Empower Youth Transition from Orphanage to Society

Dear supporters,

As we step into a new year, we do so with a renewed sense of purpose and hope. The past months have been a powerful reminder that the journey from care to independence is not a straight line—but with the right support, it becomes a path filled with possibility.

This new cycle begins with young people who are ready to take that step.

A new group, new journeys

At the start of this year, we welcomed a new group of adolescents into the program—young people between the ages of 15 and 19, most of them still living in residential care, others beginning to reconnect with family environments. 

Each one comes with their own story, their own challenges, and their own hopes for the future. What unites them is the need for guidance, stability, and the opportunity to build a life beyond institutional care.

Strengthening our process: from entry to transformation

This year, we have strengthened our intake and evaluation process to ensure that each young person receives the support they truly need.

Our work begins long before the first workshop. It starts with:

• in-depth psychological and psychosocial assessments
• home visits and caregiver input
• clinical interviews and diagnostic tools
• identification of emotional, relational, and developmental needs

This structured process allows us to design individualized pathways for each participant, ensuring that their transition is not only possible—but sustainable.

Building the foundation for independence

As the program unfolds, young people begin working on key life areas:

• emotional regulation and identity
• decision-making and autonomy
• communication and relationships
• academic and vocational direction
• resilience and tolerance to frustration

Through experiential tools, group work, and mentorship, they begin to shift from surviving to planning—moving from uncertainty toward agency.

Beyond the individual: influencing the system

This year, our work has also expanded beyond direct support to young people.

We have been actively participating in the Consejo Nacional de Niñez y Adolescencia (CONA), contributing from a position of experience and responsibility during a critical moment for the country’s shelter system. Our role has focused on:

• monitoring ongoing discussions
• providing constructive questioning
• advocating for solutions that reflect the real needs of youth in care

At the same time, we currently hold the pro témpore coordination of Aliados por la Niñez y Adolescencia, where we are leading a process of:

• network restructuring
• reactivation of member participation
• awareness efforts around children’s rights

These spaces allow us to amplify the voices and realities of the young people we work with every day.

Looking forward

Alongside this, we have initiated a strategic planning process with our Board of Directors, defining our roadmap for the next five years. A central focus of this plan is strengthening our contribution to:

• deinstitutionalization pathways
• alternative care models
• long-term support for youth transitioning into adulthood

This means that what we are building today is not only a program—but part of a broader movement toward more humane and sustainable systems of care.

With gratitude,
The Tav Team

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This year, the Empowering Youth Transition became a steady bridge for dozens of adolescents and young adults preparing for life beyond residential care.

Throughout 2025, we accompanied young people at different stages of transition: some still living in care, others rebuilding their lives with family, and many taking their first steps into independent adulthood. What we saw consistently was this: when young people receive stable guidance and a supportive community, their confidence grows, their curiosity reawakens, and their sense of possibility expands.

Strengthening life skills and personal development

Young people participated in weekly workshops focused on emotional intelligence, communication, self-awareness, decision-making, healthy relationships, and self-advocacy. These sessions became safe spaces where they could explore who they are and who they hope to become.

Experiential learning played an important role.
Visits to museums, cultural spaces, historic sites, and workplaces offered perspectives far beyond their everyday environment. Many said it was the first time they felt connected to the world outside their home or shelter — the first time they could imagine a different future.

Employability & mentoring: opening doors

A strong emphasis was placed on employability this year. Through mentors, HR professionals, and volunteer facilitators, youth received support in:

• vocational exploration

• digital skills development

• resume creation and interview practice

• understanding workplace expectations

• building confidence in professional settings

More importantly, mentoring gave them something deeply meaningful: consistent adults who listened, encouraged, and believed in them. For young people who often navigate adulthood alone, this connection became a stabilizing force.

Mental health: the foundation of everything

Our therapeutic services continued to anchor the program.
Youth were supported through anxiety, trauma history, emotional regulation, and the uncertainty of making long-term decisions. Clinical supervision strengthened our crisis-response capacity, allowing us to intervene with clarity and care during moments of instability.

Every emotional step forward strengthened their ability to engage in learning, employment, and relationships.

Challenges that shaped our year — and what they taught us

Transition is never linear, and this year reminded us of that truth many times.
We supported young people through unstable housing situations, academic pressure, delays in accessing specialized psychiatric care, emotional crises, and moments when external systems could not respond as quickly as needed.

Yet instead of slowing progress, these challenges strengthened our resilience and helped refine our approach. We improved communication systems, worked more closely with shelters, universities, and families, and adapted our programming to meet young people exactly where they were.

From these experiences, several lessons emerged clearly:

• Consistent mentoring creates safety — and safety creates progress.

• Real-world experiences accelerate motivation, identity, and future planning.

• Youth thrive when caregivers and institutions act as partners, not observers.

• Emotional wellbeing remains the foundation for academic and employment success.

• Strong community networks — volunteers, companies, educators, allies — multiply impact.

These learnings will shape our priorities and strategy for 2026 and continue guiding how we walk with youth as they move toward independence.