Mentoring initiative provides hope for foster youth

Within the first two years of a foster child leaving the child welfare system, 25 percent will be incarcerated; 20 percent will become homeless.

Compared to 87 percent of the general population, only 58 percent complete high school. Only 3 percent earn college degrees, compared to 28 percent of the general population.

Seeing these statistics, compliments of a 2004 Pew Commission report, and understanding the importance to provide hope to foster youth who are about to emancipate from the system, several interested parties united to form The Higher Education Mentoring Initiative (HEMI).

The idea behind the pilot program, which is led by JFS, Hamilton County Commissioners and the University of Cincinnati, is to reduce delinquency and help prepare foster children for post-secondary education. The partnership also includes Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and Great Oaks Career Campuses.

"This program is a direct investment in the future success of our greater community," Hamilton County Commissioner Greg Hartmann said. "Our goal is to reduce the number of foster youth who drop out of high school; increase the number who apply to and pursue higher education and set foster youth on a path to successful careers and sustainable income."

National studies show 70 percent of foster youth want to go to college. But for most, it will never happen. A Casey Foundation study estimates less than 13 percent will actually enroll in college; only 2-3 percent will obtain bachelor’s degrees.

"Without this kind of mentoring program this population of children is at a substantially higher risk to a number of other problems," JFS Director Moira Weir said. "It is very tough for an 18-year-old to make wise choices without a family for guidance and financial support to assist them. Higher education provides them with a much healthier and self-sustaining alternative."

HEMI seeks to help foster youth graduate from high school and transition to higher learning by supporting them with a mentor and financial assistance. The pilot program will target foster youth who are entering their senior year of high school and are expected to graduate in 2010. The program will pair these approximately 25 foster children with a mentor from the community at the start of their senior year. After the initial pilot year, the goal of the program is to begin to work with foster children earlier in their high school experience.

UC will provide additional support through social work students and an on-campus liaison to foster children. The initiative will also seek a pool of available funds to help support the academic and life needs of foster children as they progress through the higher education experience. Private businesses will be asked to provide both mentoring and financial support. 

The mentors will assist, encourage and support academic achievement in high school, as well as post-secondary education. The mentoring relationship will be formal, with results tracked and measured. Mentors will be asked to commit at least two hours per week of personal interaction to each mentee. They’ll also be asked to be available for additional contact via telephone, e-mail, texting, etc. And, once a month, they will attend a monthly HEMI social activity. Mentors will be required to keep a contact log.

To prepare the mentors, a one-time six-hour training will be devised, along with a three-hour quarterly training.  All mentors will undergo complete background checks to ensure the safety of mentees. 

"We are extremely excited about this initiative and the long-term impact it can have on our children," Weir said.