Speak Out Autumn 2017

SpeakOut WHO CARES? SCOTLAND MAGAZINE

AUTUMN 2017

EMBRACING

CHANGE THIS YEAR’S SUMMER CAMP SAW CAMPERS LEND THEIR VOICES TO THE 1000 VOICES CAMPAIGN WITH THE INTENT OF CHANGING THE SCOTTISH CARE SYSTEM FOREVER

P20-27

BUMPER

CAMP ISSUE! 8 PAGES OF SUMMER CAMP!

PLUS!

QUIZ PAGES, SO JUNIOR AND THE RIGHTS TO CARE BOOKLET

t Ou k ea Sp of e su is st te la e th to e m Welco NEWS & EVENTS CONTENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

... e id s in s t’ a h w t u o k c e h C

Welcome to the Autumn 2017 issue of SpeakOut! This is a bumper Camp issue, with 8 whole pages of Summer Camp fun! Woo Hoo! If you went to Camp this year, have a look at our photos and find yourself and your pals, and for those of you who didn’t, read what first time campers have to say about their experience and make sure you apply next year (p20-27)! Fiona Duncan checks in to update you all on where we’re at with the 1000 Voices Campaign and the Care Review (p18). Helen and Ryan tell us what they’ve been up to as the first Who Cares? Scotland’s Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament. Kieran talks Harry Potter and Carly tells about her first day at college. And SO Junior, with the help of Buddy the Bear, keeps in touch with WC?S’s younger members.

You may have noticed a Rights to Care booklet fall out when you opened your copy of SpeakOut. This is a guide to Continuing Care and Aftercare, designed by the Children & Young People’s Commissioner and Who Cares? Scotland, please read it to make sure you understand your rights as a care experienced young person. If you want to speak to someone about your rights, please find the APW for your area on the back page of SpeakOut. Until the next issue, take care!

The Speak Out! Team xxx

Inside this issue 2-3

Welcome Pages

Say Hey to your Editorial team…

4-5

Celebrating You

6

Meet your Development Officer

7

Keeping Up with Carly

8

Meet the (Corporate) Parents

IE KATITOR ED

News & Events...

9

Flying the flag for Fife

10

Your Rights to Care

11

Care Council Update

12

Harvard Summer School Graduates

13

Meeting the Deputy 1st Minister

14

Moray Champions Board

15

SYP Update

16

Fiona Checks In

17

A Postcard from Southeast Asia

Entertainment...

12

We love hearing from you, so please share your poems, stories, pictures, jokes or tell us about something you’ve done. SpeakOut needs you!

So get involved.

SAFFRO

TIA

N

CALLUM

SO Junior...

2

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

20

30-31 SO Junior 32

@whocaresscot

Who Cares? Scotland Community membership@ whocaresscotland.org

LY

CAR

LIE

CHAR

KAREEN

28-29 Harry Potter was a Game Changer 32-33 Quiz Pages

We do!

LAURA

ROS IE

20–27 Summer Camp 2017 30-31 Get Write In Competition Winners

17

WANT TO SEE YOUR NAME IN PRINT?

Lifestyle...

18-19 Regional Roundup

4

NEWS WELCOME & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Want to join next issue’s editorial team?

If you’d like your own copy of SpeakOut posted to you, then make sure you sign up as a Family Member by visiting www.whocaresscotland.org The views expressed by the young people in this magazine are their own and not necessarily those of Who Cares? Scotland.

ie – just get in touch with Kat We’d love to have you, 560 069 16 078 / sscotland.org membership@whocare

JEMMA

Contact Page

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

3

t Ou k ea Sp of e su is st te la e th to e m Welco NEWS & EVENTS CONTENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

... e id s in s t’ a h w t u o k c e h C

Welcome to the Autumn 2017 issue of SpeakOut! This is a bumper Camp issue, with 8 whole pages of Summer Camp fun! Woo Hoo! If you went to Camp this year, have a look at our photos and find yourself and your pals, and for those of you who didn’t, read what first time campers have to say about their experience and make sure you apply next year (p20-27)! Fiona Duncan checks in to update you all on where we’re at with the 1000 Voices Campaign and the Care Review (p18). Helen and Ryan tell us what they’ve been up to as the first Who Cares? Scotland’s Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament. Kieran talks Harry Potter and Carly tells about her first day at college. And SO Junior, with the help of Buddy the Bear, keeps in touch with WC?S’s younger members.

