Download or read book The Social Capital Former Foster Youth Need to Access and Persist Through Community College written by Celedonio Jr De Leon and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Brief Literature Review Of approximately 300,000 former foster youth between the ages of 18 and 25, about half obtain a high school diploma (Emerson, 2007). Aside from trauma or abuse, various factors stand in the way of their academic success. Of the 150,000 former foster youth who do graduate from high school, only about 30,000 actually attend college or a university (Wolanin, 2005). This population continues to age out of the system and is unprepared for independent living. There is a smaller percentage of former foster youth persisting through college and obtaining a college degree as compared to the general population (Casey Family Program, 2011). Statement of the Problem In efforts to support future former foster youth access and persistence through community college, this study examined what types of social capital contribute to a former foster youth's ability to access and persist through community college. The following questions were addressed: 1. How do former foster youth define the social capital that influenced them to access and persist through community college? 2. What types of social capital should be enhanced upon acceptance to community college? 3. In what ways can former foster youth independently gain the social capital needed to access and persist through community college? Methodology The researcher utilized a survey aimed at capturing the experiences and knowledge of former foster youth currently attending community college with regard to the social capital that assisted them to access and persist through community college. The author examined the types of social capital identified by former foster youth to determine common themes and specific sources of social capital. Conclusions and Recommendations This study concluded that former foster youth benefit from various sources of social capital within their network consisting of educational and child welfare supports. Through mentoring relationships and institutional support, former foster youth gather social capital that allows them the insight and knowledge to access and remain enrolled in college.
Download or read book A Million Piece Jigsaw Puzzle written by and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A college education offers people social and economic benefits, yet youth from foster care backgrounds are less likely than their peers to attain a college education, which places this already vulnerable population at higher risk for a lifetime of living on the margins of society. Foster alumni face multiple obstacles to accessing and persisting in higher education. To facilitate and support the success of this frequently overlooked population, professionals in higher education need to understand these obstacles. Little is known about the experiences of youth with foster care backgrounds as they transition into and through higher education. Although existing research has reported the academic, health, and social effects of having been in foster care, little is known about why foster alumni do not persist in higher education. This study used student-development theory, specifically Schlossberg's transition theory, Tinto's theory of student departure, and Bourdieu's work on social and cultural capital to provide a conceptual framework through which to view the lived experiences of youth with foster care backgrounds. Because, for many youths with foster care backgrounds, the pathway to the baccalaureate degree is through a community college, this study examined and explored the transition experiences of foster alumni about to begin or currently enrolled at an Oregon Community College. The study explored the factors that challenge and facilitate foster alumni persistence towards the attainment of a college degree.
Download or read book An Examination of the Educational Trajectory of Foster Care Alumni Regarding the Social Capital Held by Their Foster Parents written by Adina N. Lundy (Ed.D. candidate at the University of Hartford) and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the educational trajectory of foster care alumni regarding the social capital held by their foster parents as it relates to college access by employing the framework advanced by Perna and Titus (2005) which was based on Bourdieu and Passeron (1990). This age group was chosen because despite educational reform interventions within k-12, a college readiness gap remains (Choy, 2002). The college journey starts as early as grade school, a time in which remedial limitations may be diagnosed and addressed. Research by Reed (1996) showed that 17% of foster children require remedial instruction at the grade school level but fail to be diagnosed as a result of poor agency coordination. As a society we have, by default, consented to the removal of children from their biological homes. The foster home, therefore, is tasked with providing a nurturing setting that is an improvement from the biological home setting from which the child is removed. The foster parent, then, should engage in behavior change interventions that can be observed in the school setting, take corrective action when poor agency coordination occurs, expedite the individual education plan, encourage the foster child and monetize materials of value for the child for the duration that the child remains in placement. This study addressed a gap in the literature by evaluating intelligence from foster care alumni. Educational advocacy, by the foster parent, on behalf of the foster child is a prerequisite if foster youth are to meet benchmarks that indicate long term survival. Foster youth reported the lack of long-term adult support as a barrier to persistence in education. Employing the conceptual framework of Perna and Titus (2005) this study examined what foster alumni reported regarding the social capital held by their foster caregivers as it related to college access.
