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. 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.
College of the Sequoias' YESS Program continues to provide independent living skills training to Tulare County foster 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 hands-on activities that make learning fun while giving youth real-life experiences.
Zoom links to join workshops will be provided by Rayven or your ILP/AB12 Worker.
To receive the monthly calendar via text, join our text list, text @yess2223 to 81010.
May 2023
Sunday
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday
| Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1
| 2
| 3
| 4
| 5
| 6
|
| |
|
|
| | Topic: How Do I Look?!
Time: 10am to 2pm (COS Kern 727A) Instructor: Audrey |
7
| 8
| 9
| 10
| 11
| 12
| 13
|
|
|
| Topic: Cooking Dinner Time: 6pm to 7:30pm (Zoom) Instructor: Daisy
| Topic: Financial Literacy
Time: 6pm to 7:30pm (Zoom) Instructor: Pockets Change
|
|
|
14
| 15
| 16
| 17
| 18
| 19
| 20
|
|
|
| Topic: Credit Discovery
Time: 6pm to 7:30pm (Zoom) Instructor: Decinda
|
| | Topic: Let's Talk About Sex
Time: 10am to 2pm (COS Kern 727A) Instructor: Michelle
|
21
| 22
| 23
| 24
| 25
| 26
| 27
|
| Topic: Where & How Do I Access My Birth Certificate & Social Security Card
Time: 6pm to 7:30pm (Zoom) Instructor: Decinda
|
| Topic: Wellness Wednesday Time: 6pm to 7:30pm (TCOE Dream Center) Instructor: Jaclyn
| |
|
|
28
| 29
| 30
| 31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | | |
In addition to the independent living skills classes, College of the Sequoias has a Drop-In Center for our current and former foster youth attending college. Services include access to an Academic Counselor/advisor, a computer lab, free printing of school-related assignments and documents, a lunch room stocked with different food and drink choices.
For more information about
College of the Sequoias' YESS Program, please contact Rayven Arzola at (559) 730-3717 or
rayvena@cos.edu. Please contact her directly to make an appointment for navigating the college system, and/or help with needed resources.
For more information about Tulare County's Independent Living Program, call (559) 623-0300; for Kings County's Independent Living Program services, call (559) 852-2937.
Please note that ILP is a statewide, federally-funded program. If you do not reside in Kings or Tulare County, please contact the Health & Human Services agency for the county in which you reside for information about what ILP services are available to you in that county. Please note that available ILP services may be defined by your County of Jurisdiction (where you entered the Foster Care System). You can also check out this on-line resource for foster youth:
http://www.fosteryouthhelp.ca.gov/. It includes valuable resources, as well as provides a detailed listing of contacts for each county to help you get connected to the services you need!
