Youth Perspective
Blog

By APetite1 — Dec 9, 2018

Tristan knows the power of sharing your story. As a young trans man, he spent nine months in the foster care system and faced many adverse experiences because of his identity. As a FosterClub Young Leader and a strong advocate for LGBTQ... Read more

Tagged:
LGBTQ youth
Youth Perspective
Blog

By Celeste — Dec 7, 2018

Timothy, a student and case worker in Knoxville Tennessee, is a FosterClub young leader and foster care alumni who shares his story to advocate for life-changing policies to support LGBTQ foster youth. Timothy bravely shared his story with our... Read more

Youth Perspective
Blog

By ashleyatfosterclub — Oct 9, 2018

Kodi Baughman The importance of connection For me, it was really important to stay connected to my mom. My dad was incarcerated and out of the picture early on, so the only parent I was able to form a close bond with was my mom. My... Read more

Tagged:
Family relationships
Well-being
Youth Perspective
Blog

By guzman.aleea — Sep 11, 2018

Education is very important to me in order to move ahead in life. Not just get by, but to really succeed. My senior year I had to apply for colleges and make sure I was going to graduate. When it came down to clearance, I went to all my classes to... Read more

Tagged:
Education
Youth Perspective
Blog

By Laticia — Sep 11, 2018

I attribute my life and success to an important provision granting Medicaid to former foster youth (FFY) until they reach age 26. Maslow proposed that if basic physiological needs like air, water, sleep, and shelter aren’t met, it can be hard to... Read more

Tagged:
Health care
Youth Perspective
Blog

By joe18 — Sep 10, 2018

What is the epidemic of homelessness? Why does it seem it is affecting so many people? For me, it is as simple and as complicated as spending every last dollar only to bounce from couch to couch. Then, spending all my time and resources worrying... Read more

Tagged:
Homelessness
Housing
Jobs
Youth Perspective
Blog

By ShelliG99 — Sep 10, 2018

In my childhood and early adolescence I had never had a supportive person that gave me hope or encouragement. Throughout my life I had heard horror stories of foster care. It was something I feared more than the situation I was in with my own family... Read more

Tagged:
Family relationships
Permanence
Youth Perspective
Blog

By Catherine — Sep 6, 2018

This year, 2018, I was chosen to attend and represent FosterClub at Daniel Memorial’s 31st Annual National Independent Living Conference in San Antonio, Texas. During my All-Star internship, I had come to recognize Seaside, Oregon as home. It was... Read more

Tagged:
Transition (aging out)
Youth Perspective
Blog

By shannonsymonds — Aug 30, 2018

Just ask Google. Youth share everything everywhere. I chat, post, blog, and message. When we want to know something, we google, Facebook, and search. Every bill I have, my work, my education, and everything I care about is in my back pocket on my... Read more

Tagged:
Health care
Youth Perspective
Blog

By APetite1 — Aug 20, 2018

Two members of the National Foster Youth and Alumni Policy Council traveled to Denver in mid- July, connecting with state legislators for the National Conference of State Legislatures first ever Child Welfare Fellows Program. Kodi Baughman and... Read more