Life Changing Choices The 7 Essential Choices at the Heart of Transformational Change for Foster Youth and Your Community

All the resources and effort dedicated to improving child welfare systems have made little change in positive outcomes. At Just In Time For Foster Youth, we invite exploration of an alternative approach to resources for children and families that lead to measurably improved results. We wrote this book because we've continued to see a stubborn truth over the last two decades about the critical necessity of Community and Connection as the key to that lasting impact. This truth has been reinforced by our own experiences and speaks to why systems resist change and fail to be empowering, healthy places for young people or families, despite the best intentions. This book is not a lecture, but a challenge for all of us to consider a different point of view. It presents a mindset and model that has empowered our efforts at Just in Time and might do the same for anyone who is frustrated by the persistent trauma that seems built into the current experience of our children in care. We wrote this book so you can hear their voices as we have, and get to know their stories as we do. Once their voices are clearly heard, we hope you seek out youth stories in your community and ask others to join and listen. Most of all, we want this book to start crucial conversations about the old Assumptions and Choices we can change to replace historically negative outcomes with lasting, positive Empowerment.

For 20 years, Just in Time for Foster Youth (JIT) has created a reliable, responsive, and real community for young people as they transition from the foster care system into adulthood. Most of JIT's staff have lived experience in foster care, and their hundreds of volunteers help connect over 2,000 youth to the critical resources and lasting relationships needed to become Confident, Capable and Connected. JIT aims to break the cycle of foster care by helping transition age foster youth achieve self-sufficiency and well-being.