June 2015
The ASPIRE Initiative:
Creating a Better Path for Youth Transitioning from Foster Care to Adulthood
WHAT IS THE ASPIRE INITIATIVE?
N
WHO ARE THE ASPIRE PARTICIPANTS?
ationally, for many youth that age out of the
foster care system the statistics are bleak: low
educational attainment, unstable housing and
S
ince inception in 2005, 751 youth have
enrolled in ASPIRE. Demographically, youth in
ASPIRE are similar to those youth served by
homelessness, early parenting, chronic unemployment, and
the Department of Children, Youth and Families as
poverty. The ASPIRE Initiative helps young people in
noted in their Child Welfare Outcomes Report and the
Rhode Island ages 14-24 who have been impacted by
National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD).1,2 NYTD
foster care get on the path to achieving and maintaining
is a federally required longitudinal survey of 17 yr. olds
financial success beyond 18 years old. Through financial
in foster care.
education and support in saving toward a purchase goal,
■ The race and ethnicity distribution of ASPIRE
participants represents the DCYF population evenly,
with a slightly higher representation of minority groups.3
the ASPIRE Initiative empowers youth to manage and
save their money and become successful adults. When a
young person enrolls in ASPIRE they also receive:
■ $100 toward the opening of an Individual Development
Account (IDA).
■ A dollar-for-dollar match, up to $1,000 per year, toward
the purchase of assets.
■ Females (56%) are represented at a slightly higher
percentage than males (44%), but this is comparable
to the population.4
■ Older youth tend to engage more with ASPIRE than
younger youth: 7% are ages 16-17; 48% are ages
18-20; and 45% are ages 21-24.
■ Access to one-on-one financial coaching through the
Super Vitamin program.
RACIAL/ETHNIC BACKGROUND OF ASPIRE, NYTD AND DCYF YOUTH
Race/Ethnicity
Race/Ethnicity
2 or more races
Alaskan Native/American Indian
Asian
Black
Hispanic (of any race)
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
White
Unknown
ASPIRE
n=236
NYTD
n=171
DCYF
n=1756
11%
1%
3%
18%
28%
>1%
64%
3%
11%
2%
>1%
15%
25%
0%
70%
1%
9.9%
.8%
1.8%
16%
25.3%
0%
64.8%
6.7%
Sources: ASPIRE & NYTD data from Foster Forward’s internal database, ETO, active enrollment as of April 2015. DCYF data from Child Welfare Outcomes Report,
RI Race/Ethnicity of Children in Foster Care on 9/30/2013.
ASPIRE BUILDS A BETTER PATH
THROUGH FINANCIAL CAPABILITY
D
espite financial challenges facing young people
leaving the foster care system, young adults in
Rhode Island are finding a way to save. This
saving is not only enabling them to build assets for future
independence, but also enables them to weather financial
challenges in times of crisis.
ASPIRE PARTICIPATION AS A PERCENTAGE OF ELIGIBLE POPULATION
Number of Eligible Youth
Y
outh can save and match dollar for dollar up
to $1,000 each year toward the purchase of
assets.
<1%
2% <1%
Education & Training 19%
14%
Housing 17%
Investments 14%
44%
17%
Microenterprise <1%
979
846
862
888
19%
917
900
800
732
725
301
242
319
266
Participant Specific <1%
755
In just one decade, 422 ASPIRE youth have saved
and matched for $1,000,000 in assets!
600
400
Health 4%
Credit Building 2%
1,051
1,000
Vehicle 44%
4%
Number of Active ASPIRE Participants
1,200
ASSETS BY TYPE
318
SUPER VITAMIN
249
131
200
82
1
34
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
■ In the last decade, the number of youth who have
experienced foster care has varied while the percentage
of youth who participate in ASPIRE continues to
increase. In 2014, 42% of eligible participants were
enrolled in ASPIRE.
Sources: Foster Forward calculations using data from the ASPIRE Initiative,
Opportunity Passport™ Data System and Rhode Island Kids Count Factbook,
2005-2015. Age range used for numerator and denominator 14-21, in care and
who have aged out.
he Super Vitamin is ASPIRE’s newest
addition where one-on-one financial coaching
bolsters a participant’s ability to achieve
financial security. ASPIRE participants are paired with
volunteer coaches to work on their individual financial
goals, such as increasing savings, reducing debt,
establishing or building credit, creating a manageable
budget, or reducing the use of predatory lending.
T
The one-on-one sessions allow participants who were
previously not able to meet their financial obligations to
budget more effectively to cover monthly expenses and
still save money.
■ To date, 57 participants have completed an average of
3 coaching sessions resulting in several participants
establishing or increasing their credit score, reducing
their debt balances, and improving food security.
ASPIRE BUILDS A BETTER PATH
THROUGH EDUCATION
ASPIRE BUILDS A BETTER PATH
THROUGH EMPLOYMENT
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA/GED
CURRENTLY EMPLOYED
100%
100%
90%
90%
80%
81%
70%
70%
60%
60%
50%
80%
56%
50%
45%
40%
50%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
36%
32%
0%
0%
NYTD National
NYTD RI
ASPIRE
Sources: ASPIRE data from unit record data derived from Opportunity Passport™
Data System and Opportunity Passport™ Participant Survey, October 2014.
