About Pathways:

No one makes the transition from childhood to adulthood in one great leap. It is a process filled with hard lessons and work. For some, the need to be independent comes very fast, with little experience and few opportunities. At Pathways, we offer teens and young adults who have been living in out-of-home care the opportunity to gain valuable life-skills experience.

Pathways operates many scattered-site apartments in Kansas City and in Wichita, Kansas and serves young men and women as well as young parents with children. We do this by maintaining a structure of policies and procedures for residents that minimizes unrealistic rules, but promotes responsible behavior for themselves and others. We balance teaching and guiding residents with the realities of independence, which allows them to truly experience their own life choices.

When a Pathways resident is ready to move into a single apartment, Pathways helps locate one, pays the rent and other apartment expenses so the young men and women can continue to focus on successfully completing the program and building a savings account.

The Living Expense Assessment Program " LEAP"

Residents experience the financial realities of independent living while etablishing a "nest egg" for their financial fitness. Residents are expected to pay rent each month. They will learn and put into practice the budgeting and money management concepts of "real life". These payments are then put into their monitored personal savings account.

Commuinty Based Life Skills Classes

The Pathways Life Skill Curriculum offers residents a "hands on" approach to life skills training through a community support network. Companies such as United Parcel Service, Westin Crown Center Hotels, FirStar and Consumer credit Counseling add "real life" scenarios to "The Other 16 Hours" program curriculum.