Throughout her life, ZiZi has had to learn to stand up for herself. With the help of her LifeSet specialist, she now has people in her corner.

The Youth Villages Job Prep program equips young adults with the skills, confidence and professional guidance they need to successfully enter the workforce and achieve greater independence. Career mentors play an important role by leading workshops, sharing career insights, practicing interview skills and serving as encouraging, consistent role models as participants prepare for employment and adulthood.

Members of the National Collaborative for Transition-Age Youth with lived experience in foster care participated in the Family Focused Treatment Association’s Public Policy Institute during their week of advocacy in Washington, D.C.

Building on the release of its Playbook of Best Practices, the National Collaborative for Transition-Age Youth is partnering with jurisdictions to help child welfare leaders use the playbook to develop strategies to improve outcomes for young people moving from foster care to adulthood.

Across the country, a quarter of Americans mentor a child in some capacity each year. However, fewer than half of those who mentor do so through a formal program.

For Antwon Boone, becoming a mentor wasn’t part of his plan.

I know what it feels like to pack your life into a trash bag.

I know what it feels like to walk into a new house and not know if you’re staying two weeks or two years.

I know what it feels like to pretend you’re okay at school when your whole life feels unstable.

Since 2023, Youth Villages in Oregon has helped young people build critical financial skills and stability as they prepare for adulthood through its Financial Literacy initiative. This year’s funding from the Marcia H. Randall Foundation and OnPoint Community Credit Union supported stipends for young adults who participated in financial workshops and a savings match for Portland-area program recipients.

Erica Robinson, the state director of Youth Villages in Mississippi, spoke with Meredith Biesinger from the Daily Journal about the work Youth Villages is doing in Tupelo and the surrounding areas in Lee County. Erica emphasized how staff help parents navigate a...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (June 25, 2026) – Youth Villages announced today the appointment of Nicholas “Nic” Vescovo to the position of chief of staff.

There are moments throughout the year that remind us why community matters and Red Kite Nite 2026 was one of them. The event was a reflection of what happens when a village comes together with a shared purpose: to ensure every young person has the opportunity to dream bigger and achieve more.