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Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative
Financial Literacy Training
- March: Every Tuesday and Thursday from 4 to 6:30 pm at Casey Family Services. Begins March 4 and ends March 20. Download referral form.
- April: Every Monday and Wednesday from 4 to 6:30 pm at Casey Family Services. Begins April 7 and ends April 23. Download referral form.
The Jim Casey Youth Opportunity Initiative (JCYOI)
is a national effort to support youth who are
in foster care and those who have already aged
out of the foster care system. We bring together
the people and resources needed to help youth
make the connections they need to education, employment,
health care, housing and supportive personal and
community relationships.
The Opportunity Passport™ is the centerpiece of the initiative's work. Designed to organize resources and create opportunities for young people leaving foster care, the Opportunity Passport™ is a promising new tool with three related components:
- An Individual Development Savings Account (IDA) that is eligible for matching funds, up to $1000 per year, when used to purchase needed transitional assets. This account initially receives $100 seed money and stipends are available for youth meetings and events.
- A secondary debit/savings account for personal banking, without matching funds from the grant.
- A 'Door Opener' program to recruit new and existing opportunities and services that help JCYOI youth prepare for a successful transition to independence. Door Openers are both socially oriented and community sponsored such as: passes and transportation to local recreational activities, low cost housing and waived deposits, driver's education classes, car maintenance assistance, haircuts and new clothing for job interviews, academic tutors.
The Jim Casey Youth Opportunity Initiative (JCYOI) is a state-wide initiative throughout Rhode Island targeting youth ages 14 to 23 that have been involved with the foster care system as an adolescent. Over the next three years the program intends to help at least 225 youth.
The mission of the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative is to insure that youth aging out of foster care will have increased opportunities for successful transition to self sufficiency. The program enables teenagers to learn and practice many of the skills needed to work, budget, save money and live a stable and enjoyable life once they have moved out of their foster homes.
For further information contact Lori Nelson.
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