Download or read book A Heuristic Exploration of Social Capital as an Inductive Vehicle written by Claudia Garcia and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 578 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: This qualitative research focused on the type of support that influenced college enrolled former foster youth's educational decision making from the perspective of the youth. The research data was collected via participant interviews that were recorded and transcribed. The data was analyzed to identify themes that related to social capital formation and emancipated foster youth's college enrollment. The research results revealed that foster youth need interventions that will address their decision to decline emancipation services that promote their higher education enrollment. Further exploration within this subject matter is needed to better understand the subject matter and supplement the empirical literature that guides the professionals that provide services to foster youth.
Download or read book From Foster Care to College written by Royel M. Johnson and published by Teachers College Press. This book was released on 2024-10 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do youth placed in foster care aspire to and access college? This book chronicles the lives and experiences of 47 college students navigating the challenging terrain of the United States’ foster care system. Through insightful, in-depth interviews, Johnson offers insight into the harsh realities of how our nationÕs education, welfare, and other social systems often intertwine in ways that diminish the potential and opportunities for these young people. Yet amidst the adversities, these stories resonate with themes of hope, resistance, and possibility. Guided by resilience theory and other asset-based concepts, Johnson sheds light on the protective mechanisms that enable postsecondary access and success, even in the face of towering barriers. Beyond exposition, this book is a clarion call to educators, school and university leaders, and child welfare champions to stand tall and act decisively. The goal? To transform the precarious circumstances of young people in foster care, and dismantle the obstacles that thwart their educational pursuits and dreams. Book Features: Employs critical and asset-based theories and concepts that recognize the agencies, desires, and possibilities of youth in foster care.Brings attention to the intersectionality of identities and social structures that shape students’ educational pathways.Identifies system failures across education and child welfare sectors and how they interact with one another.Presents findings from empirical research about risks and protective factors that influence success at critical junctures along the college-going pipeline.Offers recommendations for various stakeholders who seek to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of youth in foster care.
Download or read book The Perspectives of Former Foster Youth About University Supports written by Jamila Aisha Salisberry and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study examined the obstacles former foster youth faced during their undergraduate years at two highly selective public institutions in Southern California and the supports they say their universities provided to help them persist toward graduation. Former foster youth graduate college at a rate much lower than non-former foster youth. Extant literature around former foster youth focuses on poor outcomes such as homelessness and low academic achievement common to this population; however, the purpose of this was to discover what former foster youth say helped them to obtain their bachelor's degrees. The theoretical framework for this study was a framework of equity wherein I argued that the former foster youth's colleges were responsible for providing services to meet this population's personal and academic needs to remove any barriers to college completion. I used a phenomenological qualitative research design for this study and conducted hour-long interviews with 12 former foster youth--seven college graduates and five graduating seniors. The findings indicate that former foster youth encounter obstacles such as trouble with transferring from community colleges, mental health problems and financial struggles. According to the former foster youth of this study, key people, programs and financial aid were on-campus supports that helped them persist through their undergraduate years. The data imply that there is still a need for more tutoring and career development opportunities for this population. Overall, these twelve former foster youth tended to have positive perceptions of earning their bachelor's degrees and seemed to be resourceful in finding on-campus solutions to problems despite some barriers that proved to be ongoing obstacles. In light of the findings from this research study, educational leaders should provide consistent funding for services for former foster youth and former foster youth liaisons should implement new programming to meet former foster youth's needs as they arise.
Download or read book Strengthening Social Networks of Youth Aging Out of Foster Care written by Rachel Rosenberg and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 159 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the transition to adulthood, youth often rely on the people in their life for support. However, for transition-aged foster youth, these supports may not be available or may look different than supports available to youth in the general population. Relationships with supportive adults have been found to help former foster youth transition to adulthood, but little is known about the adults youth have in their network. Foster youth who report increased levels of social capital have been shown to experience higher levels of success in young adulthood. However, as former foster youth transition to adulthood, a lack of in-depth understanding of supportive adults and social networks creates difficulties identifying--and addressing--potential gaps in their social network. This study aims to gain a better understanding of how social networks influence social support and access to and mobilization of social capital as youth leave the foster care system. A social network assessment based on two existing measures was created to attain a better understanding of the social networks of transition-aged foster youth. The new social network tool was piloted with a group of young adults prior to use in this study. This social network tool allowed for an in-depth understanding of social networks, social support, and social capital as three distinct constructs. The social network characteristics included: on whom the youth relies for support, how the relationship developed, and the closeness of the relationship. Social support included: questions on the type of support available to youth (resources, emotional, advice, or constructive criticism), as well as the social support domains (housing, education, employment, relationships, and transportation). Social capital was examined based on questions about network members' occupation(s) and frequency of communication between the youth and each network member. Univariate, Bivariate, and Multivariate analyses were utilized to examine social network characteristics, foster care history, social support, and social capital. The mean network size of sample participants was 7.1 and the range was 0--36. A relationship between placement type and social network members was found; indicating that youth in congregate care were more likely to have formal (social service related) networks than youth not in congregate care. A relationship between having more informal network members and housing stability was found; indicating that different network members may help youth with different young adult outcomes. A relationship between both access to, and mobilization of, social capital was found based on the type of social network members (formal, informal, familial-biological, familial-foster). Based on the findings of the current study, research and practice implications are discussed. These include the utility of social network analysis with transition-aged foster youth, future lines of inquiry, and suggested practice/policy shifts.
