Care Leavers by Christian Alliance for Orphans

CARE LEAVERS

Thought Leadership from Collaborate 1

Collaborate A FORUM FOR GLOBAL LEADERS

CAFO Collaborate workshops initiate conversations about effective care for orphans and vulnerable children within local church and NGO networks around the world. These workshops generate ideas to: • creatively share information • involve more churches and individuals, • equip local churches for more effective care of vulnerable children in their communities. In a November 2021 Virtual Collaborate DISCUSS session, 70 global leaders brainstormed about serving aging-out youth and care leavers in their cultural contexts.

PARTNERING WITH CARE LEAVERS Part of the responsibility of caring for vulnerable children is ensuring that when children leave care they are equipped to lead healthy, adult lives. A crucial aspect of this is helping them transition into independent living as they reach young adulthood. Whether you are a member of a church, an NGO, or another movement caring for vulnerable children, you can play a role in facilitating a smooth transition out of care. In this session on aging out and leaving care, leaders discussed how networks can come alongside these young adults to serve and support them. During this Virtual Collaborate, leaders learned about the “The Bridge,” components for successful life transitions: spiritual care and mentoring, life skills training, transitional housing, career development, and church and community support.

Based on their own experiences exiting care, Deborah Dzifa Tamakloe and Stephen Ucembe discussed the importance of providing care leavers with supports such as counseling, mentorship, job training, and housing. Adding to this conversation, Scott Brown of the CAFO Aging Out Initiative, urged champions to encourage care leavers by casting hope-filled vision and connecting them to mentors. By partnering with these young adults and offering them supports for success, Christians acknowledge and submit to God’s deep desire to prosper each of his children and empower them for unique pursuits, emphasized in Jeremiah 29:11. You may view Stephen, Deborah, and Scott’s LEARN session here. (The session begins at 2:05 after some housekeeping items).

COLLABORATE OUTCOMES Global leaders were divided by world region for the purpose of this discussion. Given the unique nature of each world region and the indigenous cultures native to each region, the feedback from regions varied. Each group was tasked with the following question: How may churches in your context best help young adults leaving care, and what are the top 3 ways for your network to give a voice to young adults leaving care?

REGIONAL STRATEGIES Asia, Europe, Middle East, and North America 1. Churches may help young adults leaving care by partnering with organizations that are already serving care leavers. Join forces with organizations that support the physical, financial, and relational needs of children aging out of care. 2. The church is a great arena for creating mentoring relationships. Look for ways to connect children who, ideally, are still in care, with mentors or families in the church. 3. Meet the physical needs of care leavers by helping with housing, household expenses, and school tuition. 4. Structure your organization in such a way that those you are serving have a voice and can provide feedback regarding their experiences. This can be done by creating a youth advisory council or a similar program that allows those in care to be heard. 5. Ensure that those leaving care will continue to have a voice by providing support for their future goals and education. 6. Provide a safe space for care leavers to share their stories.

Latin America 1. Start conversations within the church about vulnerability and the biblical commands to serve the vulnerable. These topics grow empathy and conviction to serve vulnerable populations such as care leavers. 2. Teach families about foster care. Specifically offer training on providing foster care for teenagers, and equip families with tools that promote adolescent healing. 3. Urge everyone in the church body to meet the specific needs of care leavers. This shows vulnerable young adults that the church is interested and invested in their well-being. 4. Provide spaces for organization leaders to meet with young adults leaving care in person to determine the right next steps on an individual basis, taking each one’s history and experience into account. 5. At the organizational level, create a personal atmosphere in which leaders spend time asking questions and listening to care leavers with the intent to truly understand and know them. Eastern & Southern Africa • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Eastern & Southern Africa 1. Intentionally integrate care leavers into the church. Keep in mind the importance of connecting care leavers into a diverse community where they can benefit from all different types of giftings. 2. Provide mentorship, life-counseling, and spiritual counseling through the church network. Discipleship relationships can be a platform for extending care to care leavers. 3. Bring the church and organizational leaders together for awareness training. Seek to clarify strategies and goals that the church can use to support care leavers. 4. The church should strive to be a safe space recognized for providing love and guidance, rather than condemnation, to the vulnerable. 5. Invite care leavers to share their stories with those still in care in order to spark inspiration and present role models to other young adults leaving care.

Western & Central Africa 1. As church leaders, provide channels for members to connect with institutions that provide vulnerable child care, and offer them ongoing training and encouragement. Empower church members to build lasting relationships with children in care before they reach the age of exit. 2. Mobilize the church to offer vocational training to care leavers. 3. Create safe spaces in the church and in organizations for young adults to share their life experiences. 4. Meet care leavers’ health needs, providing young adults with counseling and medication before they exit care. 5. Partner with institutions that seek to identify and meet the needs of those who have already left care.

cafo.org/global

This document was published in collaboration with: CAFO Aging Out Initiative