Vermont Youth Development Program
Leaving Foster Care
FOR YOUTH AGES 14-23 who have experience in the foster care system.
Elevate Youth Services provides the statewide administration of this program.
Each local Youth Development Program (YDP) provides services and opportunities to ensure that youth with foster care experience rise above risk factors, find resilience, and not only survive, but thrive.
To learn more about the statewide Vermont Youth Development Program, email YDP@elevateyouthvt.org or visit www.vtyouthdevelopmentprogram.org
To find a Youth Development Coordinator in your area visit https://vtyouthdevelopmentprogram.org/find-your-local-ydp
For our local Washington County YDP services, contact Lindsey Davis at 802-229-9151 or ldavis@elevateyouthvt.org
Elevate Youth Services contracts with the Department for Children and Families to provide the statewide administration of YDP. We subcontract with agencies across the state to provide YDP services in each of the 12 DCF districts.
The mission of YDP is to ensure that youth with foster care experience enter adulthood with the necessary support to build productive and fulfilling lives. We strive to be the program that partners with youth to help them knock down barriers, uncover interests and skill sets, provide opportunity, and help youth turn dreams into plans! We believe in providing services and supports that are strengths-based and fully driven by youth-identified goals.
YDP offers strengths-based case management, financial resources, and extended foster care agreements. Using a youth-driven approach, the program promotes well-being across the following domains: housing, education, employment, social connections, transportation, health, enrichment and basic needs. The Youth Development Program also offers participating youth with access to leadership, advocacy and training opportunities (e.g. panels, conferences, Youth Advisory Board) in order to ensure that the foster care system is informed by and responsive to the youth who are served by it.