URSPACE: Issue 2

ISSUE 2

URSPACE THE BACK TO SCHOOL ISSUE

MEET THE TEAM YOUTH ADVISORY GROUP WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO HELLO FROM...

THE FIRST MINISTER AND MORE...

PARENTS, CARERS, FRIENDS, WORKERS – FEEL FREE TO HAVE A LOOK INSIDE THIS MAGAZINE

includem.org

AUGUST 2024

SUPPORT

Click on the logos to access their websites!

In addition to your includem worker, you can also contact the following organisations:

Childline is a free and confidential helpline. You can speak to a trained counsellor via the phone, by email, or through 1-2-1 chat.

Phone: 0800 1111 Childline.org.uk

YoungMinds is a website that has information about mental health. It also has helpful tips for supporting friends and dealing with emotions.

LGBT Youth Scotland is there to provide support to young LGBT across Scotland.

youngminds.org.uk

lgbtyouth.org.uk

Provides information and support for young people who are sitting their exams. sqa.org.uk The Children and Young People’s commissioner makes sure that children and young people have their rights respected.

They can give you information about your rights, and let you know who might be able to help. cyps.org.uk

YoungScot is a go to place for information for young people in Scotland, including advice on Exam stress, travel and more. young.scot

Brook.org.uk has a lot of useful information about sexual health & wellbeing.

Offers confidential, personalised support for young people aged 12-19 living in Glasgow City. nhsggc.scot

In this edition Meet The Team What We’ve Been Up To...

Youth Advisory Group The Promise 24-30 Transforming Lives Update A Letter from John Swinney MSP In The Know A Guide to Fact Checking And More!

Get in Touch There are different ways to get in touch with us: You can click here to tell us what you think Tell your includem worker what your opinions are

Welcome My name is Tracey Stewart and I am the Head of Services who oversees our Projects at includem.

Projects are the work we do at includem that is a little bit different to our other services. We do this work because we think support for children, young people and families can be better and we want to show this by doing it.

This issue of URSPACE is all about education. I know that for many of you, school can be challenging for many reasons. Education is also a right that you have.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (more information about this in the last issue of URSPACE) says that every child and young person must have a chance to go to school. It also says that schools should treat pupils with respect.

The UNCRC also says that the Scottish Government has to do work to make sure fewer young people drop out of education.

At includem we are working with young people to raise some of the issues you have in school and education. You can read more about it in this magazine.

Don’t forget, we always want to hear from you!

Make use of the links in this magazine and tell us what’s going on for you.

Tracey Tracey Stewart Head of Services: Projects & Programmes

URSPACE is created and edited by Lisa Weylandt and Martyn Walker, includem, 2024

Meet The Team Say hello to Beth, Charles, Hannah and Justine - our Promise Delivery Team and also join us in welcoming John, our new Communications & Engagement Officer!

Hi, we’re Beth-Anne, Hannah, Charles, and Justine, and we’re the Development Team.

We’re here to promote policy and children's rights and to make sure that includem does the very best it can to support YOU! We help carry out lots of research across Scotland, to find out where there are gaps in services, so that includem can try and fill these gaps.

We’ve also helped start a Youth Advisory Board, where we get young people, like YOU, together to hear your ideas and opinions on the work that goes on at includem, and to get your help with a number of cool projects. The Young people involved will be paid for their time, be given an award that looks great on your CV, and there are lots of other cool perks such as activities and pizza. Please come and join us if this sounds fun to you.

We'd love to see you there!

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I’m John - includem’s new Communications & Engagement Officer!

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My job is to look after includem’s social media and other bits that you might see from time to time. I also plan strategies on how we can connect with YOU and also on those we work with on different platforms. When I’m not working on these, I can be found putting together our own newsletter for our colleagues, helping out with creating and designing posters and other comms tasks!

In the next issue we’ll be saying hello to some of colleagues from across the country!

#VoteToTransformLives In June, our Transforming Lives campaign became our #votetotransformlives campaign.

On July 4th people in the UK voted for the next UK Government. Voting for a Government is a big decision, and we wanted to make sure that you and your families had all the information you needed so you could register to vote and decide about who to vote for.

We even launched a URSPACE General Election special!

We also used to this time to highlight how important the rights and voices of children and young people are, and that any future politician must listen to you.

We also supported a campaign by our Partners the Poverty Alliance. This campaign was about making sure that people who usually find it difficult to vote, can vote.

Open Letter As part of our Transforming Lives campaign, we wrote an open letter to Scottish Ministers of Parliament who were successful during the election.

In the letter we told them how important it is that they amplify your voices in the UK Parliament when making decisions and talking about things that matter to you.

We also invited them to visit includem and speak to you about what matters.

We also wrote to the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the new Home Affairs Secretary and Ian Murray, the new Secretary of State for Scotland.

You can read our Open Letter on the includem website - visit inlcudem.org/news.

You can look back at what we did as part of our campaign by searching our #vttl If you are over 18 years old - did you and your family vote?

If not, what stopped you from voting? Click on the image below to let us know!

Hello Dundee!