You may have noticed a Rights to Care booklet fall out when you opened your copy of SpeakOut. This is a guide to Continuing Care and Aftercare, designed by the Children & Young People’s Commissioner and Who Cares? Scotland, please read it to make sure you understand your rights as a care experienced young person. If you want to speak to someone about your rights, please find the APW for your area on the back page of SpeakOut. Until the next issue, take care!

The Speak Out! Team xxx

Inside this issue 2-3

Welcome Pages

Say Hey to your Editorial team…

4-5

Celebrating You

6

Meet your Development Officer

7

Keeping Up with Carly

8

Meet the (Corporate) Parents

IE KATITOR ED

News & Events...

9

Flying the flag for Fife

10

Your Rights to Care

11

Care Council Update

12

Harvard Summer School Graduates

13

Meeting the Deputy 1st Minister

14

Moray Champions Board

15

SYP Update

16

Fiona Checks In

17

A Postcard from Southeast Asia

Entertainment...

12

We love hearing from you, so please share your poems, stories, pictures, jokes or tell us about something you’ve done. SpeakOut needs you!

So get involved.

SAFFRO

TIA

N

CALLUM

SO Junior...

2

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

20

30-31 SO Junior 32

@whocaresscot

Who Cares? Scotland Community membership@ whocaresscotland.org

LY

CAR

LIE

CHAR

KAREEN

28-29 Harry Potter was a Game Changer 32-33 Quiz Pages

We do!

LAURA

ROS IE

20–27 Summer Camp 2017 30-31 Get Write In Competition Winners

17

WANT TO SEE YOUR NAME IN PRINT?

Lifestyle...

18-19 Regional Roundup

4

NEWS WELCOME & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Want to join next issue’s editorial team?

If you’d like your own copy of SpeakOut posted to you, then make sure you sign up as a Family Member by visiting www.whocaresscotland.org The views expressed by the young people in this magazine are their own and not necessarily those of Who Cares? Scotland.

ie – just get in touch with Kat We’d love to have you, 560 069 16 078 / sscotland.org membership@whocare

JEMMA

Contact Page

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

3

CelebratingYou! NEWS & EVENTS LIFESTYLE

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Celebrating you is a space for you guys to tell us what you’ve been gett ing up to and to share anything you proud of. We love getting stuff from might be really you, so please send in your poems, stori es, pictures, jokes or tell us about som favourite hobby or a new pet, and we’ll ething you’ve done, your include it in the next issue of SpeakOu t. memberhip@whocares

scotla

nd.org – 5 Oswald Street, Gla sgow, G1 4QR

Falkirk Champions Board Ocean Youth Trust Voyage T

he Falkirk Champions Board have been meeting since January and things have been great but to get to know each other better, we were given the chance to participate in a team building voyage sponsored by Falkirk Council. Everyone that signed up attended prep meetings to get more information on the voyage, and our fortnightly meetings soon became weekly to make sure we were really prepared!

SO THE VOYAGE….

We were anxious as we had never done anything like this before, but we had our briefing with the Skipper and his team who told us exactly what we were going to do, we then spent the rest of the day getting to know the ship and her team before we set off.

Our 4 day voyage took us from Greenock to Rhu, then on to the Isle of Aaron past Holy Isle to Portavadie, then through the Kyles of Bute and back to Greenock. We were taught all about sailing and how to navigate, everybody had their own activity log which helps you to see what you’re doing and asks you to assess your own achievements, the boat staff also put in their comments – and they are honest! You learn the names for parts of the boat, equipment, positions, and of course how to tie knots! A real crash course in sailing!

We were all in charge of making sure the boat ran smoothly. You are split into teams and have to cover shifts to maintain the course of the boat and share all tasks via a rota!

You are soon picked up if you are not pulling your weight as it’s a very small 4

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

environment and there is nowhere to hide. But with everyone working together we had a real ball!

“My confidence grew, I was able to push myself to limits that I didn’t think were possible” – Lisa.

