Resilience in Foster Resilience in Foster Youth:  A Peer Youth:  A Peer

Mentorship Program Mentorship Program That Promotes Academic That Promotes Academic

and Life Long Successand Life Long SuccessA GRANT PROPOSALA GRANT PROPOSAL

Presented to the School of Social WorkPresented to the School of Social Work

California State University, Long BeachCalifornia State University, Long Beach  

Remberto NunezRemberto Nunez

Master of Social WorkMaster of Social Work

May 2012May 2012

IntroductionIntroduction One out of three foster youth leaves the system with no General One out of three foster youth leaves the system with no General

Education Degree (GED) or high school diploma (Krinsky, Education Degree (GED) or high school diploma (Krinsky, 2007). 2007).

Due to the damaging nature of physical abuse, scars may be Due to the damaging nature of physical abuse, scars may be present physically and emotionally, the latter leading to deviant present physically and emotionally, the latter leading to deviant behavior (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2007). behavior (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2007).

There are many benefits to promoting and supporting post-There are many benefits to promoting and supporting post-secondary education for foster youth (Cochrane & Szabo-Kubitz, secondary education for foster youth (Cochrane & Szabo-Kubitz, 2009). 2009).

Understanding how to develop and nurture resilience in foster Understanding how to develop and nurture resilience in foster youth is critical for social workers and service providers alike youth is critical for social workers and service providers alike because it can make them less venerable to the gamut of because it can make them less venerable to the gamut of psychological and emotional adversity (Capuzzi & Gross, 2008). psychological and emotional adversity (Capuzzi & Gross, 2008).

The overarching goal of this project is to fund a program for the The overarching goal of this project is to fund a program for the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) that will Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) that will hire academically resilient foster youth to be peer mentors to hire academically resilient foster youth to be peer mentors to younger foster youth. younger foster youth.

Social Work RelevanceSocial Work Relevance The National Association of Social Work Code of The National Association of Social Work Code of

Ethics (NASW; 2008) has as one of its ethical Ethics (NASW; 2008) has as one of its ethical principles the importance of human relationships. principles the importance of human relationships.

Encourages social workers to engage people and Encourages social workers to engage people and create collaborations amongst them that will create collaborations amongst them that will strengthen their relationships and promote, restore, strengthen their relationships and promote, restore, maintain, and enhance their well-being. maintain, and enhance their well-being.

The peer mentor program hires youth who have had The peer mentor program hires youth who have had exposure to the foster care system while valuing their exposure to the foster care system while valuing their experience and ability to guide younger foster youth experience and ability to guide younger foster youth and essentially holding them to be the true experts. and essentially holding them to be the true experts.

Cross-Cultural RelevanceCross-Cultural Relevance Longitudinal studies have shown that there is a Longitudinal studies have shown that there is a

disproportionate amount of minority youth in disproportionate amount of minority youth in foster care (Magruder & Shaw, 2008). foster care (Magruder & Shaw, 2008).

The program aims to empower the large The program aims to empower the large numbers of minority youth who are currently in numbers of minority youth who are currently in the Los Angeles foster care system. the Los Angeles foster care system.

Furthermore, because the target agency, DCFS, Furthermore, because the target agency, DCFS, serves a cross section of the diverse population serves a cross section of the diverse population of Los Angeles County, there is a need for an of Los Angeles County, there is a need for an equally diverse group of peer mentors that have equally diverse group of peer mentors that have successfully navigated through the foster care successfully navigated through the foster care system to teach others. system to teach others.

MethodsMethods The target population for The target population for

this grant is current foster this grant is current foster youth between the ages of youth between the ages of 14 and 17 who are served 14 and 17 who are served through the South County through the South County Office of DCFS. Office of DCFS.

The grant will fund a peer The grant will fund a peer mentor program that will mentor program that will work with current foster work with current foster youth in Los Angeles youth in Los Angeles County. County.

