Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Department of Family and Community Services, Office of Children’s Services, is soliciting proposals from eligible applicants to provide Independent Living Program Retreats for current and former foster youth, ages 16- 21, participating in the State of Alaska Independent Living Program. The retreats will support foster youth to develop the skills and resiliency that are key to their success as they transition to adulthood, through focus on Youth Empowerment, Leadership, Health, Wellness, and Permanency. The contractor will be responsible for organizing, planning, facilitating, and leading three annual 2-3 day retreats; two retreats to be located in Anchorage, one in Mat-Su Valley. This will include but is not limited to: creating agendas, securing guest speakers/trainers/facilitators, providing peer mentors, arrange/purchase/prepare all food for retreats, secure and coordinate on-site security and night staff, payment for retreat accommodations, and coordinating ground transportation. Attendees will include youth currently in foster care and youth formerly in foster care and eligible for the Independent Living Program (20-25 youth), OCS Independent Living Program staff, community partners, and the contractors. The focus of each retreat will be jointly determined by the contractor and the OCS Independent Living Program Coordinator and will include 3 or more Independent Living Program Services matrix focus topics. The annual retreat in Mat-Su Valley will be focused on career training and development. Additional areas of focus will include youth empowerment, leadership, health, wellness, and permanency. The retreats will also include evening events and/or free time activities to further support youth empowerment and social and emotional development, facilitated by the contractor.