Download or read book Service and Program Needs to Support Foster Students Attending Community College written by Chau Phuong Nguyen Dao and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is little doubt that educational outcome for students who experience foster care is far below those of the general student population and that they may be disproportionately impacted by college practices, programs or services. In California over 50,000 children and youths are in out of home placements. It is estimated that approximately 12,000 current and former foster youth are enrolled in California's community college system at any one time. Children enter the foster care system as a result of extreme abuse or neglect inflicted upon them by their biological family. In California, only about one third of the cases where there is a substantiated report of abuse or neglect result in removal from the home, meaning that these are the most severe and difficult cases of maltreatment and neglect. This experience is then often compounded by the circumstances these children face upon entry into the foster care system. Once in the system, many experience multiple placements that require frequent moves from home to home and may also result in multiple forced school changes and consequent social and academic challenges. By age 24, foster youth experience significantly poorer education outcomes than the general population (Courtney et al., 2011). Increased educational advocacy for foster students among professionals who work with foster students have taken shape. In collaboration with the legislature, additional bills have been passed to help ease the access to student records and increase support services for foster students to continue schooling into the college and job training levels after high school completion. This increased attention came as a recent study of high school foster students demonstrated large disparities between not only foster students and the general student population but also foster students and other economically disadvantaged students. The community college sector is where the majority of foster students enter into higher education due to their financial situation as well as their academic unpreparedness. This study sought out to find the service and program needs of foster students attending a community college, using Mt. San Antonio College as an actual study site by investigating the following research questions: Umbrella question: For students with foster care experience, what are their service and program needs while attending community college? 1. What are the elements or characteristics of a foster youth resource center that has been active for 5 or more years? 2. What are the factors or information that professionals working with foster youth at non-profit agencies say are necessary for them to attend community college? 3. What information and/or services do foster students say should be included in a resource center to support foster students attending community college? According to the results of this study, the following that elements are necessary to demonstrate that the community college acknowledges and supports the efforts of its foster student population to attain a college degree. 1. Access Point for Connection and Engagement 2. Safe Common Space for Assistance and Acceptance 3. Access Point for Collective Voice 4. Provide Opportunities to Give Back 5. Provide Targeted Programming and Services In the end, this study recommends that a community college institute the following to ensure that the findings are involved: community cultural wealth promotion, ensure basic life necessities are available, and continued advocacy and networking on behalf of foster students. This study provides community college administrators a logic model to show them that building a resource center to support its foster students is possible and needed. Community colleges can be part of the solution in helping foster students increase college completion and improve their life trajectory.
Download or read book Uncertain Futures written by Edmund V. Mech and published by C W L A Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discusses the plight of youth who have aged out of the system. It provides meaningful, practical solutions for teaching youth to support themselves before they are forced out of care, and details programs that assist youth in becoming self-supporting once they do leave the foster care system.
