[The following final update was written by the organization and then sent to us for further sharing.]

At Foster Nation, we believe that every young person transitioning out of foster care has the potential to thrive, no matter their circumstances. Thanks to the generous support of LA2050, we’ve taken bold steps to empower hundreds of foster youth through our newly rebranded mentorship program, Sparks. This initiative is not just about preparing young

people for higher education and careers—it's about building community, meaningful connection, boosting self-confidence, and giving them the tools they need to write their own success stories.

Meet Sparks: Where Connection & Community Drive Transformation

This year has been one of tremendous growth for Foster Nation as we have worked to expand and improve our flagship program, the Sparks mentorship community (formerly CareerX). We have strengthened our connections with the Los Angeles Department of

Children and Family Services (DCFS) to not only support young people as they are nearing emancipation from the foster care system, but also to become a resource for the social workers working with them throughout their journey in foster care. With these connections, Foster Nation has a direct pathway to reach the young people who need guidance, mentorship, and meaningful connections the most.

This partnership has catalyzed the development of Sparks programming specifically for foster youth ages 15-18 with the goal that transition-age youth will have the support and tools they need to navigate the world after foster care. The earlier we can reach these young people, the more equipped they’ll be to emancipate from the system with their goals set and a clear roadmap to reach them. To achieve this, we have developed 10 new custom lesson plans—ranging from life skills, higher education support, and mental and emotional health—to meet the needs of this age group. These lessons will be critical as we launch our pilot program with Compton Unified School District (CUSD) in early 2025, helping foster youth earlier on to establish the tools they need to navigate the world after foster care.

Alongside this development, we have also grown our Sparks community throughout 2024. Cohort 3.0 graduated in February 2024, with 43 foster youth and 43 coaches completing the program, an 87.8% retention rate. In March 2024, we launched Cohort 4.0, welcoming 67 foster youth and 67 coaches, whose six-month transformational journey just concluded in September 2024.

And we’re not stopping there. Cohort 5.0 just launched in September and it is our largest and most geographically diverse yet, with a total of 152 participants. This is also the first cohort where we have utilized AI technology to more efficiently and effectively match youth with coaches, ensuring each pair has the best possible chance to succeed.

Since its launch in 2022, Sparks has fostered over 250 positive coaching relationships, with incredible outcomes that show just how much this program is changing lives. Here are some exciting success outcomes for Sparks’ first four cohorts:

• 79.2% completion rate: The majority of participants stayed committed to the program and completed it, a strong indicator of its relevance and impact.
• 109% average increase in monthly income: Financial stability is a key outcome, with many participants seeing a noticeable boost in their income.
• 66% job placement success: Young people seeking employment received the support they needed to secure jobs, many for the first time.
• 7.9/10 Net Transformation Score (NTS): On average, participants felt more empowered and confident in transforming their own lives after completing the program.

One young person summed up his experience perfectly:

“Foster Nation has shown me that even in the face of adversity, I am not alone and my dreams are valid. The lessons learned, the support received, and the resilience developed are invaluable assets that will continue to shape my journey.”

Sparks not only improves the lives of foster youth, it impacts the lives of our coaches as well, with one coach sharing:

“This experience grounded me and served as a reminder of what is truly important. It allowed me to see and understand my struggles from a different lens. Also, it made me feel more grateful that I may have made a difference, however small, to this person’s life.”

Building More Than Just Careers: A True Community

A cornerstone of the Sparks program is creating a supportive network—a lifeline for many foster youth who often age out of the system without strong family ties or a community to lean on. With this in mind, we hosted events throughout the year that allowed youth and their coaches to connect, build deeper relationships, and foster a sense of belonging. From kickoff gatherings to halftime meetups and graduation celebrations, these moments are critical in helping our youth feel less social isolation while exploring possibilities for their future. Throughout 2024, we hosted 27 events in total, serving over 500 youth across:

• 9 Sparks workshops
• 8 Sparks events
• 10 Sparks of Love gatherings

The Next Spark

The success of Sparks has inspired our team and this community to reach even further so all young people aging out of foster care can reach their full potential. In 2025, we plan on expanding the program to new regions, including the Bay Area in California and Westchester, New York. But that’s not all—we’re also piloting a program with the Compton Unified School District to offer mentorship to pre-emancipation foster youth ages 15-18, giving them the tools they need to succeed while they’re still in foster care.

One of the most exciting developments on the horizon is our bespoke program platform, equipped with a new Learning Management System (LMS). This platform will allow us to train coaches asynchronously, enabling us to enroll participants year-round instead of relying on fixed cohort start dates. By increasing flexibility, we can match even more foster youth with the coaches and resources they need, whenever they need them.

We owe much of our growth and success to the support of LA2050, which has enabled us to expand and evolve Sparks into a transformative program that’s improving the lives of hundreds of foster youth annually, helping them go from surviving to thriving. As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, we’re excited to keep expanding our impact and empowering the next generation of foster youth to realize their full potential.

Foster Nation is on a mission to empower foster youth aging out of the system to become self-sufficient. With the continued support of our partners, we’re confident that the best is yet to come.

Follow along with us as we continue to spark transformation, one youth at a time.

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