Independent Living Skills Program (ILSP)
225 Valencia St., San Francisco, CA 94103 | tel: 415.934.4247| fax.415.934.4228
The Independent Living Skills Program (ILSP) is designed to help youth in foster and out-of-home placements prepare for independent living as adults by providing them with the skills and resources necessary to become self-sufficient. The SF ILSP offers intensive emancipation planning to foster youth ages 14-18 and an Aftercare program for young adults ages 18-21. Services are open to youth ages14-21 in foster care or out-of-home probation placements.
SF ILSP offers the following service components which will be described in detail below: Case Management, Educational Preparation, Mentoring, Tutoring, Life Skills Workshops, Vocational Services, Enrichment Activities, and Transitional/Aftercare Services
SERVICE COMPONENTS
Case Management
All ILSP participants will be assigned a case manager to assist youth with accessing resources, providing follow through, and a positive connection to ILSP and the community.
Educational Preparation
Educational Advising: The educational Advisor helps teens plan for achieving their high school or GED goals, access SAT’s and other needed exams, apply for financial aid (FAFSA,CAL Grant, CHAFFEE Grant), and apply to college. We offer campus tours locally, statewide and out of state. Youth are provided access to college fairs and cultural events on campus. We also offer individualized counseling regarding educational issues in general.
Tutoring: One-on-one tutoring is available to youth that need help with their reading and writing, help with school work, and help with improving school grades.
Mentoring: Mentors are adult volunteers who provide youth support in many areas. They offer stability and life-long connections to youth.
Life Skills Workshops
The workshops meet weekly and cover everything from self-esteem to apartment hunting. The workshop topics vary depending on the age group of the participants. Workshops are interactive and fun, offering experiential life lessons outside of the ILSP Center. They include resource scavenger hunts, field trips, overnight outings, and other creative activities. Some previous topics have included: Employment Skills, Communication Skills, Education Planning, Promoting Strong Self-Esteem, Living Healthy Lives, Decision Making, Cooking skills, Navigating Through High School and College, Urban Survival Skills, Teambuilding, Leadership Development, Social Skills, and more.
Vocational Services
The Job Developer assists teens in gaining the skills to prepare themselves for the job market. Resume writing, vocational assessments and job readiness workshops help ILSP students find, get, and keep the jobs that they want. Youth have an opportunity to participate in a paid internship program to learn specific work skills.
Enrichment Activities
ILSP offers activities and trips throughout the year to offer youth an opportunity to try new things, have fun, and develop positive relationships with staff and other foster youth. Some activities in the past have included: Sibling camps, Overnight sleepovers, Night at the Symphony, Cirque Du Soleil, Snow Trip, SF Zoo, SF Exploratorium, Skating, Bowling, Movie night, Halloween Party, Holiday Party,Dinner at Chevy’s, Malibu Grand Prix, Black History Month Celebration, Hip Hop Dance, Mountain Biking Trip, Summer BBQ.
Transitional Services
Case Management services are available for all eligible foster and probation youth before their high school graduation until their 21st birthday. Transitional Services Case Manger develops a transitional plan and assists with resources and referrals for housing (emergency and transitional), counseling (mental health, domestic violence, substance abuse), vocational training, employment and job readiness, assistance with health services, assistance with basic needs.
For more information about any of the ILSP programs, contact visit http://sfilsp.org.
