Our youth mentoring work began in 2011 as a result of the unfortunate discovery that many of the sex trafficking survivors we served had mothers and even grandmothers who had been exploited, and they feared the same fate for their children. As an organization focused on uniting Jesus followers to address significant community issues, we knew this was a huge opportunity for the Church to come alongside youth in vulnerable situations to prevent trafficking and offer not just physical freedom but the ultimate liberty found in Christ.
Among the volunteers who initially gave their time to mentoring, many were talented seamstresses and artists so the groups were named “Adorned In Grace Design Studios” to reflect this creative focus.
Ten years later, there has been a slow and steady growth of passionate Jesus followers and community members with all kinds of talents and skills (jewelry making, animal care, self defense, entrepreneurship, sports, cooking, photography, and more) who want to serve youth experiencing trauma that predators attempt to twist to their advantage.
In addition to the original arts and crafts offerings, over the last decade we have built upon our strategy of preventing exploitation by incorporating anti-trafficking curriculum, outreach events such as Dress for Freedom, homework help, field trips, guest teachers, food, and more.
Arts and crafts have always been a big part of what attracts attendees to the Design Studio…
…but over the years we’ve had the opportunity to do so much more!
Change Comes Softly: Stories of Impact
At the very first Design Studio meeting in 2011, volunteers waited for hours until a young woman named Anastasiya tentatively stepped in with several younger sisters in tow. Their mother had committed suicide a few weeks prior and they were in desperate need of love and connection. The backpack Anastasiya won as a door prize that day is the one she now uses in her career as an art teacher. Six years later she returned to the Design Studio, but this time to give back as a mentor.
Anastasiya (in red) returned to the Design Studio six years after she first attended, but this time as a volunteer.
More recently, a Design Studio alumni shared with us that “My early years of going to the Design Studio, I was drinking, smoking marijuana, self harming and talking to older men online. On top of all of that, I was still trying to be a 15 year old girl, and living in an unstable, abusive household, the Design Studio was one of the lifelines that I clung to. My mentors showed me how to live outside of addiction and how to love and accept love. Another way my life changed would be from my mentors’ knowledge about what red flags looked like for sex traffickers.”
Everyone who has volunteered, donated, or supported in other ways over the years has been a part of this united effort to protect children and stamp out this darkness that often operates invisibly in our communities.
Three Design Studio attendees graduated from high school in 2020!
Equine therapy and activities offered through Forward Stride and Echo Ranch have been priceless.
Lasting friendships are formed through trust, love, and lots of laughter!
Celebrating 10 Years of Prevention Through Mentorship
We are excited to announce that as we celebrate the ten year anniversary of this work, we are also celebrating the transition from the name Adorned In Grace Design Studios to Compassion Youth Mentoring. In addition, we are increasingly using the language of “exploitation” in place of “human trafficking” because we know that predators exploit children in many ways and the mentorship we offer can prevent not only sex trafficking but also many other negative outcomes. While the basic elements of what we do are not changing, this subtle shift allows us to incorporate a broader curriculum, serve both girls and boys, and strengthen our efforts to unite the Church to address this issue.
Related Story: All It Takes Is One Person Who Cares
Amber spent a year wrestling with indecision before she finally took the leap and became a volunteer youth mentor at the Design Studio in SE Portland: “I wish I would have done this way back when I first found out about mentoring,” she says. “The youth have taught me a lot more than I could ever teach them. I’m excited to be part of their futures and I’ve felt changed by the girls as they’ve taught me patience, to be more sympathetic, and to understand why people behave the way they do in certain situations. Anyone can be a mentor who has the heart to do so.”
In addition to mentoring, there are many other ways for passionate people to get involved by teaching one-time or short term classes, providing snacks, assisting with transportation, sharing the cause with others, partnering financially, and more.
A florist shared her skills with attendees by teaching how to make beautiful bouquets.
The youth loved learning about assertiveness and self defense!
One volunteer taught a series of yoga classes to help encourage physical exercise!
Thanks to a volunteer with a career as a Veterinary Technician, attendees had the chance to go through an entire animal careers course and got to interact with some fun creatures from the Oregon Zoo!
In an age when children are being targeted more than ever by traffickers while also struggling more than ever with mental health challenges, Compassion Youth Mentoring offers practical, compelling ways for everyday people to combat sexual bondage and offer the true freedom found in Jesus, whether through volunteering, donating, or other ways. With your support we can continue equipping local churches to serve youth in our current neighborhoods as well as expand into new communities where Jesus followers are eager to unite to come alongside youth and fight this darkness. Thank you so much for your support–we look forward to the next decade together!
Learn more about our Compassion Youth Mentoring groups here.
