The Youth Development Services Division (YDSD) Life Skills Training (LST) Classes are for youth who are ILP eligible.  These services are provided through three (3) YDS Contractors, namely Para Los Ninos (PLN) serving youth in SPA 6, Foundation for California Community Colleges (FCCC) serving youth in SPA 2, 3, 4, and SPA 8 and Community College Foundation (CCF) serving youth in SPA 1, 5 and 7.

The Life Skills Contract serves youth ages 16 through 20.  The Contractors utilize a Life Skills Training (LST) curriculum which is tailored to address, but not limited to, the following seven (7) core services.

• Education, including skill development, assistance and referrals to obtain literacy skills, high school diploma/GED,  post-secondary education experiential learning and computer skills;
  
  
• Career Development, including assistance and referral to obtain career exploration, work readiness and responsibility skills, employment development, employment experience, vocational training, apprenticeship opportunities, job placement and retention;
  
  
• Assistance and referral to promote health/mental health, including safety skills, substance abuse prevention, smoking cessation, pregnancy prevention , parenting, and nutrition education;
  
  
• Referral to available mentors and /or mentoring programs;
  
  
• Daily Living Skills, including financial management and budgeting, credit and identity theft, personal responsibility skills, self advocacy, household management, consumer and resource use, survival skills, computer and internet skills, and obtaining vital records;
  
  
• Financial Resources (Financial Aid Workshops) including financial assistance, incentives, stipends savings, trust fund accounts, educational/vocational grants, CAL-Grants, Employment Development Departments, registered in One-Stop Career Centers, Workforce Investment Act funding and programs, public assistance including CalWorks, Food Stamps and Medi-Cal;
  
  
• Housing Information including training and referrals about transitional housing programs, federal, state and local housing programs, and landlord/tenant issues.

Each class is a maximum of three (3) hours with a complete course being a maximum of 30 hours. Each class includes a pre and post test to determine effectiveness of training.  Youth participation is voluntary.  Youth receive a one time $100 stipend for completing the LST.

Contractors also submit an Initial Assessment Report namely the Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment to determine the Youth's strengths and deficiencies.

ILP Eligible youth are referred to LST Classes by their Transition Coordinator after their Children’s Social Worker (CSW) submitted their completed Transitional Independent Living Plan (TILP).  You may contact your CSW or Transition Coordinator for more information.