VOICES Napa provides young people aging out of foster care with family-like support, acceptance, and accountability as they set their own goals and pursue them across VOICES’ youth-led core programs: Health and Wellness, Career and Education, and ILP-Independent Living Program.
Many of the young people VOICES serves have suffered child abuse and neglect, and continue to experience trauma. VOICES’ approach to supporting youth is two-fold: with the youth at the center of the process, VOICES works with them on trauma-informed goal setting, and supports them as they learn to manage their trauma triggers so the triggers do not result in behaviors that get in the way of their goals, and so they are healthy and happy youth—ready to take on the world.
With a strong focus on trauma-informed care, VOICES Napa maintains a Youth Engagement Model that empowers transition-age foster youth to design and implement programming.
VOICES NAPA LOCATION & HOURS
Address
780 Lincoln Avenue
Napa, CA 94558 [Map]
Phone: (707) 251-9432
Fax: (707) 251-9509
Drop-In Hours
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 10AM-5PM
Tuesday: 2-5PM
CORE PROGRAMS
All of VOICES’ programs are administered through a trauma-informed lens, and are led by teams of youth and adults in a family-like environment. Support and safety, comprehensive education, employment, health, and housing services are housed under one roof at VOICES.
Support services fall under the following core programs:
CHANGES Health and Wellness Program provides a continuum of education, prevention, and intervention services related to physical, emotional, and mental health. In addition, a Health Navigator works on-site, providing wellness coaching for youth to create personal safety plans to promote wellness, and apply for and utilize medical and dental benefits available at VOICES Napa and in the community. Advocates provide portions of core programming such as wellness workshops, fitness activities, and peer coaching. Co-located services such as counseling and nutrition workshops are provided on-site.
EXPLORATIONS College and Career Development Program ensures the academic success of low-income, transition-age youth in secondary and post-secondary education while providing job readiness, placement, and financial literacy services. Youth Education Navigators are stationed on site at Napa Valley College to provide peer-based educational support and guidance in navigating the complicated world of post-secondary education.
ILP – Independent Living Program addresses a multitude of needs and issues in order to prevent homelessness and develop trusted connections with others. Each participant receives a combination of case management, housing placements, drop-in services, workshops, and learning excursions. Follow VOICES Napa’s ILP Facebook page.
Life Conferences was developed in 2011 after it became clear that youths’ voices were not being consistently heard during the planning for their transition out of foster care, Life Conferences place youth at the center of the process. VOICES staff partner with Napa County Children & Families Division to develop and implement Life Conferences, which provide life-planning conferences to youth ages 18 to 21 as they are emancipating from the foster care system.