Casa Valentina, a Miami program, is helping young people aging out of foster care prepare for life after school. For Biandie Trente Et Un, a resident at Casa Valentina, the program has been a saving grace. "It showed me a lot about how to be an adult, how to budget my money, how to explore career options, and how to live on my own," he said.
Life-Skills Training
Valentina Barrera-Vasco, the lead program coordinator of Casa Valentina, explained that the program’s curriculum is designed to help young people transition into adulthood. "It can look like picking classes because they’re all in college or some kind of vocational program, helping them weigh out their schedule with their work schedule," she said. For Trente Et Un, the program means planning for law school and giving back to students who have had similar experiences in the foster care system.
Last year, Casa Valentina reached about 800 young people through its life-skills workshops, covering topics such as budgeting, job readiness, and renting an apartment. The organization is looking for mentors, employers, and internship partners to help young people like Trente Et Un achieve their goals.
Original reporting: NBC6 Miami — read the source article.
