Youth Empowerment Strategies for Success

Youth Empowerment Strategies for Success (YESS) is a comprehensive and integrated program that unites community partners and academic leaders to empower foster youth to successfully transition into independent living. Using the 3R approach, the YESS program provides services that focus on life skills training and academic performance with the objective of achieving self-sufficiency, college degree or certificate completion, and employment.

3Rs of Success

Rigor: Challenging, confidence building, interactive, and outcome-oriented learning experiences that addresses the needs of youth
Relevancy: Multi-level training and practical learning opportunities that correspond to real life situations
Relationships: A continuum of service through which college and YESS staff model and promote the cultivation of permanent relationships with caring adults

For Fiscal Year 2009/10, College of the Sequoias' YESS Program will serve 30 Tulare County youth, with a focus on Employment, Education, Financial Literacy, and Daily Living Skills, as well as helping the youth to identify and nurture life-long connections for ongoing support once they age out of foster care. The classes include lots of hands-on activities that make learning fun while giving youth real-life experiences.

For more information about College of the Sequoias' YESS Program, please contact Linda Paredez at (559) 737-4842 or lindap@cos.edu or Jason Ford, Advising Specialist-YESS, at (559) 730-3717 or jasonf@cos.edu. Jason is available Monday and Tuesday from 7:45 am to 4:45 pm to assist current or former foster youth with navigating the college system, and /or helping to connect these youth with needed resources.