Community Builders Alliance Inc’s Post

Youth aging out of foster care face major hurdles, such as unstable housing, limited education and employment #opportunities, and health challenges. Without support, many are at risk of homelessness or justice system involvement. This article outlines theses obstacles and why support is crucial for their success! https://lnkd.in/e6KtS46E

Have you ever considered the unique challenges single parents face in finding affordable, stable housing? 🏠🤔 Secure dwellings are essential, yet, in areas like Brooklyn Heights, options are limited and costly. A dedicated single father recently transformed a compact row house into a functional family home, maximising every inch of space! It highlights the creative solutions necessary when balancing parental duties, budget limitations and personal growth on a single income.🚸💼📈 Such innovative housing solutions can be game-changing! As businesses and organizations, we can help enable such transformations. Can we help address these overlooked pain points? Let's reflect on our social responsibility initiatives. Perhaps we can contribute differently?🤝 If you're curious to know more about supporting single parents, reach out to us 📲 at CBA Louisiana. You will find lots of useful information: https://lnkd.in/gvSp_HKx And, don’t forget to follow 👍 and like ❤️ us on social media to stay updated. Just a simple act of interaction can help raise awareness and reach more people! 🌍🤗 #SingleParentsSupport #AffordableHousing #CommunityBuilders #CBAHousing #ShreveportHousing #LouisianaCommunity #HousingForAll #SupportSingleParents #CommunityDevelopment #BuildingBetterFutures #ShreveportStrong #TogetherWeBuild.

Interesting read 📚

In 2021, it was estimated that 77 percent of eligible youth in foster care aged 14 to 21 left care without receiving federally funded services to prepare them for adulthood and independent living. Providing preventative and supportive care to foster youth can significantly reduce the number of them who become involved in the criminal justice system and experience homelessness after emancipation. Learn more about this issue at https://bit.ly/3JxYKk1.

A report released by the RAND Corporation this week further underscores the extreme housing precarity Los Angeles County #fosteryouth face. Researchers surveyed 399 transition-aged youth experiencing #homelessness ages 18-25. Of that sample, 36% reported #fostercare involvement. What is so striking is that – even among peers experiencing homelessness – current and former foster youth face greater struggles. Here is what stood out to me: - 21% of foster youth in the survey reported being homeless for more than 36 months, 5% higher than non foster care-involved homeless youth. That’s three years... by age 25.  - Youth with foster care involvement reported much higher rates of being parents: 26% compared to 12%.  - 37% of youth with foster care involvement in the study reported juvenile justice involvement compared to 10% of the youth experiencing homelessness who hadn’t experienced foster care. This research is an important addition to our understanding of the pernicious and ultimately preventable foster care to homelessness in Los Angeles County. Now let's get to fixing it. Thank you to the researchers – Sarah Hunter, Joan Tucker, Jason Ward and Rick Garvey – for conducting this research, and to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation for funding it. https://lnkd.in/gwbCWqGH

I want to talk about an issue that came to light recently: NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard) and how it negatively impacts the development of new children's homes and supported living accommodations. When local residents are informed of a planning application for a new children's home or supported living home they often have a knee jerk reaction and oppose it due to fears about property values, safety, and community disruption. While these concerns are understandable, they are unjustified. They don't realise that these homes are just like any other home in terms of outward appearance and the people living there. They are either children who are at risk of neglect or abuse if they were to remain with their family or adults who need support to carry out normal daily activities. Importantly they aren't 'care homes' as no personal care is provided. They look like normal family homes and there are no more incidents of safety or community disruption than any house on the street. The reality is that opposition from neighbours often causes delays or blocks essential services for vulnerable children and adults who desperately need safe and supportive environments. The Reality: Delayed Services: Opposition can cause significant delays, preventing children and adults from accessing the care they need. Increased Costs: Prolonged planning battles increase costs for local authorities and care providers. Community Division: NIMBYism fosters exclusion rather than inclusion. Why Support These Homes? Safety and Stability: They provide crucial safety and stability for those who can't live with their families. Specialized Support: Staff are trained to meet complex needs. Community Integration: These homes help integrate vulnerable individuals into the community, enhancing social cohesion. Let's approach this with empathy and support the creation of inclusive, supportive communities. Say Yes In My Backyard (#YIMBY) and help make a difference. #NIMBY #CommunitySupport #ChildrensHomes #SupportedLiving #InclusiveCommunities #SocialImpact

As National Social Work Month comes to an end, let's reflect on what we've learned. Hopefully, you know a little more about social work than you did at the beginning of February. But let's not end here. Social work is an integral part of our society, helping to play a crucial role in child protection, investigating allegations of abuse or neglect, providing support to families in crisis, and facilitating foster care and adoption services when necessary. #SocialWorkOpensDoors by connecting community members to the right services, resources, and people they need. So, let's keep the conversation going! Drop a comment below and share what National Social Work Month has taught you.

🌟 Supporting Families Through Care: A Commitment to Better Choice Group Homes 🌟 At Better Choice Group Homes, we understand that family is at the heart of care. Providing a nurturing environment for our residents involves more than just meeting their physical needs; it’s about fostering strong connections and support for families as well. We’re dedicated to creating a holistic approach to care that empowers families. By offering resources, communication channels, and community engagement, we ensure that families feel valued and involved in the care journey of their loved ones. 💬 Why is Family Care Support Important? 1. Stronger Connections: Encouraging family involvement helps build trust and enhances the emotional well-being of our residents. 2. Tailored Care: Input from families allows us to provide personalized care that meets the unique needs of each individual. 3. Empowerment: Providing families with tools and support fosters resilience and understanding. We believe that a collaborative approach not only enriches the lives of our residents but also strengthens the community as a whole. Let’s continue to work together to create a brighter future for everyone involved! #FamilyCare #BetterChoiceGroupHomes #CommunitySupport #HolisticCare #Empowerment

📊 Did You Know? Nearly 20,000 young adults age out of the foster care system each year in the United States alone, facing immediate challenges such as homelessness, unemployment, and lack of education. 🏠💼📚 This startling statistic highlights the urgent need for comprehensive support systems to assist these individuals as they transition into independence. At Unlimited Potential NFP, we're committed to breaking these cycles through targeted programs designed to empower, educate, and uplift. Together, we can change these numbers and transform futures. Join us in making a difference. Learn more about how you can help at unlimitedpotentialnfp.org. 🌟 #FosterCareAwareness #ChangeTheStats #Empowerment #EducationFirst #EndYouthHomelessness #SupportSystems #MakeADifference

Our first of two reports on understanding the needs of transition aged youth (18-25) who are unstably housed in Los Angeles County was released last week. Of the nearly 400 youth that we surveyed, more than one third told us that they had foster care system involvement. While respondents reported significant barriers to successfully transitioning to adulthood, such as a lack of education, barriers were often worse among youth with foster system care involvement. Although family reunification, adoption, and legal guardianship are upheld as positive outcomes for foster care-involved youth, many youth who experienced these outcomes were unstably housed, indicating that additional supports may be needed. Despite these barriers, 95% of respondents expressed interest in becoming housed, over 60% were not in school but planned to attend, and nearly one-half were unemployed but actively looking for work. Several housing options, including shared housing, were perceived as acceptable. These results are encouraging because they suggest that, with the right level of support, this population is motivated to successfully transition and become stably housed.  Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gc3fnuvu #homelessness #fosteryouth