Transitional and Independent Living Coaching
Program Contact:
Please send the completed referral form to Andra White at awhite@central-plains.org.
Central Plains’ TRANSITION & INDEPENDENT LIVING COACHING program, also known as PALS (Preparation for Adult Living Services), is designed to provide youth support and guidance with the challenges of becoming independent. A PALS Coach works with youth one-on-one to help assess their strengths and abilities and assist them in identifying their personal vision for becoming successful independent adults.
Each youth and young adult has different needs, interests, goals, and backgrounds, meaning the PALS Coach will individualize their work with youth by directing all efforts to each youth’s unique goals and desires.
If a youth is unsure of what they want to do in life—that’s OK. Coaches encourage youth to take time and think about how they envision their future. Vision begins with desire, but it doesn’t end there. A young person’s vision for their future will begin to emerge as they think about what they most enjoy doing and what talents they most enjoy using. Coaches simply help youth navigate through this process through inquiry, interest, a focus on strengths, and aiming toward a positive future.
Who Can Be Served:
Central Plains Coaching serves youth and young adults, ages 14-25, all across Nebraska who meet one of the following criteria:
- Currently or previously in the Nebraska foster care system at the age of 14 or older and have not yet reached 23 years of age;
- Are pregnant and parenting and meet federal poverty guidelines;
- Are experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness (within 14 days of homelessness);
- Are a victim of human trafficking
We have the tools to get you there.
Whether a young person is preparing for independence or already living independently, PALS Coaching can help navigate the road ahead and all the challenges associated with becoming independent. A Coach will work one-on-one with a young person to assess their strengths and abilities, as well as assist them in identifying their personal vision for becoming a successful, independent adult. The foundation of coaching is the relationship between the young person and their coach. A Coach will assist a young person in their time of transition by providing them with ongoing support in the following domains:
- Housing & Daily Living
- Employment
- Financial Literacy/Budgeting
- Education
- Parenting Support
- Relationships/Permanency/Community Engagement/Leadership
- Transportation
- Physical & Mental Health and Wellness
A coach will join the young person on their journey and offer guidance, encouragement, expertise, and support to help them be successful in reaching their goals.
At Central Plains, our commitment is to help every coaching participant achieve their full potential. To do this, we integrate coaching with Nebraska Youth and Families Thrive, which takes into account brain development and the effects of trauma. Coaches apply Protective and Promotive Factors and use a dual-generation approach to positively transform the lives of participants and their families.
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Tatiana“My PALS Coach helped me build a budget to manage my money more efficiently and pay my bills independently. They helped me get everything in order when I was applying for colleges and scholarships. My PALS Coach helped me set up a tour for college, complete my ACT, meet campus staff, fill out my FAFSA, and file my taxes. I could tell my Coach believed in me and it helped build up my confidence for when I actually started college. My Coach always returned my calls or emails within the same day, which let me know she cared and valued me.”
