Heritage Builders
Older youth in foster care face significant challenges as they reach the age at which they must transition to independent living.
Through Heritage Builders, Lifeline pledges to help prepare churches to minister to this highly-vulnerable population, both practically and spiritually.
WHAT IS HERITAGE BUILDERS?
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THE NEED
Without intervention, youth leave the foster care system with little or no positive adult support, limited knowledge of basic life skills, and limited resources. These factors paint a despairing future, with high percentages of unplanned pregnancies, school dropouts, becoming victims of child trafficking, abuse of their future children, and chronic homelessness.
THE SOLUTION
God’s church is uniquely positioned to provide relational intervention at a pivotal stage in the youths’ lives. These relationships build up the person and remove obstacles to living on their own, ultimately pointing each youth to Christ. The need is great, but it is not overwhelming when the church activates its members.
THE VISION
Heritage Builders is committed to equipping local churches to meet the needs of older youth who have been abandoned, abused, and are now languishing in the system. This partnership helps ensure adolescents age out well by empowering churches to:
- Advocate in one-on-one relationships
- Provide life-readiness trainings
- Serve as a connection to resources
When the church becomes involved in the lives of youth during these critical years, the door opens for us to introduce the hope of Christ, demonstrate His love, and encourage them to pursue a path lined with promise.
THE NEED
Without intervention, youth leave the foster care system with little or no positive adult support, limited knowledge of basic life skills, and limited resources. These factors paint a despairing future, with high percentages of unplanned pregnancies, school dropouts, becoming victims of child trafficking, abuse of their future children, and chronic homelessness.
THE SOLUTION
God’s church is uniquely positioned to provide relational intervention at a pivotal stage in the youths’ lives. These relationships build up the person and remove obstacles to living on their own, ultimately pointing each youth to Christ. The need is great, but it is not overwhelming when the church activates its members.
THE VISION
Heritage Builders is committed to equipping local churches to meet the needs of older youth who have been abandoned, abused, and are now languishing in the system. This partnership helps ensure adolescents age out well by empowering churches to:
- Advocate in one-on-one relationships
- Provide life-readiness trainings
- Serve as a connection to resources
When the church becomes involved in the lives of youth during these critical years, the door opens for us to introduce the hope of Christ, demonstrate His love, and encourage them to pursue a path lined with promise.
How It Works:
Lifeline
• Initiates and maintains relationships with DHR and youth housing facilities
•Provides training and ongoing support to coordinator
• Trains and provides materials for advocates, life-readiness coaches, and resource connectors
• Provides all assessment and inventory tools
• Promotes Heritage Builders
The Church
• Continues to build relationships with DHR and facilities staff
• Recruits church coordinator
• Recruit and support participants to facilitate Heritage Builders through:
- Advocates: Build one-on-one relationships with youth
- Life Readiness Coaches: Teach a new skill
- Resource Connectors: Locate and bridge available resources for basic needs
Together
- Pray
- Conduct screenings of potential advocates
- Participate in ongoing communication
- Collect, submit, and analyze data regularly to ensure continuous process improvement
- Encourage additional churches to participate in Heritage Builders through training, collaboration, and improvements.
