Non Profit Spotlight:
Each month we post a wish list for a different organization in town.
It is our hope that people in the community who see this list might be able to help meet these needs in some way. If you have a wish list you would like posted, please send us an email with your attached wish list. If everyone gives just a little, we can help others.
Inspire Life Skills Training
Inspire Life Skills Training, Inc. exists to mentor and train former foster youth to become self sufficient, responsible, and to make positive life choices.
Philosophy:
Foster youth who are aging out of the foster care system have higher rates of being undereducated, underemployed and becoming homeless. These teenagers often find themselves instantly on their own with no housing or support from family or community. Without mentoring and motivation, most former foster youth find themselves homeless, pregnant, on drugs, or in jail. Currently, less than 10% of former foster youth attend college. They are in need of educational and employment guidance as well as life skills training and affordable housing. By providing these services, Inspire seeks to assist these youth in overcoming their past and gain the skills and support needed to choose a positive and rewarding future.
Statement of Program Objectives:
Inspire Life Skills Training, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides housing assistance, life skills training, and education and employment support for youth aging-out of the foster care system. Participants in the program live independently, participate in individual and group life skills instruction, and receive counseling, healthcare access and mentoring. All programs are designed to assist the youth in achieving emancipation, education and employment goals.
- Currently there are 11 young women and 3 young men in the program.
- They must attend college or vocational school full time and work part time.
- We offer safe, stable housing, personal mentoring, professional counseling, education and employment support and life skills classes.
- 50% of foster youth become homeless when they age out at 18 and less than 6% attend college.
- We receive no government funds and rely on donations from the community, businesses and our fundraising efforts.
- We believe education is the key to breaking the cylce of abuse and neglect in these foster kids families.
How Can You Help?
Mentoring:Do you want to make a direct impact on one of our former foster youth? You will have the opportunity to work directly with a youth on his/her goals in these areas:
- educational
- occupational
- personal
Your challenge will be to encourage the youth to stay motivated to reach his/her goals. You will foster a safe outlet for communication as they transition into adulthood.
Life Skills:
Do you have a special skill or a passion that you would want to teach the youth? If so, please be a guest speaker for one of our Life Skills Training sessions. Examples are:
- health education
- budgeting
- resume writing
- interviewing skills
- computer skills
- time management
- interpersonal communication
- conflict resolution
- sewing
- cooking
Please contact us if you'd like to get invloved and/or donate to this worthy organization.
Read Past Non-Profit Profiles:
