the first year-round program designed just for rfkc campers ages 7-12
TRANSCRIPT
• The first year-round program designed
just for RFKC
CampersAges 7-12
James 1:27
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:to look after orphans. . . in their distress“
The Need
• 3 million reports of abuse or neglect• 510,000 children in foster care• Re-abuse in foster care• Foster Care Drift• “highest risk” for emotional, social,
academic and physical problems
Foster Care Outcomes
• 45% of kids leaving foster care homeless within the year
4 years after ‘emancipation’ • 60% of the young women
had given birth• 40% had been on public
assistance or in jail
Impact of Mentoring
Mentored children demonstrated • Healthier behaviors• Better relationships• increased likelihood of going to
college
The Opportunity
Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics reported: Foster children who had adult friends achieved better health, higher self-esteem and more academic success; in addition, they were less at risk for suicidal thoughts and aggression.
The GAP
• National mentoring programs are not designed for foster children; to date, foster child mentoring programs are LOCAL
• Placement moves mean that foster children are less likely to get chosen or to stay in mentoring programs;
OUR CAPACITY
7,000+ Trained Volunteers38 States
TARGET AUDIENCE
OUR CAMPERS—AGE 7-12
Mentoring Foster KidsSept. – May
5-day Residential Summer Camps
Church Social Services
KidsVolunteers & $’s
CAMPS
CLUBS
1-TO-1
3 LEVELS OF MENTORING
• Mentoring makes sense…
But why have mentoring CLUBS for pre-teen foster kids?
RESEARCH ON AT RISK KIDS SHOWS THAT CLUBS HELP
• Clubs have a long term track record of improving at risk kids’ outcomes;
• Group activities are often more effective in working with abuse survivors
CLUBS & THE ROYAL FAMILY KIDS’ CAMPS EXPERIENCE
Healing =More than the counselor.
GROUP experience CAMP CULTURE of treating people ‘royally’
COMMITMENT
• A personal relationship demonstrates it—• A public community
celebrates it
Revolving Door of Foster Care
Most infants in foster care:• Move every 12-18 months• Have 3 homes by age 4• Older children move even
more
AFFIRMINGCOMMITMENTIN COMMUNITYCaping Ceremony –A Promise MADE
SYMBOLISM OF THE SEAL – A SOLEMN PLEDGE TO BE TRUE TO ONE’S WORD
Caping Ceremony –
•
When the first club kid was caped, it brought a tear to my eye. There was a palpable feeling of expectation
Celebrating A Promise Kept
Closing Ceremony:
RFC Pendant
• TIMELINE: September – May
MENTORS• 4 hours a month with matched club kid
• Attend monthly club meetingCLUB STAFF (COACHES)
Monthly Club Meetings/Group events
LEADERSHIP TEAM
MENTORING DIRECTOR:CLUB COORDINATOR
CLUB COUNSELOR
• Corona, CA• Geneseo, IL• La Mesa, CA• Bremerton, WA
PILOT =7 CLUBS
100+ KIDS!
• Cuyahoga Falls, OH• Sandy, UT• Tyler, TX
2009 TRAINING INSTITUTES
• March 5-7, 2009• April 24-25, 2009