OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
We have learned alongside our Community Partners as they have faced challenges, overcome barriers, and achieved extraordinary successes. Find out more about each project and the outcomes below.
YEAR
2017
GRANT CATEGORY
Health & Well-Being
GRANT AMOUNT
$80,600
Organization:
The SAFE Alliance
Project Title:
Alumni Services
Project Description:
SAFE is a merger of Austin Children’s Shelter and SafePlace, two longstanding, human service agencies in Austin. SAFE’s mission is to lead in ending sexual assault and exploitation, child abuse and domestic violence through prevention, intervention and advocacy for change.
This grant will pilot a new Alumni Services program for former foster care youth previously served by SAFE, who are now struggling with homelessness and/or other barriers to living on their own. The program will provide outreach to up to 60 Austin-area youth per year; work with up to 40 youth per year to become self-sufficient and be leaders for their peers; and help youth gain skills to build independent, healthy futures.
Grant Status:
The Impact Austin grant funded hiring of a Peer Navigator, with lived experiences, to assist youth in the Alumni Services program: daily life functioning skills; funds for emergencies; and relational peer support.
Results:
Outreach conducted to over 60 former foster care youth with 56 served through the program
Navigation Plans were developed with 56 youth
The survey on youth progress with the Navigation Plans was delayed due to staff turnover and the decision to create a self sufficiency survey for multiple programs. Anecdotally, the youth who completed Navigation Plans report that they increased their skills and ability to identify resources.