Isabel Smythe Hernandez

Project Portfolio Description

The Imagination House is the flagship program under the revitalized Thrive Housing Network (THN) and has been in operation since October 2019. Imagination House is a transitional independent living program in Eugene, Oregon, in contractual partnership with Oregon DHS. Maximum capacity is 5 young Womxn at a time—ages 18 to 20 years old—who have aged out of the traditional foster care system. This program is available to female-identifying youths, whom we will refer to here as womxn. Imagination House is designed to help young womxn gain stability, grow a healthy support network, and learn independence skills. They also provide supportive services to help youth gain employment or higher education, and learn skills such as cooking, budgeting and maintaining financial stability. This senior project will concentrate on finding sustainable resources that will assist this independent living program and their wrap-around services, ensuring a better future for the emerging foster youth. This will include applying for grants, hosting donation drives, and assisting the womxn in the home with developing the necessary skills needed, once they move on their own.

Future use and sustainability for Imagination House should begin with the Imagination staff. Introducing this newly approved FHS internship site, offers more intel with the current services provided. Resources donated and volunteer services impart with this senior project, will help the program extend support services at Imagination House. Another way to ensure sustainability is hosting workshops or enrichment seminars, including self-care, mock interviews, cooking classes—are some of the basic independence skills foster youths will need in an adult world. These allow the staff to run the existing program, designating the time needed for new program development, like professional etiquette and resume building workshops—the necessary life-skills needed to obtain and maintain a healthy, stable living or work environment.