WE DON’T DO ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
Our experienced coaches tailor the Pivotal Path for every young person, so each can get the education, career, and life they want.
Time is of the essence.
We support foster youth as early as middle school and through college and beyond. In these critical years, the “emancipation clock” is ticking for young people in foster care. California foster youth must exit the system by the time they turn 21. From our perspective, every day is pivotal. We move quickly to confirm eligibility* and look at their status in key areas like school enrollment, educational attainment to date, current housing, transportation, pregnancy or childcare needs, and special education diagnoses. Once we know what their needs are, we pair them with the right coach on our team.
*The only eligibility criteria for our services is that a young person has or had an open case the foster care system after the age of 13.
Youth set the destination.
On the Pivotal Path, the destination is determined by the youth themselves. From day one, we ask them what they want for themselves. By the end of their first month with us, coaches and youth articulate a set of goals and develop a plan for reaching them. Coaches help youth break those goals down into step-by-step tasks to achieve early and frequent successes they can build upon.
We roll up our sleeves.
It’s common for foster youth to be confused about their academic standing and/or ability to graduate on time. Due to frequent school changes, most foster never meet with the academic counselor on their campus. Our coaches tap into their deep knowledge of graduation requirements, college eligibility and transfer prerequisites to help youth set action-oriented plans. They connect them to the best resources available and open doors to opportunities wherever they can.
We meet them where they are.
Our coaches log hundreds of miles each year to meet with students at places where youth feel most comfortable. They pack a lot of coaching into every session. Coaches show up ready to review grades, explore careers, or help study for an upcoming midterm. For youth who want to work, our coaches help youth search for jobs, spiff up their resumes, and prep for interviews. We also focus on time management, self-advocacy, financial literacy, test-taking, and community resources.