Download or read book Crossing Bridges written by Ja'Net Adrienne Roberson and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The retention and persistence of students who come from the foster care system and are enrolled in four-year college institutions was the focus of this qualitative study. Former foster care youth resided in out-of-home care with state approved guardians who received funding and monitoring of services. When enrolled in college, foster care youth require more support than students who never experience foster care. A small number of four-year college institutions provide interventions to retain foster care students. The research sought to identify best practices and to establish a foundation for research. Foster care youth often have a history of abusive and neglectful life experiences. It is fundamental to assure that these students are provided with the appropriate resources to ensure persistence and success. By doing so, institutions may be able to increase student retention and completion. The conceptual framework reflects the historical context of students. The outcome of several different retention efforts is discussed. Finally, the literature explored access to higher education for former foster care youth. The research is aimed to provoke further research, best practice, and to inform research. Four research questions guided the investigation concerning the lived experiences of students who have come from the foster care system and who are enrolled in four-year college institutions. The stories former foster youth told about their interaction with faculty and staff in four-year college institutions inform this study. Four themes emerged from A Narrative Inquiry into Transitioning from Foster Care to College iii the study, (1) campus-based support as an external support, financial support, family as an internal support, transition and access. Through the stories told we learned that former foster care youth require external support in the form of campus-based support, a direct liaison who is assigned to former foster care youth. Internal support is important in assuring consistency, a place to call home and lasting friendships. Financial aid is the driving force that allows former foster care youth to persist. Transition support is crucial in properly progressing into college and adulthood for foster care youth. Finally, best practices are discussed for monitoring success in students who come from the foster care system and are enrolled in four-year college institutions.
Download or read book On Your Own without a Net written by D. Wayne Osgood and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2008-09-15 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the decade after high school, young people continue to rely on their families in many ways-sometimes for financial support, sometimes for help with childcare, and sometimes for continued shelter. But what about those young people who confront special difficulties during this period, many of whom can count on little help from their families? On Your Own Without a Net documents the special challenges facing seven vulnerable populations during the transition to adulthood: former foster care youth, youth formerly involved in the juvenile justice system, youth in the criminal justice system, runaway and homeless youth, former special education students, young people in the mental health system, and youth with physical disabilities. During adolescence, government programs have been a major part of their lives, yet eligibility for most programs typically ends between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one. This critical volume shows the unfortunate repercussions of this termination of support and points out the issues that must be addressed to improve these young people's chances of becoming successful adults.
Download or read book Fostering the System written by Troy Bailey and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The review of the literature is broken down to three subtopics. First, understanding how the foster care system works to the benefit of foster youth; fully understanding the barriers they face and resources available to them is important information guiding the expansion and improvement of programs specifically supporting the special needs of emancipated foster youth. The second subtopic is a discussion about what support services are available for transitional foster youth. The last subtopic focuses on recognizing the factors that move a foster youth toward and through college. Several resources focused on the general public's view of foster youth and higher education are identified and summarized regarding their roles in supporting the goal of understanding the reason(s) influencing a former foster youth to enter and stay in college. The purpose of this research was to answer the following question: How well do foster youth, and individuals working alongside them, know about the benefits received from higher education enrollment? In this study, the limitations, as well as the benefits, are explored to get a better understanding of how and why college is not a higher priority for foster youth. The researcher gathered qualitative data to gain more insight on foster youth going into higher education. Human subjects were accessed through the Guardian Scholars program at a public university, in the northern region of California. Established in 2006, the program currently serves 65 active, former foster youth students and provides job assistance, resume-building, and partnerships through the two large public school districts in northern California. The researcher was assisted by the college advisor of the Guardian Scholars in administering a Survey Monkey© survey to all students, professionals, and volunteers involved in the program. The survey was sent to 119 potential respondents listed on the college advisors email contact list; 42 completed the survey. It consisted of 21 questions; 17 multiple choice and four short answer. One-on-one interviews were conducted with two of the Guardian Scholars. They both took place on the public university campus. Foster youth face more adversity than their peers. Without continuing support from the community and stable, committed relationships with adults, children are not able to reach their full potential and, in fact, experience quite negative outcomes. Students who attend institutions of higher education obtain a wide range of personal, financial, and other lifelong benefits; likewise, taxpayers, and society as a whole, derive a multitude of direct and indirect benefits when citizens have access to post secondary education. Education has many benefits; individuals with higher levels of education earn more and are more likely than others to be employed and productive members of society.
