Systems-Impacted Young Adult Literacy Program

Adult literacy

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit) South LA East LA Central LA Long Beach

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

In California, foster youth remain behind their peers in educational outcomes. In 2023-24, only 63.6% of foster youth graduated from high school, compared to 86.7% of non-foster students. Only 24% of foster youth met standards in English language arts, compared to 51% of general students. Only 15% of foster youth met standards in math, compared to 40% of general students.
Foster youth face numerous barriers to education, including instability, multiple changes in schools, poverty, homelessness, lack of mentors, disabilities, and mental health conditions. Despite the critical need, few literacy programs are specifically designed for the needs of systems-impacted young adults.
The RightWay Foundation works with the most overlooked population of foster youth, who have been programmed to believe they should not attain a college degree, pursue a career, or expect love and community. Our programs work to deprogram that mindset and set our youth on the path to self-discovery and growth.

RightWay's literacy program will serve young adults (ages 18-26+) coming out of foster care and the justice system who read lower than an 8th grade level. The individualized program will work with young adults to reach an 8th grade reading level while providing them with comprehensive supportive services.
Our healing-centered, culturally-responsive approach recognizes the impact of trauma on learning and provides an environment that fosters trust and engagement. Participants will utilize real-world applications of literacy and numeracy skills relevant to their lives. The program will also increase digital literacy in using online resources, accessing information and tools, and Email etiquette.
We will accommodate schedules of working, parenting, and school attending participants, offering daytime, evenings, or weekends sessions. Goal setting will reflect realistic gains to build confidence. Our team will assist participants in attaining a high school diploma and in the transition to postsecondary education and specialized/vocational training.
Under one roof, RightWay’s programs eliminate barriers to accessing services, providing therapy and emotional support, employment readiness/placement, education/career navigation, financial literacy, supportive housing, lifeskills, benefits navigation, and community. We believe that with financial and emotional support, resources, and a consistent community, foster youth can build prosperous adult lives for themselves and their families.

RightWay seeks to end the intergenerational cycle of trauma and poverty that leads foster youth to unemployment, homelessness, and incarceration. Of the young adults entering our programs, 50% are experiencing homelessness; 85% are housing insecure; 90% are unemployed. In LA, systems-impacted youth account for 60% of unhoused youth, with a significantly disproportionate percentage of Black and Latino/a/x youth. Only 7% of working foster youth earn a livable wage at age 24.
RightWay’s literacy program aims to empower systems-impacted young adults to reengage with education and be competitive job candidates. Gains in literacy will lead to sustainable improvements in economic opportunities for former foster and probation youth and their families. This pilot will enable RightWay to incorporate literacy support into core programs, growing confidence and skills in literacy to close the academic gap for foster youth and make an impact in ending the pipeline from foster care to homelessness.