For young people aging out of foster care, summertime can be really scary. That's because the first summer after they turn 18 or graduate from school may present huge challenges… finding an apartment they can afford, landing a job to pay for expenses they never even thought of, making decisions that will have significant implications for their entire future and all without a family to help not to mention no summer vacation.
Some are lucky enough to have a job and more and more are going on to higher education, be it trade school, college or apprenticeship. But even then, living on your own without any family support is very challenging. ILYA (Independent Living for Young Adults) is the social justice program at First U that offers support to these young people in varied ways.
We have some new initiatives to tell you about in this column in the coming weeks. If you want a wonderful sense of helping truly deserving young people and strengthening the social fabric of our community, please think about how you might like to get involved. Please contact Lois Morris or Betty Wier to explore the possibilities. We'd love to have you on the team!