Since launching three years ago, the Adoptables have helped over 100 adopted young people in nine different locations over England. Through their ambassador programme and workshops, the Adoptables help young people share their experiences of adoption in a positive way, helping to break many of the stigmas adopted young people often face.
The Adoptables ambassadors are given the opportunity to voice their experiences publically to professional audiences. Most recently they attended the government’s Adoption Expert Advisory Board and have taken part in consultations for the British Association of Social Workers, for the upcoming Adoption Enquiry. Opportunities such as these have helped these young people gain confidence and the skills needed to succeed in their lives, while helping to inform professionals on how to deliver good practice throughout their service.
A young ambassador for the Adoptables described the impact of the programme:
“What I take away from being an Adoptables ambassador is that I do have a voice and I can be confident in projecting it.”
Working with Coram Life Education, the Adoptables have helped to create a schools toolkit. This free resource helps to raise awareness amongst both students and staff members on how to best support adopted young people at school.
The Adoptables also run workshop groups across the country, which offer a network and support system that every adopted young person should have access to. Through these groups, young people are able to express themselves in a private and safe environment, while building friendships with other adopted young people.
The Adoptables have been shortlisted for the Youth Work Award in the Child and Young People Now Awards. For the category that chooses youth initiatives that have done the most to promote young people’s personal development, informal education and participation in positive activities. The category winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony on 22 November in London.