Becoming a legal adult at age 18 is a big deal to every teenager. Not only can you vote but it is a sign that you aren’t a kid anymore. Turning 18 when you are a foster child is an even bigger deal. Instead of choosing who you’ll vote for in your first election, these foster children will be choosing what the next few years of their life will look like. There are three choices: leave the foster care system, transition to independent living within the foster care system or stay in the foster care system with a foster family.  It’s here that Project LIFE, a collaboration between UMFS and the Virginia Department of Social Services comes in.

Project LIFE-Living Independently, Focusing on Empowerment-teaches foster care youth about to transition out of foster care independent living skills that help them prepare for life as an adult. Project LIFE also teaches youth the rights that they have within the system and to be their own advocates. Both regional and state-wide youth advisory councils give the youth a forum to communicate and share information with each other and the community.

Rochelle and David, two of Project LIFE’s participants, have been in the program for over a year and feel that the program has “helped a lot.”

Rochelle, a 17 year old in Willis, VA, has been in foster care for almost two years. She is attending community college with plans to transfer to James Madison University to study music therapy.  Rochelle has been placed with two different families in her two years in foster care through a private provider. The first family didn’t work out but her experience with her second family has been “pretty good.”

For Rochelle her biggest adjustment has been moving from a city to the country. She is still in touch with her biological family. The second biggest adjustment for her was “learning the rules of being a foster kid.”  She says that Project LIFE really helped her with this challenge and even taught her what choices she had.  She serves on both regional and state youth advisory councils for Project LIFE.

David an 18 year old freshman at Bluefield College has been in foster care since he was 11 years old. He says that he has had his ups and downs in foster care having been with two different families. The first family was not a good fit according to David because he wanted to spend less time playing sports and more time in church. The second family “loves and cares for him and he knows it.” Still they have had their struggles over the years as any family with teenagers does but remain a strong support network for David. David also speaks to his biological mother and grandmother regularly.

David has also been both on regional and state youth advisory councils for Project LIFE for over a year. Project LIFE has taught David that he “has rights and can speak up and really make a difference in the system for other youth in foster care.” It has also taught him independent living skills which he utilizes while living in the dorm on his college campus. He has also learned to be respectful.

For both Rochelle and David, their favorite part of Project LIFE has been the ability to travel (as far away as South Dakota!) and in speaking out for foster children.

“I know I am trying to make a difference,” said David. “Foster kids aren’t fine just the way things are. There needs to be change within the system.”

On this topic of being your own advocate, David is very passionate. He advises others in foster care to “use your voice to express what you need.”

“Don’t give up,” added David. “Take every advantage that comes your way as a blessing and use it.”

The future looks bright both Rochelle and David. Rochelle intends to use her degree in music therapy to work with foster children. She believes that music is a great way for foster children to express themselves and she wants to help. David hopes to become a motivational speaker as well as a youth minister, mentor and theater and choir teacher. 

His final words of advice that he has learned from Project LIFE- “handle your emotions and express them. That’s what it is all about.”