JUNIOR MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Building Community For Adoptees Ages 10-12
Registration for the 23-24 Mentorship year is now closed. Enrollment will open for the 24-25 Mentorship year this Spring.

Junior Mentorship welcomes adoptees ages 10-12 years old to join in monthly events throughout New York City from September to June. This adoptee-led program was created specifically to give our pre-teens a space to make new friends, meet older adoptees and talk about the topics that are important to them. Mentees are joined each month by adult adoptee Mentors age 25+, who lead the group in conversation, creative activities, games, and team-building events. Designed as a precursor to our Teen Mentoring Programs, Junior Mentorship often gives mentees their first opportunity to have mentors and make friends who share this deep connection of being adopted.

Registration for the fall semester will close on September 5th, and will re-open for the Spring semester on December 1st, 2023.

TESTIMONIALS

Our son participated in the Spence Chapin Mentorship Program during Middle and High Schools. We have made friends with other families in the adoption community that have lasted through the years. Having a community to turn to in difficult times, whether adoption related or not, is immeasurable. Having mentors and mentees for our son to share his adoption journey with has been nothing but positive.

~Irene and John, Former Mentorship Parents

I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Mentorship Program and have many great memories from my time with Spence. I’m also still in contact with some of the friends I made during my time in the Mentorship Program. Spence has been very important to me and my family and I even supported it by collecting items for my Eagle Scout project to distribute to children waiting for their forever family.

~John, Former Mentee

This mentorship provided a safe space for me to explore my identity and be myself with full support and no explanation. There I formed strong relationships with people of all different ages and backgrounds, who were all bonded by the one thing that had previously always isolated me. This in turn fostered a confidence in me to not only recognize but take pride in the unique experience of being a transracial adoptee.

~Dana, Mentor for 9 years

FACILITATORS

Rebecca Fiore

Rebecca Fiore

Rebecca Fiore is the facilitator of the Jr. Mentorship program and a transracial adoptee born in Curuguaty, Paraguay who grew up in northern New Jersey. Professionally, Rebecca is a therapist specializing in working with children and families as well as the LGBTQIA+ community. Rebecca has been a mentor for 5 years and last year joined as the Jr. Mentorship program facilitator. She enjoys being with her ever-expanding adoptee community as well as helping to educate all on adoption matters.

Meet our Mentors

Our Mentors are all Adoptees themselves!

They volunteer as Mentors because they understand the importance of having Adoptee-centered spaces and creating positive role models for young Adoptees.

Every year, we welcome new faces into our group, and this year is no different! Some Mentors return year after year because this program has made such an impact on them.

Our Mentors are passionate about the work they do in creating open spaces for our adoptive community to connect and learn from one another.

GET TO KNOW OUR MENTORS!

Lila Nair

Lila

  • Born in Medellin, Colombia; grew up in Maplewood, NJ
  • 1st year as a mentor
  • Training for the Brooklyn Half Marathon
  • I want to support others who struggle in making sense of their adopted identity while building community in doing so.
Mentorship Images circles9

Luke

  • Born in Bogota, Colombia
  • Mentor for 3 years 
  • I feel like I am part of a community where we are all different and accepted but we all have one thing in common. It’s a wonderful feeling and great sense of belonging. 
  • I love Star Wars! I have 2 dogs and 2 cats and used to coach diving and swimming. 
Kayla

Kayla

  • Born in Brooklyn
  • 1st year as a mentor
  • Works in Human Resources
  • When Kayla is not working she spends her time fine-tuning her creativity and soaking up the world through film photography, home decor, and style.
Mentorship Images circles dana

Dana

  • Born in North Carolina 
  • Mentor for 8 years 
  • I was once told by a very wise teen, “my favorite thing about being adopted is that I can discard the things I dislike and keep the things I like – and that’s just who I am”.  At times, the mentees ARE the mentors.
  • I love a great joke, and I love to make people laugh!
Halle

Halle

  • Born in China
  • 1st year as a mentor
  • I was a former mentee in the program when I was in high school.
  • Being an active member of the adoptee community has introduced me to many different kinds of perspectives and broadened my horizons
Ali

Ali

  • 1st year as a Mentor!
  • I was born in Queens, NY.
  • I love talking about Italy/Italian language, traveling, reading, writing, cooking, and finding niche new music genres on Spotify.
  • I’m super excited to be a mentor because I love connecting with people, sharing stories, and acquiring new perspectives.
Francesca

Jacqueline

  • 1st year as a mentor!
  • I was born on Long Island in New York
  • I enjoy spending time with friends and family, exploring new places, holistic wellness, being in nature and hanging out with my dog
  • I’m excited to be a mentor because helping other adoptees is my passion and I feel most like my authentic self with them

Parent Groups

Understanding the importance of community, adoptive parents are invited to participate in a separate monthly group. Topics include talking about adoptionadvocating for your child and navigating birth family searchParents whose children participate in the mentorship program are automatically enrolled. If your child is between the ages of 10 and 12 but is not participating in the program, you are welcome to join us. 

Contact us

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To learn more, email mentorship@spence-chapin.org or call 212-360-0276.