“I gained good pals, confidence and the ability to push myself” - Jack All the Falkirk Champions did really well and we were asked to return and volunteer at any time! A fantastic opportunity, which some are already trying to arrange!

THE BEST PARTS – • The Company • The Laughs • Everyone Thriving • Seeing Scotland in a new way • The showers at Portavadie • The skipper Steve (Dave) • Everything THINGS WE WOULD CHANGE • The snoring ZZZ • Wish it was longer • Better Beds

NEWSLIFESTYLE & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Stephanie’s Poem Let me tell you about this girl A girl with a history And a heart breaking story.

Just a child Innocent and wild She was just seven No one listened No one cared She got older Things got tougher Still getting abuse every day No way to end the pain.

She was scared and alone No hope and no proper home Years passed She spoke up Lost everyone and everything She was beginning to give up Just 14 years old And all on her own With no place to call home She suffered for years But hid all the tears.

Well when she was 15 She found her home The place she belongs The place she now calls home That children’s unit she never knew of The staff that she grew to worship The staff that protected her Made her feel safe And never let her fear.

But a year later things got different The girl changed from a scared wee girl To an angry teenager Gave abuse to the people that cared But despite this she was still scared.

Pushing people away Just not knowing what to say This girl never left her bed She even left school She was so depressed The staff where amazing But she just couldn’t see it.

She Lay in bed day after day In and out of hospital Being detained and sectioned It was never ending.

The cuts, and the pain Nothing took it away

Stephanie, 17

She went through trauma after trauma.

I mean she never had a mother She gave up And stopped fighting Thought no one was there And no one cared Well one day she woke up She got out of bed She was so depressed That she never saw the light But this time was different.

She opened her eyes and saw the world The big bad world wasn’t that bad Well That girl she tried.

She had hope and dreams For the first time in her teens.

The unit was her rock Her lifeline Her hope Well That girl is me I beat my demons.

I went through the system I survived the bad I conquered And I made it.

I fought and I’m winning.

And it’s down to the care system

HI, MY NAME IS LAUREN… l am 20 years old and live in Thurso, Caithness.

l was a looked after young per son in Residential care. l now work as a Youth Trainee with the staff that loo ked after me . l am also involved in a ch arity called Friends of Anne, our aim is to try and raise awareness around the reas on s why young people end up in care an d how it affects them and their future . We also ask people what thet can do as com munity corporate parents to help. We are the only charity for care experienced yo ung people in Caithness.

On the 6th October 2017 we are holding a sponsored sleep out to raise mo ney to give these young people a tradition al family Christmas dinner, along with a present from Santa. We are doing the sponsored sleep out to hopefully raise £2000 , and to raise awareness that care experi enced young people are over represented in homeless, rough sleeping and sofa surfin g populations.

To find out ways to help suppor t us, sponsor us or be involved in our event please visit our Facebook page - Friends of Anne .

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

5

CelebratingYou! NEWS & EVENTS LIFESTYLE

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Celebrating you is a space for you guys to tell us what you’ve been gett ing up to and to share anything you proud of. We love getting stuff from might be really you, so please send in your poems, stori es, pictures, jokes or tell us about som favourite hobby or a new pet, and we’ll ething you’ve done, your include it in the next issue of SpeakOu t. memberhip@whocares

scotla

nd.org – 5 Oswald Street, Gla sgow, G1 4QR

Falkirk Champions Board Ocean Youth Trust Voyage T

he Falkirk Champions Board have been meeting since January and things have been great but to get to know each other better, we were given the chance to participate in a team building voyage sponsored by Falkirk Council. Everyone that signed up attended prep meetings to get more information on the voyage, and our fortnightly meetings soon became weekly to make sure we were really prepared!

SO THE VOYAGE….

We were anxious as we had never done anything like this before, but we had our briefing with the Skipper and his team who told us exactly what we were going to do, we then spent the rest of the day getting to know the ship and her team before we set off.

Our 4 day voyage took us from Greenock to Rhu, then on to the Isle of Aaron past Holy Isle to Portavadie, then through the Kyles of Bute and back to Greenock. We were taught all about sailing and how to navigate, everybody had their own activity log which helps you to see what you’re doing and asks you to assess your own achievements, the boat staff also put in their comments – and they are honest! You learn the names for parts of the boat, equipment, positions, and of course how to tie knots! A real crash course in sailing!

