Vol. 10, No. 2 • May 2006

New Program Gives Kids Choice, Voice in Adoption Promotion

Under One Sky, an Asheville-based nonprofit, has developed a new program to help North Carolina’s children find adoptive families. What makes its approach unique is the extent to which it is driven by the kids themselves.

This agency’s overall goal is to help young people in foster care who are free for adoption overcome limiting beliefs and develop healthy, sustainable life paths.

At the core of Under One Sky’s efforts is Passages, a two-year, co-educational, camp-based mentor-ing village for youths aged 12 to 18 who are in foster care and free for adoption. Each year, during 10 days in the summer and then once in the spring, fall, and winter (for a total of 20 days and 16 overnights), youths get to know each other and learn about themselves through rap, dance, music, art, film making, acting, building, and cooking.

For some of the teens participating in Passages the thought of adoption stirs up many feelings. Even teens whose plan is adoption may express resistance to the idea. This camp provides a supportive, honest, respectful place to explore these issues.

Youths who choose to pursue adoption create their own promotional materials. Working with experienced professionals and their instructor-mentors, youths develop recruitment plans that may include a video, written profile, and radio public service announcement. The youth themselves act as creative directors of these projects and decide how the materials will be used.

The written profiles developed at Passages are 12-page booklets called ’Zines. Youths control each development stage. After pictures are taken they choose which shots to use. After the interview is transcribed, they select excerpts to appear in the ’Zine. They also do the final layout. As you can see by clicking here, the result gives prospective adoptive parents a vivid impression of the child’s interests and spirit.

Youths participating in Passages also get to say where their promotional materials will be used. For example, one girl requested that her photograph not be shown in her community’s newspaper.

Under One Sky is not itself a child placing agency. Instead, it works with public and private agencies to provide a community of support for youth. This support extends beyond the youths’ time at camp. For example, with permission from the camper’s social worker, mentors correspond with campers throughout the year and help guide them to make wise choices in their lives. Under One Sky staff members also work with the child’s agency and other partners to support children and to identify adoptive families.

For more information about Passages, including eligibility guidelines, costs, and registration information, contact Under One Sky (828/251-9703; e-mail: [email protected]; www.under1sky.org).

Copyright � 2006 Jordan Institute for Families