Empowering Young People Transitioning out of Foster Care through Skill Building and Social Support

Background and Purpose:
Each year, approximately 210,000 young people exit the foster care system in the United States. Many face significant challenges, including poverty, homelessness, incarceration, limited educational attainment, poor mental and physical health, and early pregnancy. A growing body of literature highlights the value of natural mentors—non-parental adults who provide consistent guidance and support—in helping youth navigate adulthood. However, no studies to date have explored the lived experiences of aged-out youth with natural mentors in the United States. This study addresses this gap by empirically evaluating how an innovative mentorship model facilitates long-lasting relationships between young people who have aged out of foster care and their mentors. By centering young people’s perspectives, this research enhances our understanding of how mentorship can support the well-being of aged-out young adults.

Methods:
Twenty in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted between September 2023 and May 2024 with young adults who had aged out of foster care and participated in a nonprofit mentorship program. The sample was predominantly female (74%) and Black (85%), with most participants reporting four or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). A thematic analysis approach was employed, following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase framework. In line with the interpretative phenomenological approach, the analysis was inductive and iterative. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed using Dedoose software.

Results:
Three key themes emerged from the interviews. First, the consistency and care provided by mentors and staff fostered a strong sense of connection and belonging. Participants repeatedly described these relationships as transformative, noting that, due to past foster care experiences, they often struggled to build trust with adults. Second, unconditional instrumental and emotional support was crucial in helping youth navigate daily challenges, such as securing housing, accessing transportation, and managing personal relationships. Third, mentors provided guidance in developing essential life skills—including financial planning, driving, and interpersonal skills—that many youth had not acquired while in foster care.

Conclusions and Implications:
These findings underscore the critical role mentors play in supporting the emotional healing and life skill development of aged-out foster youth. Given the trauma and instability these young people often face, mentorship programs like this one should be prioritized in policy and programming. Such support not only helps youth navigate adulthood but also ensures they have a safety net. Further research is needed to examine the long-term impacts of mentorship on youth well-being and stability.