UJIMA “A Service And Preservation Center” (UJIMA/ASAP Center)
This service is envisioned to provide a facility and resources
for the on-going support of children and their families (regardless of how they became a family) which would support all of
our community programs and projects
UJIMA COAT
Program and Permanency Transition Home
This dual visioned service's intent
is to go to the heart of the African American community – the church – to form partnerships to find, train/educate,
support, and enhance permanency connections for our African American teens who are aging out of the foster care system of
Washington State while providing supervised homes for youth of African descent, ages 15-17, presently in the foster care system. The program will be designed to promote self-sufficiency and simulate real life mentored
by their Permanency Connections Families . The residents will acquire life skills
necessary to transition out of the foster care system by receiving training on
health care, budgeting, sex education, pregnancy prevention, housekeeping, and parenting (for residents who have children). Participants will attend a school program, such as high school, technical school,
GED classes or college. They will be given a monthly allotment to purchase their
own necessities but they must work to earn money for their individual percentage of the utility and telephone bills. It will be mandatory for each participant to establish a savings account. By being financially responsible for their necessities, utilities, and savings the residents will receive
practical budgeting experience and will acquire a sense of responsibility that will be very beneficial to them as adults. There will be 24-hour supervision provided by on-site resident managers and volunteers. The resident manager will ensure that the emotional, behavioral and social concerns
of the youth receive immediate intervention. The volunteers will provide support
to the resident managers. Participants will consistently receive awards for appropriate
behavior, consequences for inappropriate behavior and will develop problem-solving skills while experiencing the natural consequences
of their decision making in a protected environment.