We were all in charge of making sure the boat ran smoothly. You are split into teams and have to cover shifts to maintain the course of the boat and share all tasks via a rota!

You are soon picked up if you are not pulling your weight as it’s a very small 4

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

environment and there is nowhere to hide. But with everyone working together we had a real ball!

“My confidence grew, I was able to push myself to limits that I didn’t think were possible” – Lisa.

“I gained good pals, confidence and the ability to push myself” - Jack All the Falkirk Champions did really well and we were asked to return and volunteer at any time! A fantastic opportunity, which some are already trying to arrange!

THE BEST PARTS – • The Company • The Laughs • Everyone Thriving • Seeing Scotland in a new way • The showers at Portavadie • The skipper Steve (Dave) • Everything THINGS WE WOULD CHANGE • The snoring ZZZ • Wish it was longer • Better Beds

NEWSLIFESTYLE & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Stephanie’s Poem Let me tell you about this girl A girl with a history And a heart breaking story.

Just a child Innocent and wild She was just seven No one listened No one cared She got older Things got tougher Still getting abuse every day No way to end the pain.

She was scared and alone No hope and no proper home Years passed She spoke up Lost everyone and everything She was beginning to give up Just 14 years old And all on her own With no place to call home She suffered for years But hid all the tears.

Well when she was 15 She found her home The place she belongs The place she now calls home That children’s unit she never knew of The staff that she grew to worship The staff that protected her Made her feel safe And never let her fear.

But a year later things got different The girl changed from a scared wee girl To an angry teenager Gave abuse to the people that cared But despite this she was still scared.

Pushing people away Just not knowing what to say This girl never left her bed She even left school She was so depressed The staff where amazing But she just couldn’t see it.

She Lay in bed day after day In and out of hospital Being detained and sectioned It was never ending.

The cuts, and the pain Nothing took it away

Stephanie, 17

She went through trauma after trauma.

I mean she never had a mother She gave up And stopped fighting Thought no one was there And no one cared Well one day she woke up She got out of bed She was so depressed That she never saw the light But this time was different.

She opened her eyes and saw the world The big bad world wasn’t that bad Well That girl she tried.

She had hope and dreams For the first time in her teens.

The unit was her rock Her lifeline Her hope Well That girl is me I beat my demons.

I went through the system I survived the bad I conquered And I made it.

I fought and I’m winning.

And it’s down to the care system

HI, MY NAME IS LAUREN… l am 20 years old and live in Thurso, Caithness.

l was a looked after young per son in Residential care. l now work as a Youth Trainee with the staff that loo ked after me . l am also involved in a ch arity called Friends of Anne, our aim is to try and raise awareness around the reas on s why young people end up in care an d how it affects them and their future . We also ask people what thet can do as com munity corporate parents to help. We are the only charity for care experienced yo ung people in Caithness.

On the 6th October 2017 we are holding a sponsored sleep out to raise mo ney to give these young people a tradition al family Christmas dinner, along with a present from Santa. We are doing the sponsored sleep out to hopefully raise £2000 , and to raise awareness that care experi enced young people are over represented in homeless, rough sleeping and sofa surfin g populations.

To find out ways to help suppor t us, sponsor us or be involved in our event please visit our Facebook page - Friends of Anne .

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

5

NEWS & EVENTS LIFESTYLE

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

MEET YOUR DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Hallo!

I

’m Lesley Prendergast. I recently started in post as Development Officer in Moray. I spent my first six weeks meeting a lot of the key players in Moray - the young people, WC?S colleagues and corporate parents. It’s been an absolute whirlwind but I think I’m finally getting everything straight in my head.

I recently attended a meeting where I actually knew what was going on!

