We are working to design healing socio-digital interventions with and for youth who have experienced traumatic events in their homes, e.g. abuse or neglect, which often result in their removal from their home. These traumas disrupt youths’ ability to trust others and develop social connections [1,3], exacerbated by isolation and inadequate care in the child welfare system and the negative effects of existing social platforms [4,7,8]. Many experience a pervasive lack of social support that negatively impacts their mental health and ability to navigate stressful life situations [2,3,5,6]. Working upstream with youth who have experienced the most severe abuse and neglect, we design digital spaces for youth to express themselves and build resonance with others, bolstering them in forming new, supportive connections.
Our methodologies draw on therapeutic best practices, trauma-informed and healing centered frameworks, and collaborative design principles - centering the perspectives and experiences of young people who need the most support, prioritizing reciprocity and safety, and following an iterative prototyping process.
In the process, we are grateful to regularly learn from and engage with youth-serving organizations across Massachusetts, California, Georgia, and Rhode Island, including Friends of the Children Boston, Communities for People, Think of Us' Virtual Support Services, Stepping Forward LA, the JRI Foster Care Program, and TeenTalk.
This project has been generously funded by The Shah Family Foundation and other donors.