Mentors, tutors, training

When Pastor Michael Martin and members of his congregation at Learning  to Live Fellowship began researching ways to support AIDS orphans in  Africa, they discovered a need right at home.
They came across  information about emancipated foster youth, and immediately turned their  attention toward home, explained April Warfield, director of the  program Martin created in 2005 as a result of that research.
The  information that prompted Martin and his group to redirect their efforts  included such statistics as: Each year an estimated 20,000 youth age  out of the foster care system, and nearly one-third will become  homeless within a year of leaving; one in five end up incarcerated  within the first two years; and only 54 percent compared to 84 percent  of non-foster youth complete high school.
Warfield said these stats  around emancipated foster youth in the United States, and even closer to  home in the city of Inglewood, combined with the fact that African  Americans are disproportionately represented in foster care, required  immediate action.
That realization resulted in the creation of  NextSteps, an after-school program that introduces foster youth to the  resources that will help ease their transition into independence.
The  nonprofit organization works with youth ages 14 to 18 who are recruited  through foster parent associations meetings, the county Department of  Children and Family Services, and from local schools.
Our goal is to  create a community that young people can feel a part of, and to promote  a sense of camaraderie and connectiveness, explained Warfield. To do  this, they teach the youngsters life skills such as how to interview for  a job, what is appropriate dress, and what music to have on voicemail.
We  talk about goal setting, budgeting, transitional housing, how to find  an apartment. We make them aware of the departments transitional house  supply, Warfield said.
The services also include information on  college. Additionally, the youngsters receive tutoring from students at  Loyola Marymount University [who have donated nearly 200 volunteer  hours], and they are paired with an adult mentor.
Once they finish  the 32-week program, Warfield said they have computer skills including  familiarity with Microsoft Word; have the life skills; and this year for  the first time, NextSteps is partnering with a local One-Stop  employment center to provide summer jobs for its participants.
Funding  for the organizations $87,000 annual budget comes primarily from  private donations and through an annual concert.
This years  fundraising concert and silent auction will be held March 29 at 5 p.m.  at Ocean Christian Fellowship, 343 Coral Circle in El Segundo. Tickets  are a minimum of a $10 donation. A freewill offering will also be  accepted during the concert.
To get more information or make a  donation to NextSteps, call (310) 673-1686, visit www.nextsteps.org or  write to 4808 W. 99th St., Inglewood, CA 90301.