It will have been a relief to all that I reached that point, just before we had our official launch of the Champions Board. The attendance was very good and the event went really well! That is all thanks to my colleagues in Moray and the wider North team who have been laying the ground work for the past eighteen months. I feel very lucky about that (a bit like I’ve gotten away with murder!) and it makes me even

6

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

more determined to build on that and set very high goals for the next three years. The situation in Moray is very positive with the young people putting a colossal amount of work hours in to get the Champions Board to the point it is at. The corporate parents are very much on board and we are in the process of forming working groups to progress certain issues the young people have identified as being priorities for them within the six covenant pillars. Some of this work had already started even before the launch so we used the launch as an opportunity to present the young people with Saltaire certificates both to celebrate their achievements and hard work so far and to also inspire some of the corporate parents who are recent arrivals at the table.

So you can see why I would feel

excited about the post here in Moray and I’m champing at the bit to really get stuck in! Before this job, I was working in Edinburgh with Rock Trust so the leap has been a manageable one work-wise, although I’m still trying to get used to the fact that I live in the Highlands now! Having just moved to Inverness. My colleagues in the North have been fantastic and I’m looking forward to getting to know more of you over the next few years.

Carly

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Keeping up with T

oday was my first day of college. I had a bag full of new stationary and a belly full of butterflies. I had been excited for this day for so long. Seeing this moment as the start of the rest of my life and a chance to finally be filled with knowledge and nonsense. Daydreaming of parties, red bull fuelled nights of study and discovering my own sense of self. But when I finally stepped into the mammoth college building I wasn’t philosophising about who I was or who I could be, I was more worried about navigating the gigantic building and not being late for class.

No one tells you how scary it is going to be. Between the awe and exhilaration of the new and different will be the fear and loneliness of the unfamiliar. I wondered if I was the only person who felt this way. I wondered if anyone would like me, or would my classmates find me weird. Eventually I discovered that I wasn’t the only person worrying about making friends, when a classmate spontaneously asked if I wanted to go for a toastie. I felt so relieved that someone was speaking to me and at the possibility of a new friendship. I’m hopeful that as time passes and I settle in more, making friends will happen naturally and won’t be something I’m so conscious about.

My first lecture was filled with a sea of unfamiliar faces which didn’t help my anxiety. My heart was beating out of my chest as all eyes followed me to my seat at the back of the room. I couldn’t get there quick enough. Our European Law lecturer was a slim man with hair like Elvis, who told us he had a Dutch wife and was completely and utterly against Brexit. His obvious sense of humour helped me settle immediately, although I drew attention to myself once more for chuckling loudly at a daft ‘dad joke’ - Benidorm is not part of the European union.

I had to fight to get my space at college after initially being rejected, but as I looked around the room, I knew I was the same as everyone else and that I belonged here. I

NEWSLIFESTYLE & EVENTS

Carly Telford, Corporate Parenting Ambassador

think I appreciate everything more because of the struggle I endured. I have decided that my sole purpose is to fill my head with knowledge and have a good time. Looking backwards and looking forwards, college is always what I wanted to do and I will make the most of every minute and work as hard as I can. I will appreciate and embrace everything because the bad, scary, anxious, lonely parts of college will teach me how to take advantage of the happy, fun and exciting parts.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

7

NEWS & EVENTS LIFESTYLE

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

MEET YOUR DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Hallo!

I

’m Lesley Prendergast. I recently started in post as Development Officer in Moray. I spent my first six weeks meeting a lot of the key players in Moray - the young people, WC?S colleagues and corporate parents. It’s been an absolute whirlwind but I think I’m finally getting everything straight in my head.

I recently attended a meeting where I actually knew what was going on!

It will have been a relief to all that I reached that point, just before we had our official launch of the Champions Board. The attendance was very good and the event went really well! That is all thanks to my colleagues in Moray and the wider North team who have been laying the ground work for the past eighteen months. I feel very lucky about that (a bit like I’ve gotten away with murder!) and it makes me even

6

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

more determined to build on that and set very high goals for the next three years. The situation in Moray is very positive with the young people putting a colossal amount of work hours in to get the Champions Board to the point it is at. The corporate parents are very much on board and we are in the process of forming working groups to progress certain issues the young people have identified as being priorities for them within the six covenant pillars. Some of this work had already started even before the launch so we used the launch as an opportunity to present the young people with Saltaire certificates both to celebrate their achievements and hard work so far and to also inspire some of the corporate parents who are recent arrivals at the table.

