ABOUT THE PROGRAM

What is SF ILSP?

San Francisco Independent Living Skills Program (SF ILSP) is a supportive community for young people in foster care. We provide guidance, resources and services to help them succeed in school, build the skills for self-sufficiency, and get on a path for long term success in adulthood.

Who is eligible to participate?

To be a part of SF ILSP you must:

  • be between the ages of 16 and 21
  • currently be in foster care, kinship care, or on probation OR have been in care on or after your 16th birthday.

What services does SF ILSP offer?

The Program offers a full range of supports including education, career development, daily living, housing supports, and connections to community resources and referrals.

First Foundation

San Francisco ILSP offers an award‑winning educational support program to promote high school students in earning their high school diploma or GED. Through First Foundation, youth receive Intensive Case Management, support in academic skills building, tutoring, test preparation, barrier removal, social skills, and connections to critical academic and community resources.

Education

We support youth to finish their high school diploma or GED, explore, prepare and enter post-secondary education including college, vocational or on-the-job training programs. We address educational skills development that supports not only enrollment but progression and completion, including computer skills, study tips, time management, and barrier removal.

Permanence

We help build and strengthen lasting, supportive connections with caring adults and positive networks. Through guidance, resources, and relationship-building opportunities, we support youth in creating stable foundations that promote long-term well-being, belonging, and success into adulthood.

Health & Wellness

We support transition-age youth in building on their strengths and making informed choices about their well-being. This includes resources and connections for physical and mental health, safety, substance abuse prevention, family planning, and nutrition to help youth thrive and move toward independence.

Career Development

Our Career Development focuses on job readiness skills development, preparing for and obtaining a first job, retention, exploring job growth opportunities, and career planning. We focus on linking youth to jobs that relate to their interest and skills, and providing them opportunities to gain experience in the workforce that sets them up to become independent.

Daily Living

To ensure you have a strong foundation for independence, we’ll help you build vital skills for daily living. We’ll teach you financial literacy and how to budget, personal responsibility and self-advocacy, household management, and more.

Housing

While SF ILSP is not a housing program, we support young people in exploring and applying for housing options. We provide referrals to transitional, federal, state, and local housing resources, and assist with navigating landlord-tenant issues when they arise.