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Post by scrappintoee on Feb 10, 2015 16:10:40 GMT
Have any of you done this? For the past few years, I've been taking some of my "STUFF" to a shelter for children ages newborn to 18 who are waiting foster homes, adoption, or to go back to their homes) and we make cards and/or mini scrapbooks. The teenagers at this shelter usually don't have as many fun things to do as the younger kiddos, (and they can't have their beloved phones while in the shelter!!!) so I've always been placed with them, and I love it!  Honestly, I was nervous my first time because I THOUGHT I'd prefer the younger kiddos----I didn't think I'd do well with teens/ wouldn't know what to say, etc...but I really get a kick out of them! Most of them are always SO appreciative, and I LOVE seeing their creativity come to life...especially the ones who first come into the room, see all the supplies and the other teens creating stuff, and they look overwhelmed, or say they aren't creative..... Then an hour later, they've made a pretty card or a cute mini scrapbook! I also enjoy their fun, because aside from not having as many activities as the younger ones, teenagers are the HARDEST to place in foster care/ adoption, so they're at the shelter longer, and I'm sure it breaks their hearts when they constantly see the younger kids getting to leave  (P.S....and if there are newborns and/or toddlers at the shelter, I go an rock/ feed/ cuddle them!)  They like to have them placed in homes ASAP, so there are many times that the shelter only has ages approx. 5-18. |
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doglover
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Jun 27, 2014 14:50:33 GMT
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Post by doglover on Feb 10, 2015 16:44:59 GMT
How did you find this shelter?
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FurryP
Drama Llama
To pea or not to pea...
Posts: 7,288
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Jun 26, 2014 19:58:26 GMT
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Post by FurryP on Feb 11, 2015 1:19:50 GMT
Their projects and smiles must be very satisfying to you because they are not jaded by the latest embellishment, technique, newest paper line, etc. Good for you!
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Feb 11, 2015 11:48:45 GMT
That's very sweet. Bless you for being able to touch their lives that way.
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Post by scrappintoee on Feb 12, 2015 16:46:07 GMT
doglover....it's been four years ago, but I'm sure I did some googling and found it that way. It took me a while, though----maybe because I didn't know the exact name of the shelter? Also, I'm pretty sure I eventually found it on the State's website under Dept. of Human Services.... I went yesterday to make Valentines and/or any other cards they wanted to make....There were two young-ish teen boys that just had a blast painting on the cardstock.....they made us all laugh, just painting random things, and we talked/ joked all about Picasso and how he was going to sell his paintings for a million dollars...etc. The kiddos always love the foam letter stamps and the paint...oh, and the girls LOVED all the different HEART stickers I found at Micheal's for half off I especially love the soft felt stickers....the teen girls love the sparkly hearts, as I knew they would I always enjoy encouraging them in their creativity, too! One girl made me so sad... she made two PRETTY cards for her Mom, then said she HATED them....I encouraged her, told her they were so pretty, and that her Mom would most likely REALLY appreciate hand-made cards....(I always say" MOST PEOPLE" will appreciate their cards, because---obviously, being in a foster shelter for SO many sad reasons, there are probably people in their lives who aren't gonna care about a sweet handmade card---)...... As I was cleaning up, I saw she'd thrown both of her pretty cards away.....she also had a big cut on her face, which made me more sad .....I always have to tell myself not to think too much about the horrible situations some of these kiddos come from |
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doglover
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Jun 27, 2014 14:50:33 GMT
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Post by doglover on Feb 12, 2015 18:02:37 GMT
Thanks for the info Scrappintoee
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Post by vi on Feb 12, 2015 23:39:02 GMT
That is a wonderful thing you are doing to work with the teens in scrapbooking. I'm sure it's good therapy for many of them.
It was my new year's resolution to volunteer at our local child crisis center making scrapbooks. The kids don't do the actual scrapbooking but they each get a book when they leave the shelter. The workers there take many pictures of all the events they have for the kids -- from going to the snow, to having ponies come in, going to the zoo, etc. Anyway, they need volunteers to do the pages but it's a little hard to volunteer. You have to take an orientation class, an additional training class, have a personal interview and have your fingerprints checked out. The center is very protective of the children as they should be. Anyway, I passed everything and have spent a couple of weeks volunteering. It is very rewarding.
Vi
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Post by scrappintoee on Feb 13, 2015 17:37:00 GMT
Vi.....that's wonderful !!!! Where I am, they did a full criminal background check (of course!), no fingerprinting---only checked references that I gave....An orientation and training class would've been nice, but they didn't offer one., which actually surprizes me! I just ask LOTS of questions, though! One of my main ones was----can I HUG the older ones? With some of them being abused, that's a slippery slope! Of course, when I just go and hold/ feed/ play with babies toddlers, there's no question about showing affection, but once they're around 3 or so....I always ask the staff what the limits are...... So, I might have misunderstood----you and others make the pages for their books so they can have them once they leave?..(that's SO cool!) Does that mean you don't get to interact with the kiddos? I love how my shelter takes them on all kinds of fun outings and have lots of volunteers come to the shelter for parties, etc...I've only seen my supervisor taking photos, but I don't think the kids get copies.....I'm going to ask her about it. For some of these kids, those outings/ parties at the shelter might be the happiest time of their lives.. |
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Post by vi on Feb 16, 2015 0:14:03 GMT
Scrappintoee -- I haven't volunteered with the kiddos yet. I'm qualified but so far I have only been working on their scrapbooks. They have a room with supplies and the coordinator in charge of the books (they call them life books) has pictures with the title of the event for us to scrap. Each child gets a book when they leave. Some of them come back as adults and they still have their books I'm told.
That is wonderful that you get to work directly with the children. Eventually I want to do that too but right now I am doing 2 hours a week on their books. I volunteer with my daughter so we get to share bonding time too.
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Honestly, I was nervous my first time because I THOUGHT I'd
They like to have them placed in homes ASAP, so there are many times that the shelter only has ages approx. 5-18. 