So you can see why I would feel

excited about the post here in Moray and I’m champing at the bit to really get stuck in! Before this job, I was working in Edinburgh with Rock Trust so the leap has been a manageable one work-wise, although I’m still trying to get used to the fact that I live in the Highlands now! Having just moved to Inverness. My colleagues in the North have been fantastic and I’m looking forward to getting to know more of you over the next few years.

Carly

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Keeping up with T

oday was my first day of college. I had a bag full of new stationary and a belly full of butterflies. I had been excited for this day for so long. Seeing this moment as the start of the rest of my life and a chance to finally be filled with knowledge and nonsense. Daydreaming of parties, red bull fuelled nights of study and discovering my own sense of self. But when I finally stepped into the mammoth college building I wasn’t philosophising about who I was or who I could be, I was more worried about navigating the gigantic building and not being late for class.

No one tells you how scary it is going to be. Between the awe and exhilaration of the new and different will be the fear and loneliness of the unfamiliar. I wondered if I was the only person who felt this way. I wondered if anyone would like me, or would my classmates find me weird. Eventually I discovered that I wasn’t the only person worrying about making friends, when a classmate spontaneously asked if I wanted to go for a toastie. I felt so relieved that someone was speaking to me and at the possibility of a new friendship. I’m hopeful that as time passes and I settle in more, making friends will happen naturally and won’t be something I’m so conscious about.

My first lecture was filled with a sea of unfamiliar faces which didn’t help my anxiety. My heart was beating out of my chest as all eyes followed me to my seat at the back of the room. I couldn’t get there quick enough. Our European Law lecturer was a slim man with hair like Elvis, who told us he had a Dutch wife and was completely and utterly against Brexit. His obvious sense of humour helped me settle immediately, although I drew attention to myself once more for chuckling loudly at a daft ‘dad joke’ - Benidorm is not part of the European union.

I had to fight to get my space at college after initially being rejected, but as I looked around the room, I knew I was the same as everyone else and that I belonged here. I

NEWSLIFESTYLE & EVENTS

Carly Telford, Corporate Parenting Ambassador

think I appreciate everything more because of the struggle I endured. I have decided that my sole purpose is to fill my head with knowledge and have a good time. Looking backwards and looking forwards, college is always what I wanted to do and I will make the most of every minute and work as hard as I can. I will appreciate and embrace everything because the bad, scary, anxious, lonely parts of college will teach me how to take advantage of the happy, fun and exciting parts.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

7

Meetthe Parents LIFESTYLE

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

(Corporate)

W

e had some questions for Bruce to find out more about his job and what matters to him.

Bruce Adamson is the Ch ildren and Young People’s Comm issioner in Scotland. As the Child ren and Young People’s Commiss ioner, Bruce protects the rights of everyone under 18 in Sco tland and everyone who has car e experience up to the age of 21. The Commissioner an d his team listen to children an d young people, and help them to understand their rights.

Bruce’s job is also to make sure that the government keep their pro mises to respect your rights. As a corporate parent, Bruce has special duties towards car e experienced young peop le in Scotland.

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Flying the Flag for Fife W

C?S are pleased to welcome Scot Millar as our maternity cover Advocacy and Participation Worker in Fife. Scot has spent the past 2 months meeting young people and staff across Fife so that we can continue to provide a high quality advocacy service across the area.

Scot is 35 years old, married to Laura and has 2 daughters Skye (16) and Emma (2). Scot also has a dog called Nuala,

she is a very stubborn but playful Beagle puppy (9 months old).

Scot’s highlights so far have been attending summer camp where he really felt one of the team, the Fife Council Activity Day at Lochore Meadows and of course meeting all of Fife’s amazing young people.

If you need to contact Scot he is available on 07712 872 096 or at smillar@whocaresscotland.org

1. Why is your job role important to you?

I’m independent, so I can speak fearlessly and make government and councils keep their promises to you on your rights. It’s sounds cheesy but this really is the best job in the world. I’m able to use my skills in law and human rights to make a real difference.

The Queensferry Crossing A

2. What drives you in your role?

Young people are often invisible in adult systems and your views and what’s best for you are still not seen as important. We need to change this.

