It Takes Many Hearts and Many Hands
to Build a Village

Youth, adoptive and foster families, staff, and the Board of Directors of Under One Sky are planning and developing a Village in the mountains of western North Carolina. Beginning with a feasibility study conducted in 2007, plans are underway to launch initial phases of the Village in 2008.

The mission of the Under One Sky Village is to provide permanency and preparation for adulthood for youth in foster care through residency in an intergenerational multicultural community offering educational programming and services.

Promise of Permanency

Evolving from the need to provide permanency for youth in our program who are at risk of aging out of foster care without a family, the Village will offer an Independent Living Program and residential cottages for any youth who is either part of Under One Sky and has not been adopted or is living in the Village with a foster or adoptive family.

Youth in transition who have not found permanency will live in the Village in one of three ways: with a foster family, in a group cottage with 24/7 on-site supervision, or in an apartment with minimal supervision depending on their particular situation. Community members will serve as life coaches and work with Under One Sky staff to help prepare youth for successful transition to adulthood through programs that promote life and work skills, self-efficacy, leadership, and self-esteem.

A Place to Call Home

As a multicultural intergenerational community designed with environmentally sound building practices, the Village will be a place for adoptive families, elders, foster families, and youth in foster care to call home. The common thread for everyone involved in creating the Village is a love for children, especially teenagers in foster care, and a desire to support them in reaching their full potential.

Programs and Services

A camp and retreat center will provide year-round programming for youth in foster care, adoptive and foster families, social workers, and other professionals in the child welfare system. Under One Sky is already expanding specialized camp programs to include more youth in foster care and provide sibling camps for youth, life and work skills training, preparation for adoption and adulthood, and instruction in independent living—all within a mentoring village for self-discovery.

Adoptive and foster families will have 24/7 on-site therapeutic services available, shared transportation for youth to school and work, homework support for youth engaged in school, and respite within the community. Families and elders can either purchase or rent individual homes in a community setting or co-housing units similar to townhouses.

Learn More and Make a Contribution

If you would like to make a contribution toward the planning and development of the Village, would like to consider living in the Village, or would like to learn more, please see Donating or contact Diane Delafield, Executive Director.