Resources and Useful Links
Positive Pathways Program: The Florida Department of Children and Families Positive Pathways Program was created in 2015 to establish and develop a network of campus-based student services professionals, known as foster care liaisons. The network also includes students, youth advocates, and independent living professionals located at community-based care lead agencies throughout Florida. If you work with students eligible for the DCF tuition and fee exemption or the homeless exemption, or with an organization that supports these students, we welcome you to join this program, which is administered by Educate Tomorrow. To join the network or for more information, Positive Pathways Program
Community-Based Care (CBC) Lead Agency Independent Living Contacts: Florida’s Child Welfare System is comprised of CBC Lead Agencies which combines the outsourcing of foster care and Independent Living services. This design provides community ownership over the programs and services designed to help older foster youth and young adults who have spent time in Florida’s System of Care.
Florida’s Independent Living Resource Center serves as an information clearinghouse to address all areas of Independent Living Services.
Employ Florida Marketplace, Florida's official online portal to virtual job-matching services and many other workforce resources. This tool was created through partnership between government and the private sector, to respond to workforce needs in our state. If you are seeking a job, you may create and post your resume, search thousands of openings in any or all of our 67 counties and access other career-development tools.
Family and Youth Services Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is responsible for federal programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities. ACF programs aims, among other things, to empower individuals to increase their own economic independence and productivity.
Florida Children First works to ensure that each child in care or in an at-risk situation will have a voice that is heard when decisions are made. FCF uses legislative and policy advocacy, executive branch education and advocacy, training and technical assistance to lawyers and Guardians Ad Litem representing children, public awareness, and filing of amicus briefs as strategies to improve child serving systems.
Foster Club is the national network for young people in foster care. The organization’s mission is to lead the efforts of young people in and from foster care to become connected, educated, inspired and represented so they can realize their personal potential and contribute to a better life for their peers. It includes three mini-sites, serving children, teens and adults. Fosterclub.com includes articles, contests, message boards for youth.
Make Your Voice Heard: A Guide to Dependency Court. A video for youth ages 12 to 18 that explains what happens in dependency court and encourages youth to participate in hearings. In the video, Tammy Workman, Senior Policy Advisor for Transitional Youth Services at the Florida Department of Children and Families, is playing herself and former foster youth Tom Fair plays the role of a foster youth in court, while the other roles are acted by people from the court system and local community based care agency.
Strengthening Youth Partnership: A web site where you can learn more about who you are, what you want to do and how to get there. If you are between 10 and 24 years old, take a look inside. It’s fun and the links will help you get started on building your future. MyFloridaYouth.com has lots of resources to help you learn about your strengths, interesting careers, opportunities and training and getting into a technical school or college.
Youth Communication helps teenagers develop their reading and writing skills so they can acquire the information they need to make thoughtful choices about their lives. YC does that by training teens in journalism and related skills; • publishing magazines, books and other materials written and illustrated by young people; • encouraging teens and the adults who work with them to use our publications to stimulate reading, writing, discussion, and reflection.