Community Advocate


Program for Teens

Foster Village Charlotte believes in the power of teens to create change. Our self-paced Community Advocate Program is designed to help teens learn about foster care and how to be an advocate for causes that matter.

The guide includes activities and real-life ways to get involved—perfect for service hours or anyone wanting to make a difference.

DOWNLOAD IT NOW AND START YOUR ADVOCACY JOURNEY!

A Guide to Advocacy in the


Child-Welfare System for Adults

What is Advocacy?

Advocacy is the act of supporting or speaking out for a cause, individual, or group to raise awareness, influence change, or secure resources.

Why is Advocacy Important?

Advocacy is important for families experiencing foster care because it helps ensure they receive the support, resources, and respect they need during a challenging time. Families experiencing foster care need advocates to ensure dignity. Families often face complex systems, emotional stress, and uncertainty, and advocates can help:

Amplify their voices so their needs and rights are heard

Reduce stigma by educating communities about the realities of foster care

Connect them to services like counseling, education, and financial support

Promote policies that improve foster care outcomes and family reunification

Help create a more welcoming, understanding, and inclusive environment for children and caregivers

Advocacy helps families feel supported, empowered, and valued—making a real difference in their stability and well-being.

What is Foster Care

A temporary solution in which trained adults (foster parents) care for children when their birth

parent(s) are unable to do so. Foster care if the last resort for a family experiencing crisis.The goal is to provide a safe and nurturing environment while the child’s biological parents address issues that led to the child’s removal from their biological family. Children experiencing foster care reside in foster homes, kinship families

(relatives or close family friends identified by the parents), or residential facilities such as a group home or a hospital.

Being an advocate means staying informed. It’s important to understand common myths about foster care and use inclusive language to better support families experiencing foster care. Language matters and the way that we talk about children and their families is important for creating dignity and a supportive environment. One important example is when referring to children in foster care, it’s important to use the phrase “children experiencing care.” Foster care does not define them—it’s only a temporary situation.

Learn more:

Foster Village Charlotte’s Role

Foster Village Charlotte believes that well-supported caregivers is the starting point to a healthy child. Caregivers of children who have experienced trauma face unique challenges and responsibilities. Trauma can have a significant impact on a child's emotional, psychological, and physical well-being, and caregivers play a crucial role in helping these children heal and recover.

Foster Village Charlotte creates connection with dignity for children and families experiencing foster care by meeting urgent needs, providing educational and emotional support, and advocating as a collective community voice for children.

Who We Serve:

  • Foster Families

  • Kinship Families

  • Reunifying Biological Families

  • Children in Care

Advocacy Avenue

Equity and dignity for a child experiencing out-of-home placement by providing access

  • Volunteer with Foster Village on our Welcome Pack or Childcare and Events Team. You can stay up to date with our next trainings through our community calendar.

  • Represent Foster Village through a community tabling event.

  • Help us stay stocked with urgent essentials for families experiencing foster care by shopping our Amazon wishlist

  • Offer discounts to families involved in the child welfare system by advocating for accessible services—such as asking local daycares or programs if they can provide reduced rates or special pricing for children experiencing foster care.

  • Get involved with Foster Village Charlotte’s two exciting peer-to-peer fundraisers! Host a lemonade stand this summer with Growing the Village is Sweet, or join our Foster the Movement campaign in the fall. Stay up to date through our newsletter and social media channels.

  • Vote! Judges have a significant impact on the outcomes of child welfare cases, including decisions around reunification. Take time to research the candidates in your local elections and consider their experience in family court.

  • Contribute to the Village Fund—a special way to help meet urgent, one-time needs that fall outside the scope of our regular programs. Whether it's assisting with the cost of a new fridge for a grandparent caregiver or meeting other unexpected needs, this fund allows us to respond with compassion when families need it most. To give, make a donation here and note “Village Fund” in the comments.

  • Be an advocate for children experiencing foster care in the court system by volunteering to be a Gaurdian Ad Litem.

  • Become a foster parent! Foster parents are licensed through an agency and can also provide short-term respite care. Foster Village Charlotte offers an Exploring Foster Care workshop to help you learn more about the process and see if it’s the right fit for you!

Ensure Every Child and Caregiver has a trauma-informed community

  • Stay connected with Foster Village Charlotte by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on social media to stay informed with how you can help support families experiencing foster care in our community.

  • Be a voice for foster care by fostering inclusivity within your immediate circle and being mindful of the language used in your workplace or organization. Creating a culture of awareness and compassion helps ensure children and families impacted by foster care feel seen, respected, and supported.

  • Start meaningful conversations with your kids, family, and community group about foster care. Raising awareness at home and in your circles helps build empathy, reduce stigma, and create a more supportive community for children and families impacted by foster care. Here are simple tips for talking with kids about foster care.

  • Start a book club and pick a book that explores the child welfare system. It’s a great way to spark meaningful conversations and deepen understanding about the experiences of children and families impacted by foster care.

  • Cook a meal for a family experiencing foster care and drop it off at Foster Village Charlotte! We keep a stocked deep freezer on-site so that families can grab a home-cooked meal when they need it most.

  • Support foster families in your workplace by advocating for a foster parent leave policy. Just like parental leave, this time allows foster parents to bond with new placements and manage transitions with care and stability.

  • Stay informed about important child welfare legislation by tracking bills through NC Child. 

  • Learn more through Families Rising Education Support Network as they amplify voices with lived experience, support adoptive, foster, and kinship families, educate child welfare professionals, and advocate for the well-being of children and families.

  • Deepen your involvement with Foster Village Charlotte by joining one of our committees! Learn more about our committees and apply here. 

  • Know a foster or kinship parent in your community? Show your support in meaningful ways—drop off a meal, offer to babysit, or lend a hand with everyday tasks. Small gestures can make a big difference.

  • Bring your community together and host a Gather for Good event! Whether it’s a cocktail party, backyard BBQ, or a casual get-together at our center, we’ll join you to share about Foster Village Charlotte and help grow our village of support.

  • Help Foster Village Charlotte keep essential programs going by joining our Village Partner community! Become one of 130+ monthly donors making a lasting impact every month

Understand the Impact of Trauma & Foster Care on Developmental Milestones

Recommended Book Resources:

  • The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing by Laura Love Harding

  • What Happened To You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey

  • Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

  • Another Place at the Table by Kathy Harrison 

  • A Place Called Home by David Ambroz

  • Stranger Care by Sarah Sentilles 

  • The Deepest Well by Nadine Burke Harris 

  • The Body Keeps Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.

Recommended Podcast Resources:

  • Foster Care Aware

  • Attachment Theory in Action

  • The Baffling Behavior Show

  • The Forgotten Podcast

  • Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption & Foster Care

  • CaseyCast

Thank you for your interest in advocating for families in our community experiencing foster care. Together, we are building a supportive village that goes beyond the system.