Youth Development Services

Youth Development Services (YDS) Program is here to provide youth with support and help them develop life skills. Services include development assessments, financial literacy education, matched savings accounts, mentor connections, career/work readiness services, youth advisory group participation and more. Eligibility for this program includes:

• Youth must be 16-20 years of age and must be in foster care for at least 1 day on or after their 16th birthday and not have reached age 21.
• You must complete a Life Skills Assessment in order to access programs (with the exception of SPEAK)
• Your DCYF Primary Caseworker should have referred you when you turned age 16 if you were in foster care. Check with them to see if they did; if not ask them to refer you through RICHIST.

Impact Mentors

You can have the support of a Mentor. A Mentor will share their life skills and help you develop your own. They will work with you to identify and establish authentic life-long connections.