Issue 160 - Belfast BT6 • BT7 • BT8
‘Together We Create Community’
The seventh annual event, coordinated by children’s rights charity VOYPIC, took place recently as new statistics reveal the number of children in care here has risen by 6% during the pandemic In the run-up to Care Day, co-ordinated by Voice of Young People in Care (VOYPIC) in Northern Ireland, an event was held at Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings when young people from care presented a new set of standards for their professional meetings – called “MY MEETING: YOUNG PEOPLE’S STANDARDS FOR PARTICIPATION IN REVIEW MEETINGS”. An online ‘Conversations with the Care Community’ also took place, hosted as part of VOYPIC’s partnership with organisations in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland. Meanwhile Care Day itself on Friday 18 February included a range of events that sync with the theme ‘Together We Create Community’. Events included a VOYPIC (Voice of Young People
Pictured at Catalyst Head Quarters from L – R: Bloomfield Collegiate Student, Rachel; COO DisplayNote, Ed Morgan; Steering Team Chairperson/MD Dawson Andrews, Andrew Fulton; GI Programme Manager, Judith Camblin; Bloomfield Collegiate Teacher, John McEvoy; GI Alumni, Salou Jallow
Generation Innovation 2022 is now open for applications in Belfast and beyond!
Young people across Northern Ireland are encouraged to apply for Catalyst’s unique work experience programme! Recently Catalyst opened applications to ambitious 17 and 18-year-olds from across Northern Ireland for Generation Innovation 2022, an innovative work experience programme that offers training for the jobs of the future and exposure to some of NI’s leading employers.
Established in 2018, Generation Innovation aims to inform, upskill and empower the young people of this generation to thrive as the leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs of our future economy and society. Young people receive design thinking training over the course of the five-day programme,
learning how to work as part of a dynamic team made up of young people from across Northern Ireland. Their new skills are then put to the test to solve a company challenge, developing a solution that is pitched to a partner company and their fellow peers. The 2022 programme
will allow participants to pitch their ideas to renowned Northern Ireland businesses such as Coca Cola, Danske Bank, Deloitte and FinTrU, as well as incredibly innovative companies including Instil, Lightyear and See.Sense.
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in Care) Care Day Fun Day at New Life City Church, south Belfast, a sing-along in Antrim, a paintball event in Lurgan and an ‘Xtreme’ jumping event in Derry/ Londonderry. An art competition illustrating the theme Together We Create Community also called for young artists to get creative with their interpretation of this year’s message. At present there are 3566 young people in care across Northern Ireland. VOYPIC, created in 1993 by a group of young people in care and professionals, is working together with children and young adults for a better care experience and life after care. The organisations wants to ensure that every child in care in Northern Ireland feels safe, valued and loved, and every young person leaving care does so with dignity and respect, and thrives into adulthood.