Junior Mentorship welcomes middle school aged adoptees 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 Program, Junior Mentorship often gives mentees their first opportunity to have mentors and make friends who share this deep connection of being adopted.
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
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.
All Mentors who volunteer in this program are also adopted people who understand the importance of creating adoptee led and centered spaces for the younger generation. Mentors offer guidance, support, and share their experiences as older adoptees while creating safe and comfortable spaces for mentees to explore their growing identities. Some of the Mentors are former mentees themselves, and return to the program to become the positive role models they once experienced as kids in the program.
Every year, we welcome new Mentors! Each bringing their unique experiences and perspectives into the group, and some return year after year to continue on as volunteers because this program is so impactful to them.
GET TO KNOW OUR MENTORS!
Luke
Ali
Dana
Angela
Noel
Roberto
Waiting Children Profiles
Thank you for your interest in adopting through Spence-Chapin! We are able to share the profiles of children who are considered to be the most in need and are waiting internationally to be matched with an adoptive family. The children featured on this page have been waiting for the longest to find families and consist of children who are older, part of a sibling group, or children with a diagnosed medical condition. In order to respect the privacy of these children, this page has been password protected.
Spence-Chapin takes the privacy rights of the children that we are seeking to place very seriously, and share the profile with you under the following conditions:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF PASSWORD ACCESS
That you acknowledge and understand that
1. Misuse of the content, and/or linking to any sites that reflect practices that involve the sale, abduction, exploitation, or trafficking of children is strictly prohibited.
2. You have been given limited access to confidential information in the form of images that you will not disclose to any person or in any manner that is inconsistent with applicable policies and procedures of Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children.
3. The confidentiality obligation shall continue indefinitely, including at all times after my association with Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children.
4. You are not permitted to release, copy, distribute, or sell any of these images to third parties in any form.
5. Impermissible disclosure of the images may result in legal actions being taken against you, by or on behalf of that person.
6. You are doing this freely, voluntarily and with a full understanding of what you are agreeing to by entering/accessing this blog.
7. Thank you for your interest in providing a loving home for a waiting child! We look forward to connecting with you soon to continue discussing adoption paths at Spence-Chapin. We hope that you like us on Facebook, follow us on twitter, and keep up with our families through our adoption blog!
Warm regards,
The Adoption Team at Spence-Chapin
Phone: 212-400-8150
Email: [email protected]
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