FosterClub:Connect

FosterClub:Connect Leverage the power of the internet and social networking to engage and connect with foster youth

welcome to web 2.0 The phenomenon of “social networks” on the internet has demonstrated how technology provides new and highly effective tools which keep people connected. It’s made it possible to network and communicate in ways not previously imagined. We’ve harnessed this power and now allow state foster care programs to access young people through FosterClub.com.

Collect data. Sophisticated and flexible survey and polling tools allow you to survey youth, or (with Member permission) access the information we have on file. State-of-the-art open source code and export functions allow you to pull data into your system.

Find youth and keep in touch.

Use our network to locate youth. Access the information we have on file (Members must opt-in). Best of all, once they log-on, FosterClub does the work to keep them engaged: youth-friendly content, interactive features, inspiring stories, friends, birthday cards, reward points and more.

Provide access to info about resources, 24/7. It’s the beauty of the internet: information is available when they need it, including evenings and weekends.

Help youth connect to each other and supportive adults.

FosterClub provides a peer support network and offers prospective mentors and supportive adults a way to safely meet and connect with young people.

Engage youth in program improvement. Pull together teams of youth to participate in your state CFSR and PIP process, serve on and provide input to special committees, or to help raise awareness and recruit foster parents.

Supplement and reinforce life skills training. Content on FosterClub.com helps youth prepare for life after foster care. Your state-specific resources let them find relevant, timely information.

Provide youth development and leadership opportunity. Engage a youth or your youth board to take the reigns as content administrators for your state. Our tools make it easy and provide an opportunity for peer-to-peer support and eMentoring.

Annual subscription pricing.

Your subscription helps us cover network maintenance, editorial development, technical support, outreach and screening tier one

tier two

tier three

tier four

States: AK, AR, DE, HI, ID, ME, MS, MT, NH, ND, NM, RI, SD, UT, VT, WY

States: AL, CT, DC, IA, KS, KT, LA, MN, NE, NV, PR, SC, VA, WV

States: AZ, CO, GA, IN, MD, MA, MO, NJ, NC, OH, OK, OR, TN, WA, WI

States: CA, FL, IL, MI, NY, PN, TX

$3,000

$3,500

$4,000

$4,500

connect For more information, contact Steve Farnham at steve@fosterclub.com or 503-717-1552.

Why use FosterClub?

Just in case you need a few more reasons to subscribe to the FosterClub:Connect program…

Turn-key solution.

Your State page has been built already. Whether you control the content yourself, supplement content by our staff, or use the website as a youth development opportunity for a young person or a youth board, our template solution allows you to concentrate on delivering the most relevant information and resources to the inboxes of your youth.

We’re got youth.

FosterClub has a loyal and growing audience of FosterClub members: 24,000 and counting. Our members are quick to respond to polls, comment on our pages and message boards. They are active contributors to FosterClub, because this is THEIR club. FosterClub can serve as a “point of entry” for your youth – a way that you connect and engage with them (even if you refer them to pages served through your state website or elsewhere).

We keep them coming.

Lots of people can build you a website. The real challenge is getting youth to join, and to keep them coming. Our editorial content features youth-friendly articles about famous people who grew up in foster care, fun poll questions and contests, video and blogs, and other feature designed specifically to attract young people. Our regular eNews and eUpdates alerts Members to what’s new and keeps them coming back for more.

Built in incentives.

FosterClub’s unique point system allows young people to earn points every time they participate on FosterClub.com. State:Connect subscribers can award even more points for special activities, such as participation in a training event, completion of a program, or response to a NYTD (National Youth in Transition Database) survey. States also have the option of allowing youth to “cash” in points for real items (gift certificates or prizes provided at state’s expense) or no-cost digital rewards.

Social Networking made easy.

If you haven’t already heard – social networking is THE thing when it comes to communicating with youth. Staying on top of all the new technology can be tricky, and many state servers won’t allow access to social networking platforms. But the FosterClub.com network is already built! With membership growing, partnerships with other social networks (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter) in place, FosterClub staff trained and ready, and a web 2.0 technology platform, the possibilities on FosterClub.com are endless.

Cost.

The cost of creating a website ranges from free to hundreds of thousands of dollars. FosterClub’s State:Connect subscription offers unparalleled value for the investment. We welcome you to check around…. We are sure you’ll find that even if it were possible to build a similar site, the costs would be outrageous. And even once the site was built, your program would have the additional costs of content development, marketing to youth, safety screening, and member management.

Supportive outreach materials.

Through the FosterClub:Connect program, you’ll have access to professionally designed outreach materials to promote your state page to young people and the adults who support them.

Robust analytics.

You’ll have access to the best data available through FosterClub’s statistics webware, powered

by Google Analytics. Track who’s coming to your site, how long they are staying, what they are looking at, and more.

Security & special needs.

Unlike mainstream social networking applications, FosterClub was built with the special considerations of the foster care population in mind. For example: •

Only registered Members can automatically post

•

Avatars, or cartoon images, are used instead of photos

•

Personal phone numbers and email addresses are off limits

•

Only approved photos of young people are used

•

All messages are screened

•

Staff & volunteers with access to private data have been back-ground-checked and trained

FosterClub staff is trained and alerted to the special needs of foster youth, so when an member makes a posting about self-harm or alleges abuse, we proactively work to connect the young person to appropriate resources.

For more information: Contact Steve Farnham at steve@fosterclub.com or 503-717-1552