Innovative Planning for Future Growth

Support for foster and systems-impacted youth

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

The issue we seek to address is the significant emotional and behavioral challenges faced by systems-impacted and foster youth, who often experience trauma, instability, and lack of support. These youth are at high risk for emotional dysregulation, poor mental health outcomes, and limited opportunities for personal and professional growth. Traditional support systems often fall short in providing the comprehensive, trauma-informed care needed to foster resilience and long-term well-being. By leveraging innovative social-emotional learning (SEL) methods, virtual reality technology, and immersive storytelling, the WonderSeed Foundation aims to provide these vulnerable youth with the tools and skills necessary to overcome challenges, build emotional resilience, and achieve sustainable personal development.

To enhance the effectiveness of our "Express Yourself" and "Belief" programs. These programs are seven-week, trauma-informed initiatives for systems-impacted and foster youth addressing emotional dysregulation through VR brain training mini-games, immersive storytelling, daily 1-on-1 coaching (Express Yourself Program) or AI Coahing (Belief Program). The programs aims to create new neural pathways for sustainable emotional well-being and long-term behavior change. Express Yourself Program currently implemented with the Los Angeles County Department of Probation, it is set to expand to include foster youth. While the Belief Program addresses barriers to employment, retention, and job advancement. Participants develop self-awareness, emotional regulation, conflict resolution skills, and the ability to self-advocate and respond appropriately to interview questions.
The grant will enable us to strengthen our programs through advanced training for our team, ensuring they are equipped with the latest knowledge and techniques in trauma-informed care, SEL, and innovative technology applications. This enhancement will improve program delivery, increase participant engagement, and amplify the positive impact on the youth we serve. By supporting these initiatives, the grant will help provide comprehensive, impactful solutions to the emotional and behavioral challenges faced by systems-impacted and foster youth, fostering resilience, personal growth, and long-term well-being.

Our work will transform the well-being of systems-impacted and foster youth in Los Angeles County, improving mental health, emotional regulation, and resilience. The "Express Yourself" program will reduce recidivism by addressing emotional dysregulation, while the "Belief" program will equip foster youth with skills for better employment and education outcomes.
Our capacity-building and professional development training will empower our team and community partners, creating positive change. We aim to reach 1,000 opportunity youth over the next two years, achieving measurable improvements in emotional and behavioral health, and increased employment readiness.
We plan to continue expanding our programs to other regions, integrate advanced technologies, secure sustainable funding, and invest in research and development. By achieving these goals, we will create a more resilient, empowered, and thriving youth population in Los Angeles County, fostering a brighter future for the community.

We measure impact through quantitative metrics. Evidence of effectiveness is demonstrated through successful program implementations: the Express Yourself program has shown decreased recidivism and improved emotional regulation among youth in the LA County Department of Probation, and the Belief program has increased employment readiness and job retention among foster youth across four partner organizations. Strong partnerships with organizations like Brotherhood Crusade and LA LGBTQ+ Center, along with interest from other LA Community Partners to adapt our programs, further validate our impact. These comprehensive measurement methods and past successes highlight the positive effects of our programs on systems-impacted and foster youth, fostering sustainable personal and professional growth.