former foster youth interested in, or already attending, a community college

For children/adolescents ages: 17 - 21

The purpose of the FYSI is to remove barriers that youth from foster care throughout the state often encounter when attempting to access or attend an institute of higher education. The program provides a statewide Foster Youth Liaison as well as many Foster Youth Liaisons at the community college level. At the college, the Foster Youth Liaison is specifically designated to guide current or former foster youth students, or prospective students, through processes such as financial aid, academic counseling, access to public benefits, and more. Overall, the FYSI aims to improve higher educational outcomes for foster youth students across the state such as:

• Term-to-term retention rates
• Academic performance
• Completion of certificate and degree programs
• Transfer rates to 4-year universities

Brooke Ford

• Title: Program Specialist
• Agency/Affiliation: Foundation for California Community Colleges
• Website: https://foundationccc.org/our-work/equity/lifting-up-communities-historically-underserved-by-education/foster-youth-support/
• Email: bford@foundationccc.org

The goals of Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) are:

• Learn how to access and use student and academic support services and resources
• Attend consecutive semesters of community college
• Perform well academically
• Achieve one or more of the following:
• Complete a certificate program
• Earn an associate's degree
• Transfer to a 4-year university

The essential components of the Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) include:

• Statewide initiative with a Statewide Foster Youth Liaison and campus Foster Youth Liaisons
• Statewide Foster Youth Liaison:
• Based in state's capital
• Supports campus Foster Youth Liaisons by organizing:
• Training sessions
• Regional events
• Statewide convenings
• Web-based orientations
• Other trainings and group events
• Campus Foster Youth Liaisons:
• On every community college campus in the state
• Dedicated professionals
• Guide current or former foster youth students/prospective students, through college-related processes such as
• Financial aid
• Academic counseling
• Access to public benefits
• Other challenges a college student may face

Child/Adolescent Services

Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) directly provides services to children and addresses the following:

• Current or former foster youth who is unfamiliar with navigation of higher education including financial aid such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); potentially experiences hunger; food insecurity; and/or housing issues

Recommended Intensity

Frequency of contact varies by campus

Recommended Duration

Generally for the duration of a student's time at the campus, may vary by campus

Delivery Settings

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• School Setting (Including: Day Care, Day Treatment Programs, etc.)

Homework

This program does not include a homework component.

Resources Needed to Run Program

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

Depends on what the campus program has to offer – each campus implements FYSI in its own way. Resources vary by campus.

Prerequisite/Minimum Provider Qualifications

Depends on individual campus hiring requirements.

Manual Information

There is a manual that describes how to deliver this program.

Program Manual(s)

The manual citation is:

• Tracy L. Fried & Associates. (2007). Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) manual: A guide for financial aid administrators. California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office.

For more information on the manual, please contact the training contact below.

Training Information

There is training available for this program.

Training Contact

Training Type/Location:

Trainings are provided online via Webinar orientations once per term

Number of days/hours:

Varies per person

• There are currently no published, peer-reviewed research studies on outcomes with the appropriate target population for the topic area(s) in which Foster Youth Success Initiative has been reviewed.

There are currently no references available for Foster Youth Success Initiative.