Fostering Futures Event brings tech and talent together
Innovation thrives at the intersection of unexpected collaborations. In 2024, Foster America and the MIT Media Lab’s Affective Computing group brought together experts from two fields that rarely have opportunities to co-design solutions — child welfare and technology. Together, we hosted the “Fostering Futures Forum: Harnessing Technology for Wellbeing.” Held at the renowned MIT Media Lab, the event featured people whose firsthand experience with child protective services fuels their desire to drive systems change. These lived experts were joined by expert technologists who worked alongside them to imagine tech-based solutions to tackle challenges faced by youth living in foster care. In the months leading up to the forum, Foster America facilitated family workshops across the country to engage those who had personally experienced the system. Sessions held in New York, Pennsylvania, California, Oregon, and Colorado focused on identifying common experiences children have when involved with child protective services. These workshops set the stage for collaboration at the forum. Here, selected participants, including technologists and lived experts, were invited to refine and develop the themes into actionable projects. Participants explored ways to maintain connections while living in foster care, set personal goals that help children remain focused, and enhance their sense of agency throughout their time in the system. They then presented their innovations to a crowd of child welfare leaders, community advocates, philanthropists, and more.
20 | Foster America 2024 Annual Report
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