Wellpoint Care Network Youth Selected for National Foster Care Internship
Angel Shelton, a member of Wellpoint Care Network’s Youth Transitioning to Adulthood (YTA) program, has been selected to participate in the FosterClub AllStar Internship, a prestigious national leadership and advocacy program for young adults with lived experience in foster care.
The FosterClub AllStar Internship is a six-week hybrid professional and personal development program that equips former foster youth with the skills to become stronger advocates for children and young adults in care.
Interns receive leadership training and share their lived experience with peers, professionals, and community leaders through conferences, events, and other community engagement opportunities. They also advocate for improvements that better support youth transitioning out of foster care and help reshape public perceptions.
“It helps our voices become heard, and it helps us further our advocacy and the work that we are already doing,” Shelton said. “Joining the internship will teach us the different skills to be able to grow within our advocacy and how to speak for foster youth and everything that they endure—from lived experiences to housing to mental health support services.”
Shelton, who also serves as president of Wisconsin’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC), is excited to connect with fellow advocates from across the country.
“I went from just being known citywide to statewide, and now this is nationwide,” Shelton said. “I’m excited to meet others from across the country because we’re all working towards the same change, but we’re all in different places.”
As part of the internship, Shelton will spend a few days in Oregon participating in hands-on leadership development.
“While in Oregon, the interns will really be hosting,” Shelton said. “It’s giving us those public speaking skills so we can learn how to speak to a room and lead conversations.”
Christine Woods, Independent Living Supervisor at Wellpoint Care Network and Region 3 Advisor for Wisconsin’s Youth Advisory Council, says Shelton is an outstanding representative for Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had someone from Milwaukee County represent us in the FosterClub AllStar program, and I’m so excited that it’s Angel,” Woods said. “She will be able to share her story and lived experience with other youth around the nation.”
For Shelton, the opportunity is about more than personal growth, it’s about inspiring others to believe in what’s possible.
“I just want every youth to know that if you have the opportunity to put yourself out there, take it,” Shelton said. “Allow yourself to take the steps you need to step into rooms you never imagined being in.”
At Wellpoint Care Network, we’re proud to support young adults like Angel as they develop as leaders, use their voices to make a difference, and encourage other young people along the way.
If you’d like to help more young people like Angel, consider making a donation, volunteering your time, becoming a mentor, or advocating for youth in our community. Your support helps provide the resources, guidance, and opportunities young adults need to thrive.
