Flagship program
Surviving the System
Support for young adults ages 18 to 30 who are moving out of systems and into adulthood.
Living Waters Youth, Inc. is a community-based nonprofit with roots in Minnesota and an expanding presence on Chicago’s West Side.
Surviving the System is Living Waters Youth’s flagship program for young adults navigating the transition from system involvement into adulthood.
The program serves young adults ages 18 to 30 who have experienced foster care, housing instability, homelessness, juvenile justice involvement, probation, incarceration, trafficking, domestic violence or other systems of vulnerability.
We understand that leaving a system does not mean the barriers disappear.
Young adults may leave foster care without stable housing. They may leave detention without employment. They may receive a housing opportunity without having the support needed to maintain it.
Surviving the System exists to help close those gaps.
Program areas
Eight areas of support that work together
Housing Navigation & Stabilization
Housing opportunities, documents, applications, referrals and provider navigation.
Case Management & Systems Navigation
Support navigating child-welfare, housing, employment, education and benefit systems.
Peer Support & Mentorship
Peer connection, encouragement and accountability from people who understand the transition.
Workforce Development
Employment, training, apprenticeships and educational pathways.
Financial Literacy
Budgeting, banking, credit and financial decision-making.
Mental Health & Healing
Clinical referrals, trauma-informed support, wellness and grief resources.
Life Skills
Communication, household responsibilities, organization and decision-making.
Resource Navigation
Transportation, healthcare, food, education, employment and basic-needs resources.
Some supports are provided directly by Living Waters. Others are accessed through partners and referral pathways we are actively developing.
We don’t force young people into services. We meet them where they are, listen to what they need and help them build a pathway forward.
Continuing themes
Carried forward from our earlier work
Surviving the System continues Living Waters’ long-standing focus on education and career readiness, reentry support, and support for survivors of trafficking and domestic violence.