Our Partner

Family Support Services of Northeast Florida plays a critical role in preparing youth ages 16–23 for successful transitions into adulthood by aligning child welfare services with education, workforce readiness, and economic stability pathways. Serving Duval and Nassau Counties, FSS supports young people navigating foster care, extended care, and transitional living programs as they prepare for independence.

Through coordinated partnerships with education providers, workforce organizations, and community-based employers, FSS helps youth build practical life skills, career awareness, and employability. Their approach emphasizes stability, accountability, and access to opportunity—ensuring young people are not only safe, but equipped to pursue training, employment, and long-term self-sufficiency as they age out of care and into the workforce.

Govern. Steer. Rule.

The Challenge

Youth aging out of foster care often face abrupt transitions into adulthood with limited access to consistent workforce preparation, career guidance, and economic stability supports. Family Support Services of Northeast Florida needed targeted, practical training within its annual transition program to equip youth across the region with essential workplace readiness and foundational economic skills before exiting care.

The training needed to address soft skills, career awareness, and entrepreneurial thinking, while remaining accessible and engaging for a diverse group of youth and easy to facilitate by community and business partner volunteers.

The Results

The training successfully reached youth ages 16–23 across the region who were preparing to age out of foster care, strengthening their workplace readiness, communication skills, and understanding of career and economic pathways. Youth demonstrated increased confidence in professional settings, clearer awareness of employment options, and improved readiness to engage with employers, training providers, and post-secondary opportunities.

The program’s impact and community relevance were recognized publicly, with the initiative highlighted on the front page of the The Florida Times-Union and featured on local nightly television news, elevating awareness of the workforce challenges facing transition-age foster youth and the importance of coordinated, skills-based preparation.

Services

Human Capacity Development

Strategic Imperatives

Industry Partnerships

“LeaVonda's service to the business community as well as youth jobseekers has been exceptional. Her marketing, writing and overall communications skills will be an asset in working with businesses in our area. - President & CEO Career Source Florida Bruce F. ”

 — President & CEO Career Source Florida Bruce F

“Her enthusiasm and zeal along with her ease in presenting the materials helped to increase overall enrollment in our program. I have been quite impressed with LeaVonda's commitment to her job. She has distinguished herself as a conscientious worker and her energetic approach to her work makes her involvement with the Partnership invaluable... I am very impressed by LeaVonda and recommend her without hesitation. Thank you for the opportunity to do so..”

 — Director of Neighborhood Partnership for the Protection of Children Arron R.

"Having worked with LeaVonda directly on multiple projects, I can attest to her talents, level of creativity, initiative and follow-through."

 — Director of Workforce Services of – St. Johns River Community College Melissa E. O.

“LeaVonda is highly motivated and is a great asset to WorkSource and the Chamber. I have worked with LeaVonda the past several years through the Business Partners in Education Committee of the Chamber and have been very impressed with her credentials. She developed a life skills curriculum that she used to teach 8th graders in St. Johns County schools.”

 — President of the St Johns County Chamber of Commerce Robin B.

“The first thing that comes to my mind is LeaVonda's excellent communication abilities. Her verbal, written and organizational skills are of the highest caliber. She is a willing self-starter with a "can do" attitude and she has been one of my colleagues who I know I can always depend upon. She has patience and savvy problem solving abilities. LeaVonda's enthusiasm and expertise in the marketing area makes her a most desirable candidate. She is a professional and approachable. Her work ethic is admirable. She possesses the integrity and professionalism that a business needs to succeed in today's demands of technical and communication excellence. - Disability Outreach Coordinator Career Source Florida.”

 — Disability Outreach Coordinator Career Source Florida Venessa L.