Employment Readiness

Many young adults who age out foster care find themselves ill-prepared for entering the workforce.

Turning 18 marks the beginning of legal adulthood and independence, making it an important birthday for many teenagers. For many foster youth, however, turning 18 also marks their emancipation from the foster care system. Many young adults that age out of the foster care system find themselves alone in the world without support or guidance from family members and often without a plan for how they will manage the many challenges of day to day life.

Did you know…

Only half of former foster youth will be employed at age 24?

Throughout their adult life, former foster youth face increased rates of unemployment, homelessness, incarceration, and other adverse situations. Foster youth often lack the skills and support needed to find and hold jobs. Moreover, youth raised in foster care are less likely to have graduated from high school or college, resulting in diminished opportunities for earning living wages and having successful careers in the workforce.

How Urban unity is helping prepare current and former foster youth for a brighter future

Urban Unity has partnered with local and statewide businesses in the Detroit area to provide foster youth and young adults raised in foster care with life skills and job training to better prepare them for entering the workforce. Urban Unity will work with businesses and community organizations to initiate job shadowing and internship programs for young adults ages 16-24 who were raised in foster care.