STAR Center

The STAR Center is a youth resource center utlized to help support foster, "at risk", and homeless youth in the community. Staff at the STAR Center provide support, mentoring, and learning opportunities as a means for drop out prevention. Staff run twice monthly Independent Living Program groups that focus on teaching skills to youth as they reach adulthood. Other services and case management provided by the STAR Center include individual youth mentoring, tutoring, FAFSA support, career and college exploration for foster and homeless youth, and court support for foster youth. The staff also hosts the youth recovery program which includes at risk teens or those that are on probation to process and heal in a supportive process group. 

As is common when working with transitional age youth and those that have endured the family trauma that led them to the foster care system there are a lot of unpredictable behaviors. An intern would need to be able to think on their toes, be versed in conflict resolution, and be willing to jump right in if conflict arises. While most days are predictable and you make your own calendar of tasks/meetings, there are times when a youth is in crisis and the intern may have to drop their planned activities to respond to the youth in crisis.