Foster Youth Community - Guardian Scholars
A Community Coming Together
Foster Support
Our college is committed to help support the needs of foster families in our community. On this page you will find special programs that are dedicated to serving and supporting the unique needs of Foster Youth and Foster Parents both on campus and throughout Riverside County.
Current Programs Offered
Foster and Kinship Care Education Program (FKCE)
Riverside County is dedicated to providing licensed foster parents, kinship caregivers, other interested individuals and professionals with access to educational training through our program. This training is designed to make a difference for all parties involved.
Guardian Scholars Program (GS)
Our foster youth support services program is designed to assist current and former foster youth at RCC. Guardian Scholars can help provide the resources and other support needed to assist students in the tasks they undertake to navigate their college experience.
Foster Youth Network
To expand college access and success for foster youth, Moreno Valley College, Norco College, and Riverside City College created the Foster Youth Support Network (FYSN), which provides a comprehensive suite of services designed to create a connected and coordinated safety net for foster youth transitioning from high school.
Free Caregiver Workshops and Training
This program works to provide California State and Riverside County mandated continuing
education classes for approved Resource Families.
Kinship providers are required to attend annual training. Other professionals working
with children (childcare providers, teachers, counselors, social workers) are also welcome to
attend the Spanish or English workshops.
To receive workshop updates to your email inbox, simply subscribe to get FKCE class updates! You can also call (951) 222-8822. When contacting us please
provide your Name, Phone Number and, if applicable, the class that you want to attend
including date/time/location.
NOTE: CHILDREN ARE NOT PERMITTED to attend workshops due to the sensitive nature of
the topics. Please call us with any questions.
Training classes are:
- Applicable for all "D" rated Los Angeles County approved homes
- Cover a wide variety of topics
- Free of charge to participants
- Held mornings and evenings throughout Riverside County
- Likely to be cancelled if there is insufficient pre-registration
- Offered in English and Spanish
- Counted towards County Resource Family training hours requirement (minimum 8 hours of approved training required each year, including for Kinship and Relative Caregivers)
- Potentially applicable towards “D‐Rate” in‐service renewal hours (seek pre‐approval from LA county worker prior to attending workshops).
- Prospective Foster/Adoptive (Resource Families)
- Approved County Foster/Adoptive Families
- Foster Family Agency Foster Parents & Staff
- Kinship Caregivers (both Formal & Informal)
- Classes are Not Generally for Birth Parents
- NO ONE UNDER 18 IS PERMITTED TO ATTEND
| VIEW TRAINING SCHEDULE - TBD |
Elevate Your College Experience
The Guardian Scholars program is part of the Riverside Area Multi-Campus Network (MCN) supporting foster youth on the Riverside City College (RCC), Moreno Valley College (MVC), and University of California, Riverside (UCR), campuses. Our collaboration seeks to promote the transfer of information and resources to support our students across all campuses.
The program helps foster youth realize their post-secondary education is a step towards self-sufficiency, a stronger self-identity and a solid foundation for a bright future. They will attend classes at RCC and develop personal connections with RCC staff, faculty and fellow students in an inclusive, supportive environment and community. They will enjoy their time at RCC and build relationships that will last a lifetime.
This program is made possible through a generous grant provided by the Pritzker Foundation, and RCC Student Equity funding.
Dedicated Counselors & Staff assistance, including:
- Applications
- Registration
- Financial Aid
- Emergency Needs
- Campus & Community Resources
- Student Educational Plans
- Community Involvement Opportunities
Guardian Scholar Resource & Engagement Center
- Computers Access
- Printers
Study Area - Cell Phone Chargers
- Snacks
Workshops
- Financial Literacy
- Reducing Stress
- Healthy Habits
Off-Campus Events
Technology Loans
- laptops
Etc.
- Between the ages of 18 - 25 years old
- Been in foster care any time after the age of 13
- Submit the GS application to the Foster Youth Specialist
- Submit your Dependency Verification Letter (also known as Ward of the Court Letter)
- Be a current or prospective RCC student
Riverside City College
(951) 222-8878
Transitioning to College
Foster Youth Support Network – Riverside Community College District
To expand college access and success for foster youth, Moreno Valley, Norco, and Riverside City colleges created the Foster Youth Support Network (FYSN), which provides a comprehensive suite of services designed to create a connected and coordinated safety net for foster youth transitioning from high school.
The FYSN has developed a regional framework to support comprehensive, interagency collaboration and coordination of services related to foster youth’s college transition and success, and provides direct, continuous support and resources to foster youth in grades 9-12 in order to increase their college readiness and prepare them for a seamless transition into higher education.
With district-wide coordination, Riverside City College embeds a Student Resource Specialist within high schools in the Alvord, Jurupa, and Riverside Unified School Districts. The Resource Specialist works closely with their institution’s partners to simultaneously lower barriers to enrollment and promote success through a case management model, empowering foster youth to take an active role in planning for a transition to higher education. Support provided includes college and career exploration lessons, referrals to academic support, and one-on-one assistance with college and financial aid applications.