Project Proposal- revised.

Project Proposal

What:

A gala event in order to raise funds for establishing a program (Teens Changing Their Tomorrow) to help foster teens. The fundraising event would be open to attorneys, the general public, charity groups, and anyone otherwise interested in the cause. It would be a formal event for adults only. Food, drink, dancing, access to auction and bidding would be available through purchase of a ticket. It would be organized similarly to HTHNC's first faces of the future.

The Need:

As of 2005 513,000 children were in the U.S. Foster care system. Since then however that number has only grown. Children are placed in foster care either due to parental abuse or neglect. Each year an estimated 20,000 people “age out” of the U.S. Foster system. Once a teenager is of legal age they are no longer covered by foster care regardless if they still need the help or not.

An 18 year old that has just aged out of the foster care system can have nowhere to go. This can result in homelessness, substance abuse, and other abominable options. 25% of teenagers that age out of the foster care system become homeless. 37% of foster youth 17-20 don't complete high school or receive a ged. And only 2% receive a Bachelors degree.

There are programs out there to assist foster youth but they are misdirected or not extensive enough. The main program that supports foster kids in transition is the Chafee Act that was passed by The Late Senator John Chafee. Also known as the Foster Care Independence act of 1999 it provides 140 million in funding for the cause. The funding provides mentoring,employment preparation, mental health serviced, life skills classes, and medicaid. Although the package sounds promising and helpful. Only about 2/5ths of foster youth actually receive independent living services. Although the budget is 140 million that actually translates to 1,400 per eligible youth, which is not near enough to provide all those services or even ensure that they are all pertinent and work.

Some youth are returned to their families after being in the foster care system for some time. Those teens usually are lacking dependable adults with whom they have connections with, “mentors”. These teenagers can be the most vulnerable as they are thrust back into their tumultuous histories expected to move forward. At times, however this doesn't quite work out as planned and teenagers find themselves in need of another place to stay. There are also those who run away from foster care before they 'age out' are also at risk youth.

Goal:

The goal is to raise money and awareness for the cause. Teens Changing Their Tomorrow (TCTT) will focus on teens in the system, so as to get to them and prepare them for whats coming before it actually hits them. These teens are the ones most at risk. If we can prepare the teens that are about to “age out” of the system before they are confronted, we could be enabled to start breaking the downward spiral. TCTT would include life skills, mentoring, peer counseling etc.

Details:

The details as to location and how much money we intend to pull in for Teens Changing Their Tomorrow are still pending. It is hoped that the gala can be pulled off through donations and volunteers. The money will go to establishing a summer program (day camp) on campus or at a similar location. This day camp will be open to foster teens in the North County Area. In addition to the life skills program there would be focus on team building, relationships, and friendships. The program would roughly be 2 weeks. It would be run by motivated HTHNC juniors that wish to help. Community service would be offered.

Although this is the 'revised' version of my project proposal, it could change at anytime.