“NYTD Data Snapshot: Youth Outcomes 2013 Rhode Island”. “NYTD Data Brief
#3, Highlights from the National Youth in Transition Database, Federal Fiscal
Year 2013”.
■ Youth in ASPIRE are more likely to have their high
school Diploma/GED than their foster care peers both
in Rhode Island (45%) and nationally (56%).5,6
■ High school graduation rates for ASPIRE participants
mirror graduation rates of all Rhode Island youth (81%).7
■ 6% of ASPIRE participants report completing at least
a two-year college degree. This is double the national
average where less than 3% have completed a post0
secondary degree.8
NYTD National
NYTD RI
ASPIRE
■ ASPIRE participants are more likely to be employed
than their foster care peers both in Rhode Island and
nationally.
■ Youth who are in both the ASPIRE Initiative and YESS
(Youth Establishing Self-Sufficiency, after care services
for 18-21 year olds who have aged out of foster care)
make more money per hour and work more hours
per week. ASPIRE and YESS are part of an array of
services funded through the Consolidated Youth
Services contract with the Rhode Island Department
of Children, Youth and Families.
■ Building on the success of ASPIRE, in 2010 Rhode
Island was awarded a $2 million grant, one of four
nationally, by the Administration for Children and
Families, Children’s Bureau. This grant funds the Works
Wonders Initiative, which seeks to build employment
and relationship skills for youth in foster care.
Sources: ASPIRE data from unit record data derived from Opportunity Passport™
Data System and Opportunity Passport™ Participant Survey, October 2014.
“NYTD Data Snapshot: Youth Outcomes 2013 Rhode Island”. “NYTD Data Brief
#3, Highlights from the National Youth in Transition Database, Federal Fiscal
Year 2013”.
ASPIRE BUILDS A BETTER PATH
THROUGH DEVELOPING LEADERS
The ASPIRING Young Leaders Program (AYLP) was built
locally in Rhode Island to mirror a national youth
leadership training provided by The Jim Casey Youth
Opportunities Initiative. This three day program builds
upon strengths of youth who have experienced foster care
and empowers young leaders to succeed by enhancing
their communication, self-advocacy, and strategic sharing
skills. Budding young leaders come together to learn how
to build relationships and work as a team.
■ AYLP creates a pipeline for participation in statewide,
regional and national youth leadership boards.
■ AYLP provides a pathway to potential participation in
national review teams, the “Congressional Foster Youth
Shadow Day” and paid youth leadership positions.
ASPIRE BUILDS A BETTER PATH
THROUGH LEVERAGING
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
4% 3%
13%
ASPIRE BUILDS A BETTER PATH
THROUGH ALIGNMENT WITH
STATEWIDE INITIATIVES
ASPIRE aligns with and enhances statewide efforts to
empower all Rhode Islanders through:
Financial Capability and Stability
■ Connecting ASPIRE participants with mainstream
banking to avoid predatory lending.
■ Providing financial coaching to reduce debt, increase
savings and promote asset purchases.
■ Expanding utilization of Earned Income Tax Credit to
achieve greater savings and asset development.
Workforce Development
■ Engaging young adults in targeted training and
experiential learning opportunities with Rhode Island
employers.
■ Matching the savings of participants towards vehicle
purchases to enhance transportation stability to/from
work.
Secondary and Post-Secondary Education
RESOURCES
Federal 13%
State 80%
80%
Foundation/Private 4%
■ Increasing rates of high school/GED completion and
post-secondary participation/completion, in part by
connecting participants with adult mentors that
promote achievement.
Bank Partners 3%
■ Matching the savings of participants for tuition and
other educational expenses, including dual enrollment.
■ In funding year 2014, for every dollar invested by the
Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, ASPIRE has
leveraged an additional $11.52 to support and sustain
this work in Rhode Island.
■ Training participants in leadership and self-advocacy
to improve case planning and court oversight of
educational stability.
■ Across our array of services, the direct benefits to youth
are unparalleled with 47% of contract dollars going
directly to youth.
REFERENCES
1,3,4
Child Welfare Outcomes Report, RI Race/Ethnicity of Children
in Foster Care on 9/30/2014. Children’s Bureau.
2
Foster Forward’s Efforts to Outcomes database.
5
“NYTD Data Snapshot: Youth Outcomes 2013 Rhode Island”.
6
“NYTD Data Brief #3, Highlights from the National Youth in
Transition Database, Federal Fiscal Year 2013”.
7
2015 Rhode Island Kids Count Factbook (2015). Providence, RI:
Rhode Island KIDS COUNT.
8
www.jimcaseyyouth.org/about/aging-out
ASPIRE was launched in Rhode Island in 2005 with funding from
the National Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative and sustained
through additional support from the Rhode Island Department of
Children, Youth and Families (through the Consolidated Youth
Services contract), the United Way of Rhode Island, Bank of
America, Citizens Bank, and other community partners.