Can you imagine being a teenager or young person with zero trusting, reliable adult relationships in your life? For many youth in foster care, this is a reality. 

The nature of foster care - especially for older kids, teens, and young adults - means bouncing from home to home and school to school with little time to develop long-term relationships with peers, other foster youth, and adults. Adult mentors and role models are necessary in the lives of all young people, and make a significant difference as foster youth transition from state care to interdependent adulthood. 

Enter our Real Connections program. What is Real Connections?

• Real Connections is a mentoring program that connects foster youth, ages 12-21, with positive, long-term adult role models.

• Mentors are trained to provide guidance and emotional support to young people who are preparing to leave foster care and live outside of state care. 

• Mentors and foster youth are “matched” using practices that acknowledge the needs and goals of the young person, as well as the personality of both mentor and mentee.

• Foster Forward staff members continue to facilitate and support Real Connections relationships as matches are made and bonds develop.

This program is unique in that we are specifically supporting the unique needs of young adults transitioning out of foster care. These youth have a whole new set of challenges, fears, and obstacles that our Real Connections mentors are prepared to help them navigate. Through Real Connections, youth are developing a stronger sense of self and are getting the encouragement they need to identify positive relationships with others, maintain jobs, attain higher levels of education, move into new apartments, and more. 

Real Connections mentors are relatives, teachers, coaches, and members of the local community who have a vested interest in the lives of foster youth and young people.

Are you interested in becoming a mentor?

Download the Real Connections Mentor Application.

Are you a young adult navigating the foster care system and want to connect with a mentor?

Download the Real Connections Youth Application.

You can also call Michelle Morel at (401) 438-3900 Ext. 123, or email her at michelle.morel@fosterforward.net.

Note: You can participate in Real Connections if you are Rhode Island foster youth between the ages of 18-26 and are about to age out, or already have aged out of DCYF care without a permanent adult support.

*Real Connections is supported, in part, through the generous contributions of the Rhode Island Foundation, The Sinclair Family Foundation, Hasbro Children’s Fund and Textron.