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Board of Directors Approves Project
to Build Transitional Apartments
Released on: July 15, 2001
Boys Republics Board of Directors recently approved
plans for an ambitious project: a transitional apartments
complex. An extension of the agencys Independent
Living Program, the Transitional Apartments are intended
as a temporary resource for graduating students who
have no viable means of family support.

Architect's Rendering of Student Apartment
In recent years, preparing students for the transition
home has become an important part of Boys Republics
programs. The Aftercare Program and Family Reunification
Endowment have each played a vital role in helping students
return to their families.
Older students in placement particularly those
without families present a special challenge.
They often lack the knowledge or self-assurance to perform
such survival tasks as leasing an apartment, managing
a budget or securing employment. Because of this, they
are particularly at risk of failure, once they return
to the community.
Intensive Life Skills Training
The answer to this problem was to develop an intensive,
hands-on program an Independent Living Program
(ILP) that teaches youth approaching adulthood
the skills they need to function on their own.
Under very close supervision, students in the demanding
ILP hold a job, pay rent and utilities, manage finances
and prepare meals, while finishing high school. The
ILP experience simulates the same conditions students
would encounter on their own, but does so within the
safety of an instructive environment. Students learn
importantlessons from their mistakes, as well as their
successes.
In order to complete the ILP experience, each student
must develop a realistic plan for returning home --
either to life on their own or with a member of their
extended family. Called the transitional living plan,
it must encompass all of a students anticipated
needs, including a stable living arrangement, a bank
account with reserves, a structured budget, a job to
provide income, adequate transportation, education,
community linkages and a backup plan all of the
things that we would expect of a responsible adult.
Each transitional plan is different, depending in large
measure upon the degree to which the students
family can be counted upon to provide support. Students
with no family, at all, face the formidable task of
creating a stable adult life from scratch. They graduate
with the same life skills as other ILP participants,
but lack the resources to begin life on their own.
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An Extended Program
The Transitional Apartments program provides students
who have no family support with a temporary, semi-supervised
housing setting. As a 6-12 month program, it allows
graduating students the opportunity to accumulate the
financial reserves, acquire the job experience and complete
the vocational training necessary to establish themselves
in a stable living situation.
To a greater degree than the Independent Living Program,
the Transitional Apartments will simulate the complex
demands of living on ones own. Students will have
ample opportunity to practice money management: they
must pay a security deposit, rent, utilities, phone,
food, and transportation.
The Transitional Apartments
Complex
A cluster of five craftsman-style buildings three
student residences, a supervising staff residence and
a community building makes up the Transitional
Apartments.
The apartments will lie in close proximity to the site
of Boys Republic founder Margaret B. Fowlers residence.
Years later, the site gained further historical significance
when Mrs. Fowlers residence became the original
home of Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation, the
nationally recognized hospital for physical rehabilitation.
Boys Republic has hired architect Frazier Golding to
design the five buildings. Mr. Golding also designed
the agencys Alumni Center and the provided the
plans for a recently renovated administrative building.
Renderings for the Transitional Apartments reflect
the programs intent: to provide a realistic housing
experience for students preparing to accept adult responsibility.
Arranged around a circular drive, the three student
residences -- duplex-style apartments -- are designed
with practical simplicity in mind. Modestly appointed,
theyre the same size and sophistication-level
that would be affordable to young adults seeking to
establish themselves in the community. Each side of
a duplex will offer its young inhabitants two small
bedrooms and private study areas, a kitchenette and
dining area, a living room, a bathroom and a carport.
A separate staff residence encourages the students
growing independence, while allowing the availability
of a mature adult. Graduating students continue to need
adult guidance. But they equally benefit from the latitude
of exercising their own judgment and learning from their
successes and mistakes.
Finally, a community building will stand at the developments
center. Even though graduating students will spend the
bulk of their time at jobs, vocational training and
other appointments in the local community, there will
also be a need for a central services area, both for
the Transitional Apartments residents as well as other
Independent Living Program students. The Community Building
will provide a large meeting area, a laundry, storage
area, a recreational room, a kitchen and administrative
offices.
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