Help for a Teenage Girl Starting Life-- Where to Turn?

The Army and Navy offer some really good programs to earn money for collage. She'll be learning some valuable job skills, meet some wonderful people, and will have an opportunity to travel and see some of the world. She should see a recruiter and have a good long talk with them. She can be retired in 20 years (at 38/39), and have vet benefits and health care. The military can give her a lot of stability that her family has not provided for her.

Is the military an option for her. Really something to consider. They can offer great opportunities for Education. I know several people that I grew up with, that broke the cycle of their families, joined the military, and are now very well educated, accomplished people. It sounds like getting away from her family, getting good structure, and a good education may be right for her!

I also recommend AmeriCorps. The NCCC program is an 11 month live in program - young adults, ages 18 and up, dorm at one of 3 campuses. While their they learn to be tutors, disaster responders and more. They then are deployed in teams of 10-12 to different locations in their region to perform service. AmeriCorps NCCC provides a living allowance, meal allowance, uniforms, job training and living skills training, health insurance and upon successful completion of the program, a college scholarship. It is really a great way for a new high school grad with limited options to get a start.

I ran a local AmeriCorps program for years and have seen the transformation that can occur in young adults through this program. There is an application process and it is a year long commitment so she should be sure that this is something she wants to do. Please check out the program - the website is www.americorps.org

Also check out your state's employment department - many offer job training courses that will help prepare her for work. Look into public transportation if she is not familiar with it so that will help her get around and become more independent.

You are doing a good thing by helping her. God Bless.

I think she'd be a perfect candidate for Job Corps. They often provide housing and a small salary, while a young person goes to school or works. I'd really encourage her to look into community college, she could get financial aid and grants that would help her pay for housing and she'd be getting additional education which is usually only a good thing.

The military can provide her with the structure she needs and I would also check with work force services.

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I also agree with Job Corps.

have her check into Job Corp.

Ameri & Job Corps, or the Military are all 3 good options... BUT don't rule out CC.

One still qualifies for need based financial aid in CC's... although you have to apply several months in advance typically (mine came out to about 15k per year including grants and loans). 4k in tuition. 2k in books, left 9k to live off of. Which I did. Having an infant I chose to JUST live off of the remainder and do some freelance work, but especially if she's single there are not only work-study programs (avg pay in our area about $12 an hour), but also many many employers advertise for student workers (because they can pay them less and not give benefits for the part time positions), which also in our area run about $12-15 an hour. So don't rule college out, out of hand.

cruise ships hire people to organize and play with kids on the boat. free living on the cruise. Resorts often do the same.