UTSA conference helps youth aging out of foster care plan for the future
(July 26, 2016) -- The Bank of America Child and Adolescent Policy Research Institute (CAPRI) at The University of Texas at San Antonio is hosting an event this week aimed to educate and inspire young people aging out of foster care.
The BCFS Health and Human Services’ 17th annual Independence Day Youth Conference will be held at the UTSA Downtown Campus on Friday, July 29, 2016.
The purpose of the event is to provide support to young men and women transitioning out of foster care with the hopes they realize their potential for a successful future.
Harriett Romo, director of CAPRI, says that in many cases, these young people are left on their own and have little or no guidance.
“This event is to get them to a college campus to show them that continuing their education is possible,” said Romo. “There are funds available to support tuition and a supportive staff here at UTSA.”
Romo, along with CAPRI staff and students, have participated in major grant projects funded by the federal government and have worked with local and state agencies to focus on the transition of youth out of the foster care system and into adulthood.
This conference will introduce nearly 200 young people to different employment opportunities through a college and career fair. Information about different careers will also be shared during sessions facilitated by the UTSA Social Work Program, the San Antonio Police Department and the San Antonio Fire Department. A panel of UTSA alumni who were once in foster care will also be in attendance to share their stories of success.
The event will be held on Friday, July 29, 2016 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Bill Miller Plaza at the UTSA Downtown Campus located at 501 W. Cesar Chavez Blvd. Youth ages 14 through 21 are invited to attend.
The Bank of America Child and Adolescent Policy Research Institute is a UTSA research center that supports the interdisciplinary study of topics such as infant cognition, language development, early literacy, juvenile justice, child abuse prevention, pediatric obesity prevention, and school readiness. The institute fosters cross-disciplinary collaborations between the university and research partners in the community to translate research results into policy recommendations.
By Kara Mireles
Public Affairs Specialist
-------------------------------
Learn more about the Independence Day Youth Conference.
Read Fixing a broken system in Sombrilla Magazine.
Hear a Roadrunner's story about his foster care experience.
Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Events
This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.