Welcome to Building Dreams

“I feel (Building Dreams) is a well structured method by which I can help to make a positive difference in some young lives.”
         Deacon William Johnson
         site coordinator

Who We Are

Building Dreams provides mentoring services based on principles of positive youth development to children of incarcerated parents. Started in 2004 in five counties of South Carolina, the Building Dreams program has gradually expanded so that today services are available in eight counties and will soon expand state-wide. Our overarching goal is to develop close, supportive, one-on-one mentoring relationships between trained adult volunteers and eligible children.

What We Believe

Building on IFNL’s core mission of strengthening ties between families and communities, Building Dreams is premised on the belief that children with incarcerated parents are more likely to thrive when they live in communities that are inclusive and supportive of them and their caregivers. Unfortunately, too often the opposite is true. When parents are incarcerated, children and their caregivers often become increasingly isolated within community settings. Children may have academic difficulties or other behavioral problems. Often they carry tremendous burdens as they struggle with their parent’s absence. Caregivers may experience economic and social challenges in their assumption of primary parenting responsibilities.

In Building Dreams, we strive to increase support within primary institutions (e.g., religious communities, schools, community resource centers) of children of incarcerated parents and their caregivers. When these children and their caregivers are connected to others within the community, we believe that it is more likely that they will succeed academically and socially and that their caregivers will feel more confident in their parenting responsibilities.

Fundamental to creating a sense of community for children of prisoners is establishing connections to caring, responsible and committed adults. To accomplish our goal of matching adult volunteers with eligible children, Building Dreams uses the AMACHI model of mentoring where secular and faith-based organizations work together to provide mentoring services to children of incarcerated parents.

What We Do

Building Dreams works with children and youth, ages 4-17, who have a parent in state or federal prison. With the assistance of local faith- and community-based partners, we recruit and match eligible children and youth with volunteer adult mentors. We also assist families and siblings of children in Building Dreams by providing connections to supportive services (e.g., respite and/or child care, legal services, job training, economic assistance, counseling, etc.) and social networks.

Our Partners

Building Dreams is a partnership of Clemson University’s IFNL and state and local partners in South Carolina.  Building Dreams is also a part of the South Carolina Mentoring Coalition, an alliance of Mentoring Children of Prisoners grantees and Prison Fellowship/Angel Tree Ministries.

To learn more about our partners, click here.

Read our newsletters
     January 2009
     Spring 2009

For more information about Building Dreams, view our brochure or contact us at:

Building Dreams
Institute on Family & Neighborhood Life
Clemson University
225 S. Pleasantburg Dr.
McAlister Square, Suite B11
Greenville, SC  29607

Phone:  (864) 250-4631
Fax:  (864) 250-4633
E-mail:  mcleigh@clemson.edu

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