Foster Forward Empowers Youth Through Mentorship

“This story is a part of the Solutions Journalism Network Media Challenge, where we report on solutions to mental health issues within the juvenile justice and foster care systems.”

BRISTOL, RI | In 2019, Sam Fasso signed up to be a mentor through Foster Forward’s Real Connections program, as she was curious about foster care and one day, adoption, but was unsure what that path would look like.

She was matched with Isabelle, a shy, 14-year-old girl. Although their connection wasn’t instant, over time, it grew stronger. They would hang out at cafes, bake, do crafts together, and even knock down a wall together, tackling a fixer-upper project. “I knew if I was consistent and showed I cared, she might open up.” Fasso said.

After nearly two years of mentoring, Isabelle asked Fasso to become her foster parent. “Honestly, we didn’t decide,” Fasso said. “Izzy decided.” Fasso and her husband became Isabelle’s foster parents in 2021, and by March 2022, they finalized the adoption.

The transition from mentor to parent was not always an easy one, but Isabelle and Sam developed a blossoming relationship as time passed. Fasso credits Foster Forward’s Real Connections Mentoring Program for giving her the foundation she needed to become the parent she is today.

Mentoring programs such as Real Connections offer support for both the mentor and the youth to grow together and foster a relationship that is long-term and meaningful.

The Harsh Reality Facing Youth in Foster Care
Youth within the foster care system often experience high levels of instability in their lives, whether this is due to housing issues, lower levels of educational attainment, career challenges, or isolation. All of these combined factors can lead to long-term mental health struggles, which are often prevalent amongst those who have been through the foster care system. When youth turn eighteen years old, and age out of the system, the risk of them encountering these instabilities increases. According to The Annie E. Casey Foundation, each year in the United States, 20,000 adolescents exit foster care without a permanent family, leaving many youth without consistent financial and emotional support to navigate the transition into adulthood.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation also estimates that close to 29% of youths and young adults who are unhoused have spent time in foster care. According to a 2024 study, foster youth who age out of care are approximately 22% to 30% more likely to face homelessness during the transition to adulthood. This is significantly higher than the estimated 4% lifetime prevalence of homelessness within the general population. Housing instability for foster care youth is often related to a lack of the critical finances, housing, and emotional support that is needed to thrive.

One in five youth who were in foster care at 17 and then surveyed at age 21 had not yet earned an educational degree, vocational certificate or license of any kind, according to Kids Count Rhode Island. Children in foster care often are bumped around from home to home, which can lead to frequent school transfers, resulting in credit loss or poor attendance. A 2025 study found that 8 to 12% of those with a foster care history earn an associate or bachelor’s degree by their mid to late 20s, which is below the general population’s 49%.

Because of educational barriers placed in front of foster youth, many of them are also facing employment issues. According to Kids Count Rhode Island, only 56% of youth who were in foster care at age 17 were employed part-time or full-time at age 21. By age 26, former foster care youth make 50% less earnings than their counterparts with similar educational backgrounds.

Youth who have been involved in the foster care system face a host of different issues, particularly when aging out of the system. Without guidance or even a familiar face to turn to, they are often left to their own devices, which can exacerbate mental health issues and challenges.

Real Connections Mentoring Program 
Foster Forward’s Real Connections Mentoring Program is a voluntary program, aiming to serve youth ages 12 to 21 who have past or current experience with homelessness or the foster care system. These mentoring initiatives aim to provide youth with long-term, positive adult role models for guidance and emotional support. The program is focused on building trusting relationships, helping youth prepare for adulthood, and navigating challenges.

The program’s goal is to give support to these individuals who need a role model and support in their lives. It offers long-term, one-on-one mentoring relationships that offer guidance, encouragement, and emotional support during the transition to adulthood.

Foster Forward’s 30th Anniversary annual report explains that participants are matched with trained adult mentors based on compatibility and shared interests, with ongoing support from the Foster Forward staff to help build lasting, meaningful connections.

How Mentorship Takes Shape

When it comes to the program itself, there are many different components to ensure that the program functions how it is supposed to – how youth are matched with mentors, how long they remain in the program, and the structure of the mentor relationship are all considerations for the program manager, Michelle Morel.

Most mentors find out and join the program through community outreach and social media, while youth are able to self-refer or have a provider refer them to Real Connections. In other words, everything is voluntary. However, mentors are screened and trained prior to being matched with a youth. They receive trauma-informed training to make sure they are equipped in all regards to help guide the youth with any conflict they may face. Additionally, mentors must complete background checks and home interviews prior to entering the program.

Prior to youth being matched with their mentor, it is assessed whether or not the youth has a connection in their lives that can be strengthened. “We work to deep dive into who’s in their life already and the connections we can make stronger,” said Michelle Morel. “If not, we can match them with a community mentor.”

According to Youth Mentor, studies show that when youth are specifically matched with mentors who share similar interests to them, there are significantly higher levels of engagement, including a 52% lower likelihood of skipping school and a 46% reduced risk of illegal drug use. When matching a youth to a mentor, Michelle tries to find some sort of common ground between the youth and the mentor. Shared interests such as sports or hobbies also increase match longevity. Over 90% of mentored youth report a stronger sense of belonging and improved self-worth, according to Youth Mentor.

