FCC-SoCal facilitates a variety of child and youth-centered programs and activities that focus on empowerment, friendship and fun. The overarching goal is to provide opportunities for the children, tweens and teens to develop and sustain meaningful peer relationships with their fellow adoptees -- something the adoption experts agree will serve them well as they navigate the pre-school, middle childhood and adolescent years.
FCC also strives to enable the children and youth to achieve “cultural competency” and pride in their Chinese/Chinese American heritage through education, mentorships with Asian American college students and coalition-building activities with community organizations.
FCC & China Care Bruins Youth Mentorship "Buddy" Program
What do you get when you combine 60 FCC member kids (ages 5 to 18) together with dozens of energetic college students on the campus of UCLA? Lots of fun, excitement and dozens of new and renewed friendships.
The Youth Mentorship Buddy Program is organized through China Care Bruins, the first west coast campus chapter of the national China Care Foundation. In addition to guiding campus-based, student-run chapters, the national organization funds medical services for children in orphanages, provides special housing for them and offers other charitable and humanitarian aid. The UCLA chapter of China Care was founded in 2005. The buddy program – a collaboration between FCC-SoCal and China Care Bruins – launched shortly thereafter. Since its founding, China Care Bruins has served as a model award-winning chapter. In 2011, China Care Bruins was also recognized as an Emerging Leader in Philanthropy, receiving the Collegiate Community Excellence Award from Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy.
FCC mem
ber children and youth (ages 5/kindergarten and older) are paired with a China Care Bruins college buddy for the academic year. Each month (October through May), the buddies meet on campus for fun, team-building activities and conversation. China Care offers three groups: Little Buddies (entering kindergarten through 4th grade); Youth Buddies (entering 5th through 7th grade); and the new Teen Program (entering 8th through 12th grade; this program is structured a bit differently).
To participate, children and youth must be FCC member families in good standing, meet the pre-requisites (including an attendance commitment) and register in advance for the academic year (in September). Enrollment is limited and priority is given to returning FCC children and youth in good standing. FCC/China Care Parent Contact: Jeri Okamoto at [email protected].