Download or read book Each One Teach One written by Tasha Iglesias and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine if a culturally relevant and responsive intervention (i.e., the Hip Hop Learning Community) could develop a foster youth’s cultural wealth (Yosso, 2005). The Hip Hop Learning Community intervention was developed using a Hip Hop Empowerment Model, combining Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth Model and Hip Hop Pedagogy (Petchauer, 2009, Södermana & Sernhedeb, 2016, Sulé, 2016). Drawing on interview data, document analysis and observations of the Hip Hop Learning participants, this study found that foster youth experience anxiety and a sense of confusion when they first apply to college, and as they prepare for their transition after graduating from college. Foster youth reported a lack of familial support while navigating higher education and relied on peers or individual staff members from student support services for assistance. Due to the demands of work and balancing school obligations, attending mandatory meetings held by student support services staff was reported by foster youth as causing further anxiety. Findings also show that foster youth are not knowledgeable in how their major will lead to their desired career, or how to access graduate school after completing their undergraduate degree. Additionally, foster youth in this study prefer individualized support when accessing and navigating higher education. The use of action research comprehensively captured the experiences of foster youth as they accessed higher education and their existing anxiety over their transition post-graduation. The Hip Hop based intervention in this study, including individual assistance from the researcher, created a sense of belonging and safe environment for foster youth to critique their social capital, and improve their resistant and navigational capitals. The use of Hip Hop as a support mechanism allowed the researcher to mentor foster youth using an anti-deficit and individualized approach and was shown to be a promising intervention for foster youth in higher education. Findings suggest, colleges must view foster youth through an anti-deficit lens and consider their individual cultural wealth and potential prior to providing support. It is also recommended that this practice of individualized support be practiced in their pre-college experience by educational advocates in order to better foster youth accessing and navigating higher education.
Download or read book Wellness Issues for Higher Education written by David S. Anderson and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-07-16 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Wellness Issues for Higher Education is an essential resource that addresses a range of student wellness issues confronting professionals in college and university settings. Organized around five dimensions of Wellness—Emotional, Social, Intellectual, Physical, and Spiritual—this book comprehensively covers key topics that contribute to students’ success in college. Each topical chapter includes proactive wellness advice, and is designed to prepare the reader to better understand the facts, issues, and strategies appropriate for addressing the issue. Each Chapter Features: Background information, theory, and research Historical and emerging issues Common questions, controversies, challenging situations, and misconceptions Practical applications for the campus This practical guide prepares practitioners to understand and deal with the wellness and health promotion issues contributing to their students’ overall success and well-being. Armed with this valuable resource, higher education and student affairs professionals can work to improve academic performance, retention, satisfaction, and quality of life. This thorough resource will guide those working at any level in residence life, student activities, orientation, health education, student leadership, advising, instruction, and other areas of student development.
Download or read book Measuring Social Capital written by Christiaan Grootaert and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2004 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The concept of social capital has become increasingly prominent in both the theoretical and applied social science literature over the last decade. This publication seeks to provide a set of empirical tools to measure social capital, focusing on its application in developing countries. The methodology aims to generate quantitative data on various dimensions of social capital as part of a larger household survey (such as the Living Standards Measurement Survey or a household income/expenditure survey). The paper also provides detailed guidance for the use and analysis of the data.
Download or read book Climbing a Broken Ladder written by Nathanael J. Okpych and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2021-01-15 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although foster youth have college aspirations similar to their peers, fewer than one in ten ultimately complete a two-year or four-year college degree. What are the major factors that influence their chances of succeeding? Climbing a Broken Ladder advances our knowledge of what can be done to improve college outcomes for a student group that has largely remained invisible in higher education. Drawing on data from one of the most extensive studies of young people in foster care, Nathanael J. Okpych examines a wide range of factors that contribute to the chances that foster youth enroll in college, persist in college, and ultimately complete a degree. Okpych also investigates how early trauma affects later college outcomes, as well as the impact of a significant child welfare policy that extends the age limit of foster care. The book concludes with data-driven and concrete recommendations for policy and practice to get more foster youth into and through college.
Download or read book The Bloomsbury Handbook of Hip Hop Pedagogy written by Lauren Leigh Kelly and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2024-01-11 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Bloomsbury Handbook of Hip Hop Pedagogy is the first reference work to cover the theory, history, research methodologies, and practice of Hip Hop pedagogy. Including 20 chapters from activist-oriented and community engaged scholars, the handbook provides perspectives and studies from across the world, including Brazil, the Caribbean, Scandinavia, and the USA. Organized into four topical sections focusing on the history and cultural roots of Hip Hop; theories and research methods in Hip Hop pedagogy; and Hip Hop pedagogy in practice, the handbook offers theoretical, analytical, and pedagogical insights emerging across sociology, literacy, school counselling and youth organizing. The chapters reflect the impact of critical Hip Hop pedagogies and Hip Hop-based research for educators and scholars interested in radical, transformative approaches to education. Ultimately, the many voices included in the handbook show that Hip Hop pedagogy is a humanizing and emancipatory approach which is redefining the purposes and practices of education.
