I chose this topic because it holds a special place in my heart. I am adopted and I realized that I have yet to do a project highlighting this impactful moment in my life. I decided this was a great opportunity to highlight and be an advocate for the importance of the adoption process.  I wanted to highlight that people do not know a lot about adoption and it can be an overwhelming process. I want to create digital tools to help couples and families feel comfortable asking hard questions and having a support system in place so that they feel as though they can receive the best information about such a life changing decision.

How might a digital tool help young couples learn and benefit from adoption?

I have created this how might we question in order to begin research about adoption and focus on what aspects of it I want to highlight.  This question was my starting and end point.  Through this question I have created and implemented a digital tool that will answer this question.

Through my methodology I plan to obtain information about those of whom have been adopted and those of whom have adopted children. I want to conduct several interviews from people I know/strangers. These interviews will be about how children grew up being in adopted families, siblings with adopted siblings, as well as parents decisions and process of their adoption. I plan to reach out to as many families that are willing to answer my questions and help me pin point the most important aspects of adoption. I will reach out through social media and ask anyone willing to participate to reach out to me. The personal connections I have will be asked personally for their time and help. These interviews, due to Covid restrictions, will happen over zoom and if not possible, phone call. This process makes the most sense to receive personal/sensitive information to make the families and children the most safe. It will help me navigate the information specified to each interviewee. Through the specified questions I can guide the interviews for each person so that I have more detailed information to work with.

I chose to do a website for my deliverable because it made the most logical sense. A website is very versatile when it comes to  a vast amount of information. People more often when looking up a topic tend to look on the Internet rather than downloading an app.  A website can serve as another platform for research. I created this platform so that families and couples interested in adoption had a place to explore the surface of adoption. They do not have to be overwhelmed with the amount of research starting out. This website also gives them a safe place to ask question, get connected with the community, and find agencies that would suit their needs.

I created this website as a community building and awareness building platform. There are websites about adoption that highlight on agencies and importance of restrictions and financial obligations, but do not provide a community within the adoption process. This website is different from others because it focuses on helping couples and families find the resources that they need rather than limiting them to one agency.