Transitioned Age Youth (TAY) Services
Every year approximately 150 young adults emancipate, or "age out" of foster care in Santa Clara County. This means having to find a place to live, a job, as well as the means to support themselves and pay for education, often with little or no support from family.
Research and studies have shown that most individuals from intact families receive emotional support for a lifetime and some level of financial support until their mid-twenties. Upon aging out, many foster youth find themselves with neither, and often struggle just to "get by". Santa Clara County is committed to improving the lives and outcomes of youth who have been cared for by the child welfare system.
Transitioned Age Youth (TAY) services and programs connect youth ages 16 to 24 to opportunities, experiences, and supports to propel them to self-sufficiency.
In order to promote self-sufficiency, TAY services focus on key areas that have the greatest impact on youth's transition into adulthood including:
- Housing
- Employment
- Education
- Health
- Financial literacy
- Independent living skills
- Permanency
Youth in foster care have been brought into "the system" by child welfare for their own protection and safety due to abuse and neglect. It is our goal to help these young people to have better experiences while in care and to have better outcomes as they become adults as they have found themselves in tough situations through no fault of their own.
Eligibility
Transitioned Age Youth services target current and former foster youth between 15 and 24 years of age. Depending on the service/program, eligibility can range from having been in care at some point, to having emancipated from the system. All youth who are/were in care are eligibile for some services or programs. Youth who were dependents of other counties but now live in Santa Clara County are eligible for services as well.
Contact us today to see for which programs or services you may be eligible!
Donations
Santa Clara County Transitioned Age Youth (TAY) services serve youth who have aged-out of foster care in a variety of ways. We provide support for housing, employment services, vocational or post-secondary education opportunities, and financial literacy education. In order to continue providing these services, we must secure funding to pay for costs such as:
- Rental subsidies for youth who would otherwise be homeless
- Emergency expenses such as food and utilities
- Employment readiness expenses such as professional clothing
- Transportation costs including gas vouchers and bus passes
- Account maintenance fees and matching funds for youth participating in financial literacy classes
- Food and snacks for youth when attending meetings and workshops
If you would like to help support SCC TAY continue to offer these opportunities to our very deserving young adults, please contact us by phone or e-mail.
If you would like to donate to the Hub, please visit Ways to Give.