China Care Bruins Buddy Program - 2012

Update: All openings have been filled for this year. Kindly try again next year.

We are delighted to announce that there are a few additional openings in the China Care Bruins Youth Mentorship "Buddy" Program for the 2012-2013 academic year (October 2012 through June 2013). It is my pleasure to serve as the Liaison between our adoptive families and the China Care Bruins leadership. Please contact me (and not the China Care Bruins leadership) should you have any questions or concerns about the application process.

Founded in 2005, China Care Bruins is a student-run group at UCLA that raises funds to provide medical services for children in China's orphanages and mentors Chinese adoptees and their siblings. Last year, more than 50 FCC children and youth were paired with college student “Big Buddies.” The Buddy groups participate in monthly Sunday afternoon get-togethers on the UCLA campus throughout the academic year. Visit www.chinacarebruins.org and check out the photo gallery. During the Buddy gatherings, parents are invited to join in our Parent Roundtables featuring discussions, film viewing, speakers and more on a variety of current events and adoptive family topics.

Since we began collaborating with China Care Bruins and initiated the mentorship program in 2005, it has grown in size and has been recognized as a model mentoring program. In 2009, China Care Bruins was selected from more than 40 chapters to receive the inaugural Outstanding Community Service Award from the national China Care Foundation for this mentorship program and received similar honors in 2010 and 2011. For its fundraising efforts and community contributions, China Care Bruins received the 2011 Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy Award from Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy and the Asian Pacific Community Fund.

To apply, please read the accompanying materials and Frequently Asked Questions for information about the program and its eligibility requirements, financial and time commitment and expectations. The email Application is provided below and is due on or before Tuesday, September 25, 2012. We encourage you to submit your Application ASAP. If the spots fill before the deadline, you will be placed on the Waiting List. We hit the ground running once UCLA goes back into session (UCLA’s fall quarter classes begin on September 24), thus this is a firm deadline. We will confirm your status after September 25 via email.

Save the date of Sunday, October 28, 2-5 pm, which is the date of the first meeting. Little/Youth Buddy families will receive additional program information in October. (All dates listed in the form below are tentative pending confirmation with room reservations once the fall quarter begins.)

Here are the basic Application pre-requisites for review:

  1. FCC-SoCal MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED: The children or youth must be from an FCC member family in good standing for 2012-2013 (dues current). If you are an annual member, your renewal for 2012-2013 is due now (your annual membership expires on September 30, 2023). Membership information is available at http://www.fccsocal.org/annual-membership. Please handle membership directly with FCC-SoCal.
  2. LITTLE BUDDY PROGRAM: Children must be age 5 (as of October 1, 2023) and in kindergarten or older AND must be developmentally ready to participate in the 3-hour program, i.e., the children must be able to separate with ease from their parent/guardian and interact independently with their buddy. While parents may sit in on the first session, if necessary, the expectation is that the child will participate independently from then on.
  3. YOUTH BUDDY PROGRAM: Children must be age 11 as of October 1, 2023 and/or in 6th grade/middle school or above and also be able to participate independently. We are in the process of discussing options with the China Care Bruins leadership for special activities for the High School students.
  4. ATTENDANCE and PARTICIPATION: FCC families must make a good faith commitment to participate in the monthly meetings (calendar provided below) from October 2012 to May/June 2013. If you know that your child will not be able to attend at least seven of the events, please do not apply. Parents are strongly encouraged to assist with the China Care program, fundraising and other events.
  5. PROGRAM FEES & WAIVER/RELEASE: The goal is for the Buddy Program to be self-funded through participant fees. The fee is $80/year for one child and $110/year for two and $120/year for three siblings from the same immediate family. The fee covers program expenses and includes a t-shirt. The annual fee does not include the year-end event (probably a potluck picnic this year) or gifts for the buddies. Parents must also sign the program Acknowledgment, Waiver and Release. Fees are due at the first meeting.
  6. "MENTORING THE MENTORS" WORKSHOPS EACH QUARTER: Once a quarter, parents will have the opportunity to meet with students to share our career and other experiences. This is one of the ways we give back to the students who give so much to our children. We will send a parent survey to registered families in October. For now, please indicate on the application if you are interested/available to participate and/or help to coordinate.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please complete the application below and email it back to Jeri Floyd at [email protected] on or before (preferably before) Tuesday, September 25, 2012.

If you are having difficulty emailing the form back, please send me an email note and we will make alternative arrangements.