I knew a little about the foster care system before coming to work at Amara. I understand how a child feels when they are taken away from the only home they’ve known, wondering if they’ll ever see their parents, siblings, and relatives again, only then to be overwhelmed by social workers and court dates. What I didn’t know was how much social workers actually care and how dedicated they are in this line of work. Every social worker I met as a child during awkward home visits and family visitations seemed like a stranger. However, chatting with Amara case workers about their careers made me see their profession in a different light. Looking back, I realize now I had so much anger towards and confusion about “the system” that I failed to see that my social workers were really trying to help--not only me and my sisters, but also my parents. I have been amazed at the dedication, empathy, and care the clinical team at Amara has shown for the families and children they serve.
By Stephanie “Don’t build roadblocks out of assumptions” is a quote I’ve reflected on quite a bit this summer. Before working at Amara, I assumed that direct service would have more impact than working in communications. At Amara, I work as a communications intern, often drafting blog posts and other materials. These serve many purposes: advocating on behalf of children in foster care, recruiting foster families, and attracting donors. I’ve also read countless articles on adoption, foster care, foster families, parenting, you name it. Some of these articles are written by individuals and families who have adopted children from foster care, while some are written by foster care alumni and adoptees themselves. I didn’t fully understand the power of writing until this summer--the empathy, understanding, and passion that flows out of storytelling. Communicating social justice issues has the potential to reach millions of people through social media, news outlets, and word of mouth. A larger impact than I previously believed, I should say. I knew a little about the foster care system before coming to work at Amara. I understand how a child feels when they are taken away from the only home they’ve known, wondering if they’ll ever see their parents, siblings, and relatives again, only then to be overwhelmed by social workers and court dates. What I didn’t know was how much social workers actually care and how dedicated they are in this line of work. Every social worker I met as a child during awkward home visits and family visitations seemed like a stranger. However, chatting with Amara case workers about their careers made me see their profession in a different light. Looking back, I realize now I had so much anger towards and confusion about “the system” that I failed to see that my social workers were really trying to help--not only me and my sisters, but also my parents. I have been amazed at the dedication, empathy, and care the clinical team at Amara has shown for the families and children they serve. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption released a report revealing that almost half of the population believe that kids are in foster care because they are juvenile delinquents. Working at Amara has helped me understand that communicating the facts of the foster care system is critical for child welfare. As a foster care alumnae, I have experienced some of the stereotypes and misconceptions about kids in foster care. At Amara, I’ve had the opportunity to address the stereotypes and challenges of the foster care system while raising public awareness. However, not everyone can come work at Amara and learn as much as I’ve had--this is where communications plays a strategic role in spreading awareness about child welfare. I’ve built roadblocks out of assumptions, but Amara helped me clear the road.
2 Comments
Emily
8/12/2015 04:53:36 am
Stephanie, I hope you'll share this post back with your colleagues at Amara. While you write about the power of writing and communicating to dispel the preconceived perceptions of others, you have so beautifully weave your own story into this post. My encouragement to you is to keep writing! Words are powerful and never before have we all had so much access to different mediums to spread those ideas and change opinions.
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Stephanie
8/12/2015 06:17:16 am
Thank you!
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