Storytelling
Lived experience creates a human entry point for understanding foster care, adoption, identity, and belonging.
Programs for adults + organizations
Better support starts with better understanding.
Fostering Empathy is an engaging, lived-experience-informed training that helps adults better understand and support children and young people navigating foster care, adoption, family complexity, identity, and belonging.
Fostering Empathy
Listen more closely. Understand more deeply. Support more thoughtfully.
The experience combines storytelling, educational instruction, experiential learning, reflection, discussion, and practical strategies. It is trauma-aware and youth-centered—not clinical trauma training.
Adults leave with a stronger understanding of lived experience, supportive communication, identity, belonging, youth voice, and agency.
Designed for
Foster and adoptive parents · Educators · Social workers and family-service professionals · Youth-development professionals · Child welfare and adoption organizations · Schools and colleges · Community and faith-based organizations
The learning experience
Human, reflective, practical.
Each engagement is adapted to the audience while protecting the integrity of the lived experience at its center.
Experiential learning
Activities invite adults to notice assumptions, consider perspective, and reflect on how support is experienced.
Supportive communication
Participants explore listening, language, and responses that honor youth voice, choice, and agency.
Identity + belonging
The training makes room for family complexity and the distinct experiences surrounding foster care and adoption.
Reflection + discussion
Guided conversation helps participants connect learning to their own roles and environments.
Practical strategies
Adults identify concrete ways to create more youth-centered, supportive spaces.
Adult learning outcomes
More understanding. Stronger support.
- 01Greater empathy↗︎
- 02Stronger communication↗︎
- 03Better understanding of lived experience↗︎
- 04More youth-centered support↗︎
- 05Increased awareness of identity and belonging↗︎
- 06Greater appreciation for youth voice and agency↗︎
In their words
The work stays with people.
Hover, tap, or press Enter to flip a card.
“Program DirectorYouth program partner 01Flip ↻
One of the adults described her as a ‘beautiful spirit.’ Sharlene is friendly, warm and welcoming. Both of the youth events were excellent!
What stood outWarm, welcoming spaces
Program DirectorYouth program partner
Return ↺“Alexandria T.Program Director 02Flip ↻
Sharlene was amazing! Our students loved their workshop and activities. She was flexible and able to keep all students engaged.
What stood outStudent engagement
Alexandria T.Program Director
Return ↺“ClientCommunity partner 03Flip ↻
Sharlene is a storyteller, a teacher, a guide, and an inspiration. The gifts that Sharlene brings to the table as a friend, employee, or speaker are immeasurable and memorable. She is truly a light!
What stood outMemorable inspiration
ClientCommunity partner
Return ↺Voice. Identity. Belonging.
Let’s build spaces where young people know they belong—and know they can lead.
Bring Write Speak Inspire to your school, college, organization, agency, church, or community.