Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso (FAN)

Safe House, Linked Hearts: FAN's mission is to cultivate a focus on youth well being and positive development in an environment infused with safety, security, and love. Through our youth development and family support programs, we provide youth currently or formerly in foster care opportunities to nurture their interests and talents, acquire new skills, and gain a sense of personal and group recognition in an atmosphere of hope. FAN serves children ages 8-17 in our summer/afterschool program, young adults ages 18-25 in our alumni program/planned drop-in center, and their families. Trauma-informed After-school Program: FAN's trauma-informed after school programs integrate a positi... read more Safe House, Linked Hearts: FAN's mission is to cultivate a focus on youth well being and positive development in an environment infused with safety, security, and love. Through our youth development and family support programs, we provide youth currently or formerly in foster care opportunities to nurture their interests and talents, acquire new skills, and gain a sense of personal and group recognition in an atmosphere of hope. FAN serves children ages 8-17 in our summer/afterschool program, young adults ages 18-25 in our alumni program/planned drop-in center, and their families. Trauma-informed After-school Program: FAN's trauma-informed after school programs integrate a positive youth development philosophy with an understanding of the impact of trauma and toxic stress on children and youth to provide tailored support to children and youth who have had or are at risk of contact with the child welfare system. FAN implemented its Positive Youth Development (PYD) Program in June, 2006- a daily after school and summer program for up to 30 8-18 year old children and youth. FAN's PYD program operates for hours each afternoon for 32 weeks during the school year. Most youth take advantage of FAN provided transportation to ensure that they arrive safely at the program each day, a critical service given that many foster parents are elderly and do not drive, and the geographic spread of schools and foster homes. Two certified youth peer specialists staff the program, partnering with volunteers who provide academic support and homework help to program participants for one hour each afternoon, and also facilitating team building, cultural, or mentoring activities. In addition to the certified youth peer specialists, volunteer instructors expose participants to a wide variety of activities they might not otherwise be able to experience, offering daily arts, sports, recreational, and vocational instruction to groups of 10 young people. Volunteer tutors provide small group and one-on-one academic support and homework help to program participants. Youth and Young Adult Drop-in Center: These services target up to 60 youth and young adults with a history of child welfare system involvement or broader trauma histories in the community. Activities include open drop-in hours with both structured and unstructured activities and access to certified youth peer specialists daily. Peer specialists also plan group social activities and outings to engage youth in the center and encourage young adults to bring others to the center. The goal of these activities is to create a safe, supportive environment offering formal and informal support to a range of young adults in the community. Targeted Case Management, Peer Support, and Referral: These services target up to 30 young adults and up to 20 parents/caregivers who identify individualized recovery, self-advocacy, or wellness goals that agree to work in partnership with a certified peer specialist to achieve these goals. Services may include group trainings, workshops, and support group meetings, as well as individualized referral to behavioral health services, public benefits, housing, job training, or other opportunities identified by center participants. The overarching goal is to provide mutual support, self-help, advocacy, education, information, and referral to young adults and families with behavioral health needs to help them to achieve their goals and vision of wellness.