It’s easy to take for granted the role of mentorship in the early stages of life. For people who have always had supportive figures in their lives, it might not be obvious just how important those people have been in paving the way for future successes. Young people in foster care, however, don’t have that type of advantage and are often searching for someone to lead them. Does the Independent Living Program in California provide that type of guidance and support? Let’s take a closer look below. 

Some Fundamental Similarities | Independent Living Program in California

The Independent Living Program in California is not the same thing as the transitional housing program, and we’ll talk about the differences below. To start, however, we should highlight the fact that both of these programs provide young people leaving the foster system with a place to live, and that’s an important benefit that can’t be taken for granted. Transitioning into adult life is difficult for everyone, and the challenge is multiplied many times over for those who are coming out of the foster system. So, knowing that they will have a place to live while they work on other parts of life is a wonderful opportunity. 

Tapping into the Mentorship of Transitional Housing

While it’s true that the Independent Living Program in California provides valuable housing, it doesn’t check many of the other boxes for services that young people in this situation need to receive. In terms of supervision and mentorship, it’s really the transitional housing program that shines. With THP, young people will get support from two social workers. Those professionals will offer advice and guidance on many life skills like shopping, budgeting, education, employment, and more. It’s this invaluable help that makes THP so much more useful than ILP, and it is the best place for any young person to start who is making the shift from life as a foster child out into the adult world. 

If you are eligible for the transitional housing program and interested in learning more, apply now. If you want to become a mentor for the young adults in the THP program, contact Children First Foster Family Agency.

Children First FFA is a private, non-profit organization in Northern California that is dedicated to helping change lives by providing a safe place for children to heal in a culture of love, acceptance, and consistency.