Center for High Impact Philanthropy

ALT A blue box with the title "Research Highlight: Amplifying the Voices of Youth Experiencing & Aged Out of Foster Care During COVID-19" in white text. Below the title, a woman is wearing a blue facemask in a room with orange, red, and yellow walls. The text below the boy reads: “Disasters, such as COVID-19, may contribute to ecological and psychosocial disruptions at various levels, particularly impacting vulnerable social groups, such as youth with foster care experience. To address the mental health needs of older youth with foster care experience uncovered in our 2020 study, The Field Center partnered with The Center for High Impact Philanthropy to amplify these youth's voices, raise awareness about their mental health challenges, and provide insights for stakeholders on how to best support them during crises. This work aims to inform future philanthropic efforts to support vulnerable youth during disasters”. The GivingTuesday logo and Field Center logo are at the bottom.

ALT A blue box with the title "Research Highlight: Amplifying the Voices of Youth Experiencing & Aged Out of Foster Care During COVID-19" in white text. There is a white header underneath that reads "Qualitative Research." Under the header, there are while bullet points: - Twenty-six people aged 18-23 - Currently in or aged out of foster care - Experiencing mental health challenges *To understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health of older youth with foster care experience *To gain insight into the resiliency that supports young people in dealing with challenges To the right, there is a thought bubble with a question mark. The GivingTuesday logo and Field Center logo are at the bottom.

ALT A blue box with the title "Research Highlight: Amplifying the Voices of Youth Experiencing & Aged Out of Foster Care During COVID-19" in white text. There is a white header underneath that reads "Main Findings." Under the header, there are white bullet points: 1) The importance of supportive relationships (including peers and non-parental adults/natural relationships 2) The need for access to adaptive coping skills (including reading, TV and movies, exercise, listening to music, being outside) 3) The desire for environmental, institutional, and social supports (including therapists, caseworkers, and other formally assigned individuals like mentors or court-appointed special advocates) The GivingTuesday logo and Field Center logo are at the bottom.

ALT A blue box with the title "Research Highlight: Amplifying the Voices of Youth Experiencing & Aged Out of Foster Care During COVID-19" in white text. There is a white header underneath that reads "Takeaways." Under the header, there are white bullet points: Young people must be given the opportunity to express themselves and should be involved in the decisions and discussions that shape their future Systemic reform of the child welfare system related to how it cares for older youth during crisis times will only come about when we hear what these young people need, from the young people. - Below the bullet points, there us a quote written in white: As one participant stated, “When I had someone to talk to, it didn't feel like I had so much on my shoulders by myself. It didn't feel like I had to do so much alone” *(Greeson et al., 2022). The GivingTuesday logo and Field Center logo are at the bottom.