Empowering Foster Youth Through Workforce Readiness

Support for foster and systems-impacted youth

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Many foster youth and transition-age youth (TAY) in our care have been deeply impacted by the child welfare and mental health systems. They arrive at McKinley having endured trauma, multiple system placements, disrupted education, and institutional experiences that often fail to provide healing. Without targeted support, these youth face heightened risks of unemployment, homelessness, and long-term mental health challenges. Our Workforce Development Program addresses this by fostering practical job skills, emotional stability, and long-term independence.

McKinley’s Workforce Development Program provides foster youth and TAY impacted by the child welfare and mental health systems with critical support to pursue career pathways and personal growth. The program centers around McK’s Café, where youth gain hands-on experience in customer service, inventory management, and financial literacy. This grant will expand Workforce Development into new therapeutic and vocational spaces on our San Dimas campus, including a teaching garden, music studio, athletics program, and sensory-friendly environments. Through these experiences, youth explore interests, acquire new skills, and cultivate the tools needed for long-term stability and success.

If our work is successful, more foster youth and transition-age youth across Los Angeles County will transition from systems of care to systems of opportunity. Youth who once faced barriers to employment and stability will enter adulthood with tangible job skills, confidence, and a belief in their own potential. We will contribute to a stronger, more inclusive workforce and reduce risks of homelessness, unemployment, and continued system involvement. Most importantly, these young people will be empowered to shape their own futures and contribute meaningfully to their communities.