Abstract Summary/Description
Each year, over 20,000 young people age out of the foster care system, with approximately 100,000 facing challenges like homelessness, unemployment, and lack of access to essential resources over five years. Despite growing attention from nonprofit organizations and policymakers, the needs of these youth remain inadequately addressed, leaving them vulnerable during their transition to adulthood. The authors contend that customized interventions tailored to foster youth’s unique circumstances are essential for holistic life improvement. While prior research highlights the importance of targeted interventions, limited empirical evidence exists on their impact on life outcomes. To address this gap, the authors conducted a longitudinal field study in collaboration with a nonprofit organization. The study aimed to (1) Identify key existential challenges faced by youth aging out of foster care, (2) Develop the LIFE Index informed by challenges, (3) Apply marketing principles to design customized interventions, and (4) Measure outcomes in terms of mitigating challenges and improvement in the overall quality of life. The conceptual framework (Figure 1) shows how the LIFE index accesses needs, tailors interventions, and measures outcomes to improve youths well being. Preliminary findings reveal significant gaps in financial literacy, emotional resilience, and life skills, such as securing stable housing and income. While education poses fewer challenges, fostering career stability remains crucial. These findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to improve foster youth outcomes. Overall, this research highlights how marketing’s potential to drive societal change, offering actionable insights for nonprofits and policymakers to empower foster youth and improve their life outcomes. Use this link to view abstract framework diagram: https://mygsu-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/dneptune_gsu_edu/EYxf1JMvutZEmx8tMT0NhIsBbQJBFw-4WjMySoCis54apw?e=Hp4c23