In July, a few members of our Youth Advisory Working Group met in Dundee to get to know each other more.

Click me!

The group enjoyed a trip to a Titanic themed escape room and finished the day having a discussion about the Youth Advisory Group over lunch.

The group are looking for more members and you can find out more on the next page!

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The Promise: Plan 24-30 Do you know about the Promise?

On 5th February 2020, Scotland made a promise that all children would grow up loved, safe, and respected.

“The Promise” came about because of the Care Review in Scotland. This was a big project where lots of people came together to look at how children and young people are cared for, especially those who can't live with their own families. The idea was to understand what was working well and what needed to be better for these children.

The Care Review talked to thousands of children, young people, parents, and workers who support children and young people. They listened to their stories and experiences to really understand what life was like for children who needed care.

The Care Review found that some things in the care system were not as good as they should be.

For example, children sometimes felt like they weren't being listened to, or they didn't always get the love and support they needed. The Review said that this needed to change. The Review gave ideas of what needs to change to make things better and The Promise is the plan that says how and when things need to happen.

The people who are in charge of finding out if the Promise is being kept, and what still needs to happen, have written a new plan that tells us what needs to happen between now and 2030.

To help this, the Promise covers 5 main areas (foundations).

If the Promise is kept by 2030: Care – the structures of the 'care system' care and work, and children, young people, and families experiences it as positive and supportive Voice – the voice of children, young people and families will always be heard, and no decision will be taken about lives without clear evidence of how views shaped the decision.

Family – care experienced children and adults will be people first and foremost and will not have to be defined by their care experience in every service and support they have.

Scaffolding - care experienced children and adults will be people first and foremost and will not have to be defined by their care experience in every service and support they have.

People - people who work with children and young people will have the skills and support they need to do their jobs well and be able to build relationships and make decisions based on listening and kindness and understanding.

Do you have questions about the Promise? Want to know more about what it means for you? Get in touch with us!

Transforming Lives an includem campaign Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP Visit In June we met with Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP. Pam is a Glasgow MSP and she is also the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Skills and Education.

We wanted to tell Pam what children and young people tell us about school.

Some of the things children and young people have told us about school: It’s difficult when school doesn’t understand what’s going on at home Sometimes you don’t feel listened to or respected at school School can be overwhelming We told Pam that children and young people need more support to build their confidence, learn about their emotions, and have the right environment to learn.

We would love to hear from you!

Tell us what is good about school. Tell us what is not good about school.

Collettee Stevenson MSP Visit In July, we welcomed Collettee Stevenson MSP to our National Office in Glasgow. Collettee is the MSP for East Kilbride and also the Chair of the Social Justice Committee in the Scottish Parliament.

We spoke to Collettee about the work we do to support you in East Kilbride and across Scotland - particularly about our work in youth justice and restorative justice.

We also spoke about some of the work we are doing to amplify your voice on issues like education and access to mental health support.

It’s great to have Collettee’s support as a friend of includem and we are looking forward to meeting other MSPs to amplify your voice in the coming months.

Dear, First Minister As part of Transforming Lives, we wrote to Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney and asked him what he will do to about children living in poverty in Scotland. This is what he said:

Dear includem, Ending child poverty in Scotland is my top priority as First Minister. I know this won’t be easy, but I strongly believe that every child deserves a fair start to life.

My government has already done a lot to help families. We’ve given more money through support like our Scottish Child Payment, so parents can buy what they need.

Across Scotland children and young people can travel for free on our buses until they turn 22. And we’ve delivered thousands of warm, safe homes for families to live in.

We continue to support children and young people to do their best at school. This includes delivering a free school meal for every child in primary 1 to 5, so they’re not hungry in class, and making it so nobody needs to pay to pay to take part in practical classes like home economics.

But we know we need to do more.

My government is committed to working with everyone, including businesses, charities, and local councils, to make the change needed. Importantly, we’re also committed to listening to children and young people, like you, to make sure we’re doing what you need us to.

I want Scotland to be the best place in the world to grow up, and for every child and young person to have good health, safety, education, and opportunity.

I will do everything I can to deliver that future, and to help every child in Scotland to live a life free from poverty.

Best

John Swinney MSP First Minister Scottish Government Do you have something you want the First Minister to pay attention to? Is there something you think he needs to know about what life is like for children and young people? Let us know.

Did You Know The Education (Scotland) Bill Did you know that the Scottish Parliament is currently looking at a potential new law that could change how education is inspected in Scotland?

The Education (Scotland) Bill would replace the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) with a new body, Qualifications Scotland.

The Bill also sets out the role of a new office, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland.

What does that mean for you? The changes are being made because of recommendations that were made by Professor Ken Muir in 2022.

His report, "Putting Learners at the Centre: Towards a Future Vision for Scottish Education" said: What you learn in school, and how you’re tested on it should work together better.

That Education should no longer be the one to check up on schools. He said someone else should be given that job so all schools across different areas offer a similar quality of education. At the moment, some schools are really good and other are not very good.

That children and young people should have more say in what you learn in school, how you learn it and what qualifications you get.

