2026 Career Readiness Academy Registration is Open!
The Career Readiness Academy, offered by Fostering Connections, is a transformative program designed to equip teens ages 14–18 impacted by foster care and adoption with the skills, confidence, and resources needed to excel in their personal and professional lives. Through hands-on learning, interactive workshops, and real-world applications, students develop essential skills that prepare them for future employment and independence. This program is open to teens who reside within the five counties we serve: St. Johns, Duval, Flagler, Volusia, and Putnam
Jacksonville Cohort
June 1st - June 5th
9:00am - 3:00pm
The Church of Eleven22 – Arlington Campus
651 Commerce Center Dr. #100, Jacksonville, FL 32225
Funded by the Kids Hope Alliance
Due to funder restrictions, the Jacksonville cohort is open only to residents of Duval County.
St. Augustine Cohort
June 15th - June 19th
9:00am - 3:00pm
St. Augustine Youth Services
201 Simone Way, St. Augustine, FL 32086
Palatka Cohort
June 22nd - June 26th
9:00am - 3:00pm
Goodwill Industries of North Florida
103 FL-19, Palatka, FL 32177
Career Readiness Academy

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Thank you Kids Hope Alliance for funding our Career Readiness Academy program through the Emerging Providers microgrant program. We appreciate your support!
The Career Readiness Academy is a job training program held in the summer for teens in foster care. It is open to teens in the five counties we serve: St. Johns, Duval, Flagler, Volusia and Putnam.
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Students learn the foundational skills they need to secure a job; applying for a job, writing a resume, interview skills, basic banking, customer service skills, and working as a team. These skills are covered through hands on learning opportunities and games.
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Students who complete our program:
-Improve their communication skills.
-Learn to work collaboratively with others.
-Identify careers that interest them.
-Create a vision board and set goals for their future.
-Learn foundational job skills.
-Practice what they learn through mock interviews and job shadowing. All students complete job shadowing and mock interviews during our weeklong program, receiving a stipend and a laptop computer
-Students receive connections to potential internships to participate in following program graduation.
Career Readiness Academy
Giving Opportunities
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Provide brand new laptop computers for Career Readiness Academy graduates. 60 laptop computers are needed. $300 provides one laptop computer
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Give laptop computers to Fostering Connections for students to use during class sessions.​
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Sponsor student job shadowing stipends. $150 provides a stipend for one student.
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Give in-kind brand new work attire, hair, and makeup services for our students on the final day of class.
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Provide gift cards and gas cards to thank caregivers for bringing students to class and assist with the cost of transporting students to class.
Donate here​
Photos from 2025 Career Readiness Academies
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