Fair Futures is an advocacy movement and a comprehensive model, led by and centered around young people.
Fair Futures is a youth-led advocacy movement and coalition of 100+ organizations and foundations advocating for all young people in New York City’s foster care system to have access to the long-term, comprehensive supports they need to achieve their potential.
Fair Futures is also a comprehensive model that helps young people in foster care reach their potential by providing individualized supports from 6th grade through age 26. The model includes a robust middle school program that prepares students for success in high school and a coaching program starts in the 9th grade that includes professional coaching and 1:1 tutoring to help young people achieve their academic, career development, and life goals.
The Fair Futures model was developed and codified through a 1.5-year research project that included the expertise of New York City’s leadership in child welfare and youth development. The model is based on evidence-based programs nationally and best practice programs at NYC foster care agencies that have achieved strong outcomes for young people at scale over the last eight years. The model also infuses best practices at critical junctures derived from other educational and workforce development organizations.
The Fair Futures model helps young people:
Prepare for and graduate from high school
Connect to and persist in post-secondary settings
Engage in career development experiences in line with their interests and navigate a career pathway
Build trusting relationships and a network of positive adult and peer supports
Access and maintain stable housing and gain life skills
Build trusting relationships and a network of positive adult and peer supports
Access and maintain stable housing
and gain life skills
While the model currently serves NYC foster youth, thousands of young people have achieved strong outcomes through coaching!
Fair Futures Coaches:
Are full-time, highly trained professionals that receive ongoing support/technical assistance
Build trusting relationships with the young people they support, and the key adults in their lives
Believe in the young person’s potential and let them lead
Provide emotional support on a weekly basis
Help young people develop academic, career, and life goals and taking steps toward those goals
Expose youth to opportunities and help them explore both academic and career pathways
Connect youth to schools, programs, and opportunities in line with their interests
Help young people persist in academic and career opportunities
Celebrate their success at every juncture!
The Benefits of Fair Futures
