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Our focus is on vulnerable youth. Although there are as many definitions of vulnerable youth as there are organizations serving them, we prefer a very simple
definition. Vulnerable youth face a questionable and uncertain future because they are ill prepared or incapable in their present circumstances of reaching their
full potential.
Vulnerable youth are not only those leaving a public system (foster care, juvenile justice or welfare), they may also be homeless, out of school, have an abusive
parent or even an incarcerated parent. Many youth are simply disconnected from mainstream society, floundering in personal relationships and, with no direction or
guidance, they possess no hope for the future. Signs of vulnerability can be identified in a lack of respect for authority figures, academic failure, low commitment
to school, absenteeism and desire to drop out.
Youth in Transition
The transitions from childhood to adolescence and from adolescence into young adulthood are often fraught with difficulties. Offering young people opportunities
that develop the skills necessary to overcome obstacles enables them to build a record of success and to create meaningful choices for themselves.
All youth, no matter how far off course they have gone, have the ability to turn their lives around. What is needed is support that is delivered consistently,
comprehensively and in ways that involve youth themselves in the process. As apparent from our past grants, the foundation works to fulfill its mission in many ways.
Emphasis is placed on youth in the age range of 12 to 25.
The relevant inquiry is, “What does it take to ensure a successful transition through adolescence into young adulthood?” The foundation looks favorably upon
organizations that solicit input and guidance from the youth they serve in developing the programs and activities that will prepare them to confidently meet life's
challenges.
The foundation’s current priorities are as follows:
- Foster Care
The foundation will work proactively to build a strong foster care system for Hillsborough, Pinellas and Brevard counties and for the state of Florida.
The foundation will support the reworking of the foster care system and create a continuum in which youth are physically and emotionally safe and have their needs met
in a timely manner at every stage of their development so that older foster youth are prepared to transition to independence.
Support and expand services for children entering or at risk of entering the foster care system.
All foster youth, foster parents and families have an informed voice in decisions that impact their lives.
Investment Activities:
- Replicate Connected by 25 project is geographic priorities and state wide
- Support advocacy and programs that enhance youth services in education, workforce development, asset development, life skill development and housing.
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- Juvenile Justice
The foundation will work proactively to promote and provide better care for delinquent youth.
With a combination of advocacy and traditional grantmaking, the foundation supports systemic change to ensure that youth are properly assessed and placed, receive
effective treatments and are able to return to their communities to pursue meaningful educational and vocational opportunities. Public funds shall be redirected to
support changes promoted by the foundation as the knowledge of effective system reform is disseminated. This will be achieved through relationships with local and
national partners. Geographic priority areas will be scanned for opportunistic grantmaking that promote the foundation’s values and reform principles.
Juvenile Justice Intervention and Treatment
An opportunity to channel positively – through diversion, assessment and treatment – the life path of youth who are likely or have come into contact with the
juvenile justice system.
Investment Activities:
- Amend zero-tolerance practices that send youth into the juvenile justice system for misbehavior.
- Promote policies recognizing that public safety is best served by effectively addressing the issues that led to criminal activity and by providing youth in trouble the right service at the right time.
- Expand community-based interventions and division services, including emphasis on civil citation option approach, 985.301, Florida Statutes.
- Provide evidence-based, gender-appropriate treatment, including mental health and substance abuse, for youth in juvenile justice programs.
- Ensure appropriate aftercare services to reduce recidivism and transition youth to education or job programs.
- Recognize that mental health and drug issues are most effectively addressed outside the juvenile justice system.
- Promote quality juvenile justice programs through incentives to use evidence-based interventions and stop funding programs which consistently fail to perform.
- Juvenile justice public policy should be clear that every possible community-based intervention must occur before a decision is made to place a child in the juvenile justice system. (addressing funding and processes)
- Alignment and integration of services must occur within juvenile justice and child welfare agencies serving at-risk children.
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- Replication
The foundation will seek to replicate programs that have been created or funded in the past and provide leadership tools and strategies for sustainability. The foundation
will continue to adhere to the grantmaking philosophy of promoting “what works.” All grants shall reflect a systematic look at evidence from previous attempts to solve
problems and then borrow, build on, combine or adopt that success to a particular situation, location and budget. Programs started or substantially supported by the
foundation will be strategically and opportunistically reproduced. In other instances, a proven strategy will have been exported to new location. All work would have
been supported by appropriate investments in advocacy and communication.
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- Education
The foundation seeks to support educational and nontraditional opportunities for youth and families. Currently such support is in the following areas:
The foundation explores educational opportunities for youth and families through its Scholarship Initiative so that through a combination of guidance and self-determination,
grantees are given the ability to enable their participants to take advantage of the full spectrum of possibilities that spring from education. Regular contact with
grantees affords the foundation the nimble flexibility needed to adjust to changing needs. The definition of “education” shall be flexible and considered by the board
regularly.
- Scholarships.
- Out-of-school activities.
- Vocational education.
- Alternative education/dropout prevention.
- Advocacy
The foundation has influenced and changed political structures through advocacy.
The foundation will adhere to the strategic principles of advocacy which hold that lasting change occurs when public opinion and policymakers are persuaded through a
process of communication that is strategic and long term. Advocacy will touch all elements of our grantmaking portfolio and initiatives.
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