Speak-Out Youth Zone
A place for teens in BC living in care or in an adoptive family home to share their stories and experiences.
Context
Adoption is a widely misunderstood issue. Many kids looking for adoption are actually teens, and many don’t necessarily want to be adopted. How did they get to this place? We need to hear their stories from their own words.
Organization
The Adoptive Families Association of BC has supported adoptive kids, youth and families for over 30 years. They extend province-wide and provide education, connections, resources and support for those engaged in any stage of this process.
Challenge
As part of a wider digital strategy, BC Adoption was looking to create a web portal for their youth. This meant that it had to be more than just “the adults” creating a website for “the youth” to use. It had to come from their own perspective. A content specialist had worked with the Speak-Out Youth Group for about a year to document their rich stories in the form of text articles, videos and podcasts. They needed a vibrant space to present these materials, to welcome more stories, and to have discussions with other youth while also maintaining their privacy.
Solution
Phillip has had over a decade of experience in leading youth workshops across First Nations communities. He immediately applied his deep knowledge and sensitivity from these experiences to this project. We held several focus groups with the youth where we listened to their stories, facilitated creative exercises and documented their needs. This formed the foundation for the website design and development. The voices and approval from the youth were necessary steps throughout the development process so that the site could truly help them share their stories with other youth who can benefit from their rich experiences.
Impact
The site will be monitored post launch to determine its impact but the positive impact of the project on the youth involved in the Speak-Out Youth group is clear.
- Client: Adoptive Families Association of BC
- Year: 2012
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