How Do We Help Foster Youth, Specifically?
How it Works
When youth enter The Cracked Pot program they are connected with the Youth Program Director and a team of individuals who work with them from day one.
This team includes a licensed therapist, a life coach who helps them reach their program goals, and a mentor who helps them become part of the Cracked Pot community. These individuals begin to bring a sense of normalcy and consistency to their lives.
There are 5 core objectives that we’ve determined every youth needs in order to find their footing as they transition into independent living. They are:
Mental Wellness, Housing, Financial literacy, Transportation, & Job Skills
Watch a Youth Testimony!
Mental Wellness
Some of these young adults come from significant trauma, abuse, and/or neglect. Their mental health is key to ensuring they feel safe enough to continue our program.
Each youth is required to attend therapy by a licensed counselor while they are in the program, and we provide this resource to them.
Housing:
A young adult who has no credit or rental history and no parent to co-sign often hits a series of roadblocks that can’t be overcome. This could leave a youth on the streets or in shelters.
When a youth enters the program, a big priority of ours is to help them find housing by reaching out to the Cracked Pot community and, if necessary, paying for their hotel until a more permanent solution can be found.
Financial Literacy
Just because a young adult has a place to live does not mean they have been taught the necessary skills to live independently.
Our Program Director and their coaches walk through how to open a checking & savings account, save for rent, pay bills, set money aside for groceries, and save for large purchases.
Transportation
For a youth, receiving a license can be overwhelming. Some don’t have the health insurance needed for the primary doctor, physical, or eye exam required. Their birth certificate and social security card may have been lost in one of the homes they stayed in. They did not have parents to keep track of these small items. All of this needs to be in order before they can even apply for a permit, much less get in their hours of behind-the-wheel practice.
We provide the time, funds, and dedication needed to help them get the required documentation & experience to meet their transportation needs.
Job Skills
Many of the youth enter our program having little to no job experience or lack the hard and interpersonal skills necessary to keep steady work.
We do an evaluation in order to determine their strengths and where they need improvement. The coffee shop exists to be a grace-filled environment where they can build on their strengths and develop the soft and hard skills needed to continue on their desired career path.