The University of Michigan Student Life values inclusivity and excellence and utilizes a framework of Inclusive Excellence to set the foundation for creating a welcoming and equitable community that excels at supporting the learning of all students.
While each individual has their own unique preferences of how they would like to be addressed, when working with students who have experienced foster care, it is a best practice to use person-first language that describes foster care as an active experience as opposed to a mythical place where kids go or as a label to describe young people. Instead of saying foster care youth, foster kid, foster child, try using the language student who experienced foster care.
John Seita (2001) coined the term family privilege to describe the often-unnoticed benefits that stem from being a member of a stable family. In this episode of Out of the Blue, meet some of the Blavin Scholars and learn about the challenges they have experienced in achieving success in higher education and how the Blavin Scholars Program is removing barriers and offering support.
Give it. Get it. Expect Respect.
Together, we can create and maintain a respectful and inclusive environment that provides the support and opportunity necessary for each member of our community to prosper and achieve.
Across the University of Michigan and local community students who have experienced time in foster care benefit from interacting with supportive adults who have an understanding of the foster care experience, the Blavin Scholars Programs, and behaviors and actions that can create an inclusive environment for this student population.
Fostering Success Michigan (FSM) is building a statewide network through a collective-impact strategy that strives to prepare young people in foster care between the ages of 12 to 25 across the state of Michigan for success in higher education and beyond. FSM offers a variety of networking opportunities and valuable resources for youth who have experienced time in foster care at various educational stages, both high school and college, as well as information for adults interested in supporting the educational attainment of young people who have experienced foster care.
