Forming Foster Youths’ Futures

Franco Vega knows the hardships kids in South Central Los Angeles often face, because he himself went through it. Growing up, Vega had an abusive mother and an alcoholic father. The experience is what propelled him to begin The RightWay Foundation, which helps young adults in L.A. build themselves up after aging out of the foster care system.

“I understand where they come from. They are hopeless and hurt,” says Executive Director Vega.

RightWay provides mental health treatment and job training to transition-aged youth who have or are about to “age out” of the foster care system. Established in 2011, the Foundation’s main center welcomes foster youth on the ground floor of the sprawling Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Mall. There, Vega, along with six Licensed Clinical Social Workers, work tirelessly to find employment for the youths and offer therapy and life skills training along the way. Their mindset is that employment alone isn’t enough.

Vega’s saying: “It’s not your fault, but it is your life,” rings true in what the organization does. It utilizes a hands-on approach to help children coming out of the foster care system chart a path to their own futures. “No one else is mixing therapy into employment services and helping to find housing, all under one roof,” says Vega. 

None of the young adults who work with RightWay ever had the chance to join the Girl Scouts or to have paper routes as children. So they are learning about entry-level employment much later in life. RightWay helps them learn what to expect from their jobs and what’s expected of them. It also works closely with companies across L.A. including TJMaxx, Bloomingdale’s, and others based at LAX to train the businesses how to best work with employees with traumatic backgrounds. 

That relationship has shown results. About 90% of participants reported an increase in social support and a decrease in social isolation, and 70% secured and retained employment or paid internships.

Another goal of the organization is to end the foster care-to-prison pipeline. Nearly 25% of California’s foster youth are incarcerated within two years of emancipation. The incarceration rate for RightWay alumni is less than 1%. Vega says RightWay’s biggest measure of success is its retention rate. The program welcomes kids back again and again and aims to continue to work with them as they grow.

“We created a model that makes them feel welcome. We don’t downgrade them or judge. We are taking people where they are at,” he says.

Recently, the organization has shifted to also help its kids secure affordable housing, knowing that the best way to set them up for success is to make sure they have a roof over their heads. COVID-19 put that sharply into focus. Many kids had previously been couch surfing and living with friends but found themselves forced onto the streets and unable to presentably show up to work. RightWay’s new project pays half the rent for their first year, to help its kids navigate the working world.