We empower aged-out foster youth and youth from at-risk backgrounds to overcome personal obstacles, achieve independence and reach their fullest potential. WHAT MAKES OUR MENTORING PROGRAM SUCCESSFUL? Our goal is to empower underserved and disconnected young adults by equipping them to achieve independence and reach their full potential. We address needs such as housing, life skills, coping skills, nutrition and employment through over 1,200 hours in our year-long intensive Mentor Program. Our trainees are employed by Compassion Planet at Deer Creek Farm and Compassion Thrift Store where a variety of skills training, work experience and an individualized growth plan for each trainee is developed and tracked. Our social workers, trauma informed staff and trained volunteers work alongside our trainees in an occupational environment, which provides a controlled setting to discover how everyday life choices can impact future employment, goals and dreams. This hands-on approach gives CP the opportunity to address whole-life principles such as finances, decision-making, health, hygiene, communication, nutrition, manners, healthy relationships, character, ethics, and leadership in addition to providing the needed coaching in career development. Upon graduation, our trainees enter into our Second Steps program which provides lifelong services such as forever family connections, counseling and mentoring services, alumni events and internships with local business through our Hire Me Next program. Our goal is to not only assist our grads in career planning, but help them stay connect to a healthy community so they can reach their personal dreams.