Recently, at WC?S Summer Camp I got to speak to some of your about your lives and what changes you feel we need to make in Scotland. That drives me on to work hard.

3. What do you hope to help achieve for young people?

I want to change the way those in power think about young people and their rights. Young people don’t have the same economic power or political power as adults. Young people find it harder to use complaints systems and get changes. Rights are already set out in international laws which apply here in Scotland, but I want the Scottish Government to pass an extra law to make it so that the Government, councils, the NHS, the police and others could be taken to Scottish courts if they failed to respect your rights. It would change the way people think about children’s rights.

8

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

4. What’s your Hogwarts house?

Young people have told me a Commissioner needs to be friendly and fair (Hufflepuff), knowledgeable about children’s rights (Ravenclaw), brave in standing up to those in power (Gryffindor)... and that I also need a bit of cunning to get things done (Slytherin). I’m probably naturally a Griffindor, but actually in terms of fantasy worlds my true calling is Rohan from Lord of the Rings. One of my jobs before coming to Scotland was to be an extra in The Two Towers movie – fighting Urak-Hai at Helm’s Deep. It was good practice for my current role.

5. If you could change one thing about the system right now what would it be?

The system needs more love. It is a right to grow up in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding.

For some children and young people in care, that’s missing. Workers should be given the time to build up good relationships with you and be not afraid to care. It is also upsetting when families are split up and we need to make sure that brothers and sisters can stay in touch with each other properly. For me, it always comes back to love.

Who Cares? Scotland at the Edinburgh’s Police Box Festival 2017!

ll eyes were on Fife as they revealed their brand new bridge, The Queensferry Crossing. Who cares about a bridge though? Well, Who Cares? Scotland cares!

The Queensferry Crossing isn’t just any bridge, it’s a record breaking bridge that is 1.7 miles long. That means it is one of the longest bridges of its kind in the world! It’s so tall you would need 48 double decker buses stacked on top of each other to reach the top, making it one of the tallest bridges in Britain. As you can probably guess, it wasn’t easy to build. It took workers from all over the world over 10 MILLION hours to build it.

The first weekend in September saw 50,000 lucky people, who had won tickets, take part in a once in a lifetime opportunity to walk across it before it was opened for traffic. Sadly, the bridge is now only open for vehicles. Thankfully, Who Cares? Scotland managed to get our hands on 10 tickets! All eyes were on our snazzy Who Cares? Scotland t-shirts as 10 of our members crossed the bridge on Sunday 3rd September.

Scot, Kenny, Jordan, Alicia, Bob, Jeanette, Daniel, Leanne, Tamila and Helen sang, danced and walked their way across the bridge. It’s safe to say, we made our mark on the Queensferry Crossing. A big congratulations and thank you to everyone who took part.

O

n 26th & 27th August, Bob, Helen and Jeanette, who all attend the 2bHeard group, were proudly representing Who Cares?

Scotland at the Edinburgh’s Police Box Festival. This free family friendly event, featuring 9 blue ex-police boxes across Edinburgh, was supported by our Corporate Parents at SQA and offered a variety of activities from costume making to laser sculpturing.

Who Cares? Scotland Big up for your support were given the exciting and passion for Who Cares? opportunity to run its very Scotland! own police box to raise “I really enjoyed speaking awareness and funds for to people and telling them Scottish care experienced about the work Who Cares? children and young people.

Scotland do. We also helped In only 2 days, the members raise money by selling the of the Fife 2bHeard group Care Family tartan scarfs.” raised an amazing £249. says Jeanette, 20.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

9

Meetthe Parents LIFESTYLE

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

(Corporate)

W

e had some questions for Bruce to find out more about his job and what matters to him.

Bruce Adamson is the Ch ildren and Young People’s Comm issioner in Scotland. As the Child ren and Young People’s Commiss ioner, Bruce protects the rights of everyone under 18 in Sco tland and everyone who has car e experience up to the age of 21. The Commissioner an d his team listen to children an d young people, and help them to understand their rights.

Bruce’s job is also to make sure that the government keep their pro mises to respect your rights. As a corporate parent, Bruce has special duties towards car e experienced young peop le in Scotland.

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Flying the Flag for Fife W

C?S are pleased to welcome Scot Millar as our maternity cover