At the moment the Scottish Parliament is looking at the Bill to make sure it will work when it becomes a law.

To do this, Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) who are part of special committees (like a group) speak to different people, read the bill, look at what other countries do, and find out what the public thinks.

Click Me!

Did You Know Cont’d New Mobile Phones in Schools Guidance Did you know? The Scottish Government has published new guidance on Mobile Phones in schools.

The Scottish Government did some research about relationships and behaviours in school. Mobile phones were spoken about a lot.

Some children and young people are distracted by mobile phones in class.

Mobile phones and social media are being used to bully or harass students .

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, an agreement by lots of countries on what rights children should have, has said that all decisions that are made about children should be made in their best interest. That means decisions about things like mobile phones in schools must be based on what is best for children and young people.

The guidance says that Headteachers should make decisions about mobile phones in their own schools by thinking about how devices should be used, when they should be used, and what for.

Have there been any changes to mobile phone use in your school since you’ve been back?

Let us know and tell us what you think of the change.

Let Us know!

How to Fact Check Fact check (thank you to our friends at Young Scot for sharing this information) If a news story or piece of information doesn’t seem right to you it could be possible its misinformation.

Here are a few things you can check to find out if the information is correct: Does the story make sense? If the story or information seems hard to believe, this could be a sign of misinformation.

Look out for spelling and grammar mistakes. Often, a sign that information is not correct is when it is low quality, with spelling mistakes and grammar issues.

If the source is a social media account, check that it is reliable. Look at what has been posted previously on the account. If they have low followers or the account has been created recently this could be a sign they are not a good source of information.

If you are given a physical document, such as a leaflet, that claims to be factual you can check online to see if the information on it is the same aligns with the organisation’s official information.

Use a Credible Fact-Checking Website All the below mentioned are members of The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN). Click the links below to find out more: The Ferret – All stories are reviewed by experienced journalists before publication and checked by lawyers when required.

FullFact – A registered charity that uses a team of independent fact-checkers and campaigners to find, expose and counter the harm misinformation spreads.

Poynter – Created The International Fact-Checking Network and advocates of factual information in the global fight against misinformation.

Teen Fact-Checking Network on Poynter – A website that debunks misinformation and teaches their audience media literacy skills so they can fact-check on their own.

BBC Reality Check – A source of articles on trending news and how factually correct they are.

Scran Each edition we’ll bring you a new recipe for you to try and make either with your worker, friends or your family. This recipe was given to us by a young person supported by includem.

Once you’ve created your masterpiece - snap a photo and ask your worker to send to the comms team! We’ll feature some of the best pictures in our next edition! Have a recipe to share? Scan the QR code at the bottom to send us your recipe ideas.

Quick And Easy Lentil Soup What You Need

Peel and dice the onion, pepper and cloves of garlic

3 litres of water 6 medium carrots 1 onion 1 red pepper 3 garlic cloves 1/2 bag of baby potatoes 250g of red lentils

Add to the soup pan on a low heat and simmer for 5

finely.

minutes.

Peel and roughly chop the carrots then add them to the pan.

Add the lentils, stock cubes, and the water to the pot.

Chop the potatoes up and add them to the pan.

Bring to boil and then turn the heat to medium, leave the pot simmer for appox 30-40 minutes until the

Serves 4

lentils have softened and the soup has thickened.

55 minutes Prep & Cooking Time

Add salt & pepper to taste.

Serve and enjoy!

Click me!

includem Recommends Movies Paddington (available on Netflix)

Dune Part 2 (available to rent or buy on Prime)

Inside Out 2 (available to rent or buy on Prime)

Gone in Sixty Seconds (available on Disney+)

Grinch (2018) (available on Netflix and Prime)

Books

Boxsets

The Wave Todd Strausser

Blue Lights (available on BBC iPlayer)

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Emily in Paris

Sarah J. Maas

(available on Netflix)

Discord Series

Slow Horses

Terry Pratchard

(available on Apple TV+)

Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Spidey and His Amazing Friends

Becky Albertalli

(available on Disney+)

Centaurworld

The Harry Potter Series

(available on Netflix)

The Lion King (1994) (available on Disney+)

Click me!

JIGSAW JAMS We’re curating a new JIGSAW JAMS playlist for those we support - and our staff - to enjoy. What would you recommend?

Click me!

COMPETITIONS

Competition 1 closes 25th September 2024

Can you help us and in the process bag yourself a prize?

We’ve a number of competitions that you can enter:

We want to know about your experiences at school, good and bad!

Send us: A picture A story A poem Something you have made that tells us about how you feel about school.

We will post these anonymously on our includem Instagram (follow us if you don’t yet).

The post that gets the most likes will win a voucher!

You have until Wednesday 25th September to submit your entry.

Good luck!

It’s nearly the most spookiest night of the year - Halloween!

This year, we’re looking for the most spookiest Halloween picture to use as part of our social media graphics and to be the centrepiece of our internal staff newsletter.

This could be a Halloween drawing or the most spookies pumpkin designs!

All you need to do is send us your drawing or photograph by the 25th October 2024

includem.org