The Problem

Identification and Significance of Problem

The proposed innovation is to eliminate this population from not having access to personal information, access to vital resources, educational tools and medical assistance. Regardless of where they are they can access their information and not be inconvenienced for long periods of time. I have worked in the child care/foster care industry for over 10 years. The biggest problem once a client is placed in a facility is the lack of personal information to be able to provide services to them. Such as, enrollment in school, access to resources, applying for jobs and getting medical services. They just sit in limbo and wait on others to help them and now VALE will give them immediate hands on to this information and support.

The proposed innovation is to create a copyright interactive web site and to retrieve personal information, locate viable resources, enhance continuing education and provide medical services when displaced.

I am proposing this innovation to solve a major dilemma in the fact that the children move around so much and to have this information in one place. Then they can have tailored resources, continuing education and medical services with a touch of a button.

The significance of the problem is that the populations we are dealing with already have emotional and behavioral problems from abandonment, abuse, neglect and lack of support. Without constructive activities and continuing education they get involved in drugs, gangs, drop out of school, have no formal education, and end up in jail and homeless. VALE will provide vital support for constructive activities that can prevent many of these negative social consequences, reduce financial burdens on human service agency budgets, and prevent administrative delay and waste of resources.

The impact VALE will have on society is better access to vital personal information to continue and consistently focus on bridging the technology gap for people who are displaced. By implementing this program, we can insure they have access to their life line of information, enhanced opportunities for education, continuing career skills, medical benefits and consistent contact with a VALE APF for further guidance. They can gain the necessary insight to be self sufficient, reach a higher education level and reduce homelessness. Also, VALE can impact the technology industry by being the leader for the disadvantaged through technology. Over the last 10 years I have made relationships with organizations that have contributed, sponsored or granted funds such as Wells Fargo Bank, Office Depot, El Pollo Loco, Sam's Club, ACE Cash Express, Netspend, along with various other companies and individuals. I would like to take these relationships, partner with USC and accelerate the growth of this technology idea. We will have sponsors and run banner ads on our site which will help bring in more revenue and create exposure to make more people aware of our services.
There are so many statistics on this population, but one sticks out in my mind. Mrs. Hilary Rodham Clinton commented from an article she read. Mrs. Clinton stated, "For many Americans, the 18th birthday is an important one. Turning 18 means you can vote. It means you can often go away to get a job or to school. But it should never mean that you're left on your own. For too many young people, turning 18 has been just the beginning of a lonely and sometimes harrowing journey toward adulthood."
The article she read was from a statistic from Casey Family Program. It states, between 18,000 and 20,000 youth aged 16 and older transition from the foster care system each year, Studies show that youth in foster care tend to do less well than their peers in the general population in such areas as high school completion rates and employment. These youth also tend to experience higher incidences of homelessness. Further, research has shown that foster youth are at higher risk of delinquency, substance abuse, and teen pregnancy and parenting. Unfortunately, youth in foster care often do not get the help they need with high school completion, employment, accessing health care, continued educational opportunities, housing and transitional living arrangements. These are the areas in which youth need support to learn how to manage the activities of daily living and maintain connections to siblings, other caring adults and peers. Frequently, the foster care system and other related agencies such as Probation and Mental Health expect these youth to live on their own at age 18. VALE targets adults who come from living in these types of systems, and the general population that just simply needs support.

In December 1999, "The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999" was signed into law. This legislation helps ensure that young people who leave foster care get the tools they need to make the most of their lives. It empowers them by providing better educational opportunities, access to health care, training, housing assistance, counseling and other services.

This is a continuance program that when clients get interrupted and have to stop for what ever reason, they can come right back where they started and finish the program or at least continue where they left off. This project will save money by not repeating the same process over and over Since 1996, I have been the Executive Director for Living Advantage, Inc., a non-profit organization. Our mission was to provide housing, therapeutic treatment, educational support and independent living skills to at risk youth who are wards of the court in Orange and Los Angeles Counties. Our objective is to prepare these dependent youth with significantly increasing access to K-12 academics, college preparation, independent living and job development skills as well as entrepreneurial opportunities. With the utilization of our resource educational computer web site, learning will promote the necessary skills for these youth in today's high technology market. We had a facility in Buena Park and Carson. While working in this field I narrowed it down that the most important objective for these youth are the tools to be self sufficient, independent and reach a higher education. Our Living Advantage, Inc. Web site had been developed over the years to have youth register and build a data base. They utilized our linked resources. We received numerous grants to help support the web site. We have had successful fundraisers, while building relationships in Orange and Los Angeles counties. Since October, 2005, I have dissolved the group home facilities to focus on the service of technology for this population in the for profit sector. I am pursuing this project on a full time level. I have hired Aleph, Inc. www.alephconsulting.orgin constructing a new web site. They feel the benefit and value in an Internet web site is an important part of communications, marketing and managing information. I look forward to partnering with OCTANe because of their extensive background and expertise in this area to the further growth of VALE. This is an innovative technology and the background and experience OCTANe has can bring this project to the cutting-edge of technology solutions.

Approach

The outcome will be more clients able to access information faster, when necessary. They will have more resources that pertain to their needs such as continuing education for completing high school and higher education. They will have an assistant to guide them in the right direction as a support system. All they have to do is find a computer with internet access, click on to the web site and information will be at their fingertips. In the case they do not have their own computer, they can get access from local libraries, school, computer labs and business centers.

The barrier to this project was not enough funding/money to carry out mission. A web developer that understands the mission and that can maintain the web site better. Partnering with the right entity that has the experience in commercializing new technologies. Market the web site to build traffic, bring people back again and again. Convert visitors to buyers. There will be no barriers by working with OCTANe that understands the responsibility for identifying, evaluating VALE as a start up company. Develop and implement the process in creating the opportunity to grow this innovative idea and help at risk and underserved population when no one else has improved their service through technology. Also it would be a privilege to partner with an organization that has the capabilities of having the proficiency to carry out this mission.