What we believe

We believe today’s youth are resilient, carrying gifts and talents the world needs. Let’s not wait until we figure out foster care. As our motto (a Native American proverb) states, “All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.” Let us remember how uniquely human our work is and begin with just the parts we know while we work to improve the rest. Let’s begin by planting in these youth the same qualities we need. Let’s plant seeds of life and foster something new and powerful in those who desperately need us.

How it all began

This project emanates from our in-house research, reviews and reanalysis of past research, implementing and evaluating demonstration projects, and conducting focus groups and interviews with credible messengers from every level within the foster care system (policy advocates, political representatives, administrators, community leaders, biological parents, relative caregivers, resource families, department staff, and the youth and children who continue waiting for the answers to come).

What’s next

Guided by a commitment to being convenient, cost-effective, engaging, impactful, and sustainable, here are just some of what youth and their families will experience as clients of The Training Centers: Lifestyle makeover sessions, counseling, relevant referrals, warm calls, compassionate connections, case management, “no stigma” virtual group sessions that provide anonymity for the clients, as well as therapeutic and diagnostic trainings (healing negative and destructive feelings, social and emotional skill-building, relationship-building, teaching strategies for reaching your full potential, goal setting, action planning, discovering your life alarms, managing your mindset, recognizing your most common roadblocks, and more. . .)