BraveBe Child Advocacy Center
BraveBe Child Advocacy Center
BraveBe Child Advocacy Center is a non-profit organization providing a safe, child friendly location for conducting forensic interviews and medical evaluations for abused children in Southeast Nebraska. The program has established itself as an organization that can and does make a difference for children and families in our community.They respect the courage it takes for a child to come forward to get help. The goal is to create an environment that is safe and supportive.
In 2009, Sinclair Hille Architects (SHA) had the privilege of master planning and designing a new home for the BraveBe Child Advocacy Center. The Executive Director’s goal for the project was to create a building that was welcoming, warm, and created a feeling of safety and security for everyone who entered. She and the design team determined a farmhouse design concept would be a good foundation to build on. The main offices, interview rooms, counseling rooms, and medical services were located within the large white “farmhouse” with a wrap around front porch.
A training space was developed in the smaller yellow “chicken coop” which includes a large conference room area with beautiful cathedral ceilings and daylighting and full service kitchen. The yellow building connects the farmhouse to the barn which was the final piece of the master plan.
The barn includes, additional office and training space for BraveBe advocates, medical team, project coordinators, child interviewers and has co-located with the Lincoln Police Department Special Victims Unit. The lower level of the barn includes a gym, bathroom and shower facilites and additional training conference room area for the Training and Prevention Team. The connection between building components is seamless as the barn is an extension of the main circulation spine of the original building.
As part of the 2023 barn expansion, a renovation was completed on the original farmhouse to expand the medical services area, additional counseling space and a Foster Care Closet which provides a temporary shelter including a comfortable space to relax, bathrooms and showers, a kitchen and a closet full of clothing and essentials needed for children who are waiting to be united with their foster family.
