Fostering Youth Independence (FYI), a neighborhood nonprofit, is looking for “Allies” to help Santa Clarita children who are leaving the foster care system in Los Angeles County.

Since each ally is paired with a young person, they offer these vulnerable youths important support who they will guide and encourage as they complete their post-secondary education.

Anyone interested in learning more about what it involves to be an FYI Ally is welcome to attend a training session on July 11. 

The instructions are set to take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church in Valencia. Darlene Allen, the coordinator of volunteers for FYI, can be reached by email at [email protected].

Volunteers have the chance to positively influence the lives of Santa Clarita’s foster adolescents in transition (ages 16 to 25) by offering inspiration and assistance as they make the move from childhood to adulthood.

“Santa Claritans have the opportunity to make a real difference in these youth’s lives by becoming a volunteer Ally and encouraging their youth through the journey to obtaining a college degree or trade certificate, and providing the caring support the youth may not have had as they traveled through the foster system,” explained Carolyn Olsen, FYI’s executive director and co-founder. “And the more foster youth who discover FYI and what support we can offer them, the more Allies we need – both men and women.”

Since FYI’s youth have never had the usual support of parents or family in their lives, she continued, they have accomplished many of their goals thanks to having a support system and loving adult Allies to guide them.

“Having personally experienced the foster care system in my youth and successfully navigating the transition to adulthood thanks to great foster parents, I had been searching for an opportunity to return the favor,” Local resident Don Young explained. “FYI is a great organization that promotes education, decision making and self-determination while utilizing available resources and a personal Ally for support.”

So far, FYI has been able to assist over 100 young adults succeed in school, life, and work.

“In the six years since FYI was started, we’ve served 147 local youth, and we will be welcoming nine new youth to our community over the next two weeks.” Olsen added. “We want to make sure we can provide each new youth with a caring volunteer Ally to provide the encouragement and moral support they need and deserve.”

To learn more about FYI and how you can help check out their website here.

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