The peer-to-peer program The peer-to-peer program will allow for a unique will allow for a unique opportunity to support opportunity to support emancipated youth emancipated youth financially by providing financially by providing them an employment them an employment opportunity. opportunity.

Dwight Stuart Fund: The Dwight Stuart Fund: The five core values of the five core values of the foundation are courage, foundation are courage, integrity, respect, integrity, respect, innovation, and innovation, and responsiveness. Their responsiveness. Their four areas of funding are four areas of funding are education enrichment, education enrichment, mentoring, leadership, mentoring, leadership, and school readiness.and school readiness.

An extensive Internet An extensive Internet search was used based on search was used based on the proposed population the proposed population and geographic specificity and geographic specificity of the program.of the program.

MethodsMethods

BudgetBudget Salaries and wages for:Salaries and wages for:

Program CoordinatorProgram Coordinator Peer Mentors (4)Peer Mentors (4)

Total Wages and Salaries: $325,000Total Wages and Salaries: $325,000

Other Operating Expenses: $3,500Other Operating Expenses: $3,500

In-Kind Donations: $11,000In-Kind Donations: $11,000

Total Requested from funding source: Total Requested from funding source: $332,000$332,000

Grant ProposalGrant Proposal

The ConnectionThe Connection is is a peer mentor a peer mentor support group for support group for and by foster youth.and by foster youth.

Current foster youth Current foster youth from Lakewood CA. from Lakewood CA. will be served by the will be served by the peer mentor group.peer mentor group.

A combination of A combination of federal, state, federal, state, local, and private local, and private funding sources funding sources must be explored must be explored to sustain future to sustain future funding for funding for program.program.

Grant ProposalGrant ProposalGoalsGoals To provide current foster youth with To provide current foster youth with

new resourcesnew resources To provide foster youth with a To provide foster youth with a

mentoring relationshipmentoring relationship Help program participant create Help program participant create

realistic educational goalsrealistic educational goals

EvaluationEvaluation Feedback forms and focus groupsFeedback forms and focus groups

Lessons learnedLessons learned The grant writer was able to combine The grant writer was able to combine

passion for foster youth with knowledge passion for foster youth with knowledge and skills acquired through academic and skills acquired through academic and professional experience. and professional experience.

Research on resilience in foster youth Research on resilience in foster youth was conducted and there was a wealth was conducted and there was a wealth of literature on factors that contribute to of literature on factors that contribute to resilience in foster youth. resilience in foster youth.

Social workers must continue to strive to Social workers must continue to strive to find new ways of promoting resilience in find new ways of promoting resilience in foster youth.foster youth.

ReferencesReferences Capuzzi, D., & Gross, D.R. (2008). Capuzzi, D., & Gross, D.R. (2008). Youth at risk: A Youth at risk: A

prevention resource for counselors, teachers, and parentsprevention resource for counselors, teachers, and parents (5th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.(5th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.

Cochrane, D., & Szabo-Kubitz, L. (2009). Cochrane, D., & Szabo-Kubitz, L. (2009). Hopes and hurdles: Hopes and hurdles: California foster youth and college financial aid. California foster youth and college financial aid. Retrieved Retrieved from ERIC database.from ERIC database. (ED509352)(ED509352)

Krinsky, M. (2007). A case for reform of the child welfare Krinsky, M. (2007). A case for reform of the child welfare system. system. Family Court ReviewFamily Court Review, , 4545(4), 541-547(4), 541-547

Magruder, J., & Shaw, T.V. (2008). Children ever in care: Magruder, J., & Shaw, T.V. (2008). Children ever in care: An examination of cumulative disproportionality. An examination of cumulative disproportionality. Child Child Welfare, 87Welfare, 87(2), 169-188.(2), 169-188.

Zastrow, C. & Kirst-Ashman, K. (2007). Zastrow, C. & Kirst-Ashman, K. (2007). Understanding Understanding human behavior and social environmenthuman behavior and social environment. Belmont, CA: . Belmont, CA: Thompson Brooks/Cole.Thompson Brooks/Cole.