Greene County foster youth are learning skills that will help them be more successful once they exit the foster care system.
At a recent event in Springfield, youth from 16 to 20-years-old who are either in foster care or used to be, took part in a scavenger hunt. The Hunt for Independence is part of the Teens Navigating Tomorrow program at the Greene County Juvenile Office. They were challenged to put their independent living skills to the test through hands-on activities, team challenges and real-world problem-solving experiences throughout the city.
"TNT was created way back in 2015 as basically a stopgap to try to fix some of the shortcomings of the foster care system," said Karen Smith a deputy juvenile officer in Greene County and the TNT coordinator. "We know from stats that our youth leave care often in a situation that's not stable, and they end up less successful than kids that are not in foster care. So, the idea that started this whole thing was, how can we better our youth as they exit foster care to ensure that they have the supports they need to be successful?"
The scavenger hunt, she said, helps young people learn and practice life skills while having fun.
"You know, public buses are scary, and navigating the public transportation system can be pretty tough — fair, understandable, been there, done that. But, when you do those things with a group of kids and other people, it makes the experience a lot more enjoyable and sometimes even fun," she said. "So, the scavenger hunt kind of started with that principle in mind. How can we get them out in the community, experiencing the bus system and also hitting up some of those locations that you're going to have to know as an adult?"
Participants visit the DMV office, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department and other places to find out what services they offer and how to use them. They have some fun challenges – like posing for a silly picture with a police officer and taking photos with downtown artwork. They learn how to respond to an officer if they’re driving and get pulled over.
They even learn some things that many Springfieldians probably don’t know – like the fact that there’s a little blue sign at a railroad track crossing that tells what to do if there’s a vehicle stranded on the tracks.
"I think most of us would panic and think, 'let's call 911,' " said Smith. "But there's actually a designated phone number that you're supposed to call that then gets that information directly to the train conductor so that they can stop the train in time."
The scavenger hunt is the culmination of time spent building knowledge through the TNT program, which is driven partly by those who are being helped by it. For example, Smith says they heard from some older youth who didn’t feel confident cooking chicken, so she organized a cooking class for them. Youth learn car care, like how to change a tire.
The TNT program helps youth build support systems that they can take with them outside the foster care system, according to Smith.
"We've had lots of kids that have made friends through this that have, you know, it's eased placement changes when they are moving into a new program that's a transitional living program," she said. "They're making friends at those programs before they get there or they're connecting with the some of the chaperones — adults, essentially, that are going out with them and building a connection there."
Smith said collaboration with community organizations is key to the program’s success.
