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ERIC Number: ED666325
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 110
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-5055-9960-0
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Whee Support You: Creating Online Supports for Students Who Are Foster Care Alumni
Amelia L. Schlott
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Western Carolina University
Students who age out of the foster care system may no longer be eligible for federal and state support services and immediately become responsible for maintaining their wellbeing. This loss is multiplied as students lose their support system at a time of transition and change. The multiple transitional challenges, coupled with past traumas, position Foster Care Alumni (FCA) as a highly vulnerable group in society. While most FCA students aspire to continue their education at the secondary level, only 3% will earn a bachelor's degree. The purpose of this project was to increase the outcomes of FCA students at Western Carolina University (WCU) by creating online supports to assist with degree completion. At WCU, the context for this disquisition (dissertation in practice), FCA students are not identified as a unique population at the university level, making it difficult for the university to be proactive in providing FCA students with the resources they need. While other universities have created dedicated support offices to assist the FCA population students, that was not possible with the present level of staff and financial resources at WCU. Using available resources (committed personnel and an on-line repository of resources and support), a design-team attempted to provide support to FCA in an effort to improve their education-related outcomes. The repository was located on a comprehensive website containing locations and types of resources unique to the FCA population. To examine its effectiveness, students were asked to self-identify their FCA status to participate in the project. Participants were surveyed about their awareness and use of resources at the beginning and end of the project. Analyses of survey data, website analytics, and personal interviews were performed to determine the intervention's success during the fall 2020 semester. Findings suggested that online resources alone do not provide adequate support for the FCA population and should be used as supplemental support to a dedicated FCA support staff position. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: North Carolina
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A