One Person Can Change the World
Farquhar Honors College
Teagle Foundation - Knowledge for Freedom Program
​Fostering Our Futures Proposal
Community Care Connections
​
Meilia H.
​
June 29, 2023
Club Organization Encouraging Foster Care Students to Connect with Their Community.
Community Care Connections (CCC) is a service club that will provide a safe space for youth in foster care to feel a sense of belonging and build connections with others in similar situations and their community. This will take place in Broward County, Florida at a public high school by the name of Coral Glades High School. CCC will also teach children the importance of school and implement Social Emotional Learning (SEL) courses into the program so that we all may learn how to recognize and manage mental health on our own.
As the name implies, community is a key aspect of the program, as it can create a connection between foster youth and society. Many hands are needed to help lift this program off the ground. People such as guidance counselors, faculty advisors, club members, and foster care organization representatives will provide support for Community Care Connections. Community Care Connections will first be launched at Coral Glades High School in Broward County, Florida. Should all requests be approved, I have high hopes that I will be able to expand my club to other high schools in Broward County.
I believe this is an important topic for us as a society to discuss because there are plenty of stigmas that circulate among youth in the foster care system and the way that they are perceived in society. Interestingly, this stigma often stems from the media. More specifically, TV shows and movies. In the cinematic world, it may seem as though negative experiences in foster care is a good concept for character development, however, these representations reinforce the common idea that children placed in the foster care system are "problematic." This assumption not only affects the light that society sees foster youth in but also negatively impacts foster youth's mental health. Assumptions like these are what solidify foster youth's idea that they are either disadvantaged kids who are unloved and forgotten, or they're only amazing because they "beat the system" and made something of themselves. I want to change these ideas and start a big conversation that helps foster youth manage and learn about their mental health. Not only would I like to help them learn about the management of their mental health, but I would also love to provide them with a sense of belonging.
Public Resource List
“Statistics for Florida." Fosteringcourtimprovement.org, https://fosteringcourtimprovement.org/fl/summary1.shtml. Accessed 26 June 2023.
This source is a compilation of verified statistics of maltreatment reports, entries to foster care, home removals, accumulation of children in foster care, and accumulation of children discharged from foster care. All statistics listed are relevant in the state of Florida from October 2021 up to September 2022. This information closely relates to my Change Project because it provides facts that support the claim that negligence is one cause for foster children's low morale and sense of belonging. In addition to negligence, substance abuse is a recurring reason for a child's removal from their home. This can traumatize a child before they've learned to manage their emotions in a way that benefits them. I would establish an SEL (social-emotional learning) segment in the program to guide foster kids in this grey area. Within this segment, foster kids will learn how to recognize, assess, and manage overwhelming emotions.
Evans, Scot D. “Youth Sense of Community: Voice and Power in Community Contexts.” Journal of Community Psychology, vol. 35, no. 6, 2007, pp. 693–709, https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.20173. Accessed 27 June 2023.
​Youth Sense of Community: Voice and Power in Community Contexts" highlights the idea that individuals are more attracted to groups and settings where they feel that their voices matter and are powerful. Unfortunately, though, many young people feel unheard and/or neglected in the situations they find themselves in. This is especially true for disadvantaged or minority youth who don't receive the support, resources, and opportunities needed to make meaningful connections to society. This article gives insight into the importance of empowering and supporting young people in their communities, particularly those who are marginalized or disadvantaged. It suggests that by giving youth opportunities to have a voice and power in community contexts, they are more likely to feel a sense of belonging and make positive contributions to society. This study provides support for the argument that by establishing CCC, foster children will realize that their voices matter and create connections to their community which can help to keep them grounded when going from home to home.
“Challenges to Care of Children and Youth in - ProQuest.” www.proquest.com, www.proquest.com/docview/1555292897/D2ADB73CF7C49A4PQ/6?accountid=6579. Accessed 27 June 2023
The article titled "Challenges to Care of Children and Youth in Foster Care" aims to provide insights for clinicians on providing care to children and adolescents in foster care. Foster children often experience discontinuity in home, school, and relationships, and are at a greater risk of mental health issues, homelessness, unemployment, and victimization. Children in foster care are considered Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs due to their complex physical and behavioral health needs, and they cost Medicaid more compared to non-disabled Medicaid-eligible children. The article also highlights the social-emotional challenges faced by foster parents who may have limits to their emotional attachment to the child.
Weissberg, Roger P. “Promoting the Social and Emotional Learning of Millions of School Children.” Perspectives on Psychological Science, vol. 14, no. 1, Jan. 2019, pp. 65–69, https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691618817756.
In "Promoting the Social and Emotional Learning of Millions of School Children," Roger P. Weinsberg outlines the importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) and suggests approaches for schools to promote SEL among their students. The article argues that by equipping students with social and emotional competencies such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making, students will be better equipped to handle the challenges of life and improve their academic performance. The author explores the benefits of mindfulness, whole-school implementation of SEL programs, and parent involvement in promoting SEL. The article concludes that promoting SEL is a complex but vital undertaking that requires collaboration between educators, parents, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
Read Meilia's Other Zines
5
How's It Going? What's Been Easy? What's Been Hard?
October 24, 2023
6
One Person CAN Change the World! Final Change Projects Revealed
March 22, 2024