First Place for Youth Breaks Ground with Employment, Earnings Results for Foster Youth 

Many young people continue to face significant barriers as they transition from foster care to independence. While research consistently shows transition-age foster youth who stay connected to resources have better outcomes in adulthood, too few programs demonstrate a clear pathway to lifelong wellbeing and economic self-sufficiency. 

The Hilton Foundation’s Foster Youth initiative is invested in building connections for youth 14-26 years of age who remain in, or are transitioning out of, foster care. We focus on comprehensive support, including stable housing, meaningful connections, educational opportunities and career pathways. 

In First Place for Youth’s new impact report conducted by Chapin Hill, the My First Place (MFP) program shows significant impact for foster youth who completed the program. By offering fully subsidized transitional housing and intensive case management across six California counties, their approach centers on improving educational achievement and career readiness, guiding foster youth toward positive futures.  

Highlights: Program leads to higher employment and earnings for foster youth 

The evaluation examines both employment and wage earnings together with college enrollment. Chapin Hill found that young people who completed the program were more likely to be employed and earned more than those who did not complete the program, and especially those who did not enroll.    

• Employment: Three years after exiting, participants who completed the program were 1.5 times more likely to be employed than non-participants.  

• Wages: On average, program completers earned 65% more than non-participants in the year they exited the program and 37% more than non-participants three years later.   

• Stable Housing: Longer stays, planned exits, and exits to stable housing were also linked to higher employment rates and higher earnings.    

• Higher Education: Participation increased the likelihood of enrolling in college by 32% and the likelihood of completing a semester of college by 39%.  

This program demonstrates how targeted supports and stable housing for transition-age foster youth can create stable, long-term pathways for young people to stay permanently housed and reach their education and career goals.   

Read the impact report.

“Independent validation of long-term impact is rare in our field. For the 200,000 youth eligible for extended foster care or housing vouchers nationwide, such proof demonstrates our program’s crucial role in building youth stability through housing, education, and employment.”

Thomas Lee, Chief Executive Officer, First Place for Youth