Youth Villages stories

K’laja is currently enrolled in Youth Villages’ LifeSet program, an intensive support program designed to help youth actualize their goals of self-sufficiency and independence as they prepare to age out of foster care. Without these supports, young people face far worse outcomes than their peers in terms of educational attainment, employment, housing, and engagement with law enforcement – all key focuses of LifeSet.

For K’laja, growing up in foster care reflects the dual reality many youth like her face. She can point to passionate and caring social workers who went out of their way to help her be successful; but the trauma and abuse she faced throughout her childhood – and the constant change she experienced bouncing around different foster homes and residential programs – left her in a vulnerable situation at a crucial juncture in her life.

Despite these barriers, K’laja is determined to change her story. Today, with the support of her LifeSet specialist, she is currently enrolled in college working towards a degree in social work. Her dream is to go on to law school and use her experiences to change the foster care system so that future kids don’t face the same challenges and traumas she did.

This is the difference LifeSet makes for youth like K’laja. With support from donors like you, our specialists walk alongside youth – helping youth focus on their goals and learn the skills they need to realize them.