Once they are matched, the youth and the mentor meet weekly or bi-weekly and are encouraged to do an activity, which are all community based. Some examples of activities include goal-setting discussions, skills development, professional development, or something just as simple as reflective conversations.

If youth are having trouble connecting with their mentor, they are able to check-in with Morel to talk about it. “Youth have total say if they go forward with the program,” she said. Particularly during the beginning of the mentee-mentor connection, Morel checks in regularly. She is also sure to give the distance needed to allow the relationship to develop.

Matches typically last for up to a year, but youth are able to stay in touch with their match beyond that. The structure of the program is extremely flexible, as it allows for re-enrollment for both the youth and the mentor.

Evidence of impact
Since the program’s implementation in 2005, 25 out of 639 matches have led to permanency, whether this is adoption, guardianship or long-term connection amongst the youth and the mentor.  “There are matches that succeed naturally and move into either a foster placement or adoption down the line,” said Morel. Studies from the National Mentoring Resource Center highlights that mentoring in foster care shows positive impacts on social skills, mental health, and reducing placement changes, rather than directly causing adoption or guardianship, making the 3.9% rate of legal permanency spatialized, rather than general outcomes.

Research shows that programs that bring in family members, extended relatives, trusted adults, and even peers tend to have the strongest impact on a young person’s development and support system. Real Connections opens the door for a different kind of relationship that allows the youth to lean on the mentor and have a reliable support system in their life. Based on the Foster Forward 30th Anniversary report, in 2024, 94% of youth felt that their mentor listened to them when something was bothering them and 92% of youth participants said that their mentor helped them take their mind off things. That kind of consistent emotional support can play a critical role in protecting and strengthening youth’s mental health.

Also in the same report, in 2024, 91% of mentees said that their mentor encouraged them to do well, and 90% of participants said that their mentor helped them feel good about themselves. Beyond the scope of helping youth transition into adulthood, they shape youth into who they want to be and help their emotional development.

Most matches last an average of 471 days, which is well beyond the one-year commitment. With that, since the program’s implementation in 2005, 42% of mentor-mentee matches continued beyond the program. Less than 50% continue, as participants often fail to follow through with the program beyond the structured environment due to a combination of emotional, practical, and systemic barriers. While the programs provide a safe, supportive space for interaction, the transition to the long-term relationship requires the effort, trust, and continuity that many have lacked within the system.

“These matches make lifelong connections,” said Morel.

More than Case Management
Real Connections differs from alternative methods such as the traditional case management and short-term mentoring, as it offers deeply personal and trust-based relationships that are able to move past the simple, transactional advice. It prioritizes positive connections, which helps build authentic and respectful partnerships that feel more like trust-based friendships than a formal or professional relationship. That sense of trust and belonging can be especially powerful in supporting a young person’s emotional well-being and overall mental health. Mentors give their mentees a hand to grab whenever needed while they transition into adulthood, not just when things are especially hard.

Additionally, this program emphasizes genuine human connection, empathy, and tailored support for youth, matching them with caring community members to help them thrive. Instead of simply guiding professional development, the focus is on helping the youth build a strong sense of self and emotional security alongside confidence.

These mentor relationships are a two-way street, and it highlights the mentors also learn and grow from the relationship. This approach ensures that the mentorship goes beyond the general concept of a professional relationship, and gives the youth exactly what they need to succeed.

The Funding Gap 
Although the success rate for this program is extremely high, funding is limited, capping at about 15 matches in the current year. Only 15 youth got to participate in Real Connections in 2024. While this is a great opportunity for those 15 participants, there could be many more youth benefiting from the program. Limited funds restrict the program’s scope.

According to Foster Forwards Financials as of 2024, they have received a total of $3,355,630 for their various programs. 84.1% of their expenses go directly toward their programming.

Federal contributors contribute the most with 28.5% of their financials, while 24.1% come from grants. 84.1% of their expenses go towards the program’s services.

Lastly, because the program is volunteer based, it can sometimes be a challenge to find mentors who match perfectly with their mentee’s interests. More funding could help with marketing efforts, to broaden the pool of prospective mentors and create stronger, more intentional matches.

What Real Connections Reveals about Foster Care Reform 
Real Connections offers extended support that provides youth who have faced so much hardship with a long-term support system – a shoulder to lean on when necessary.

The program says a lot about what needs to happen for foster care reform to provide youth with more stability. Aging out of the system is extremely dangerous to development in various aspects, and there is a lack of support once youth age out. 

Think back to Fasso and Isabelle’s story, and how easily young people in, and exiting the foster system, can be overlooked or let down by a system that was meant to protect them.

Each year, youth are forced to navigate the challenging transition into adulthood, on their own, without the proper role models they need. A lack of consistent support can cause increased stress, anxiety, and isolation. Foster Forward aims to change that by fostering relationships that provide guidance, stability, and trust…

“Connection can come unexpectedly, and you should embrace it when it does,”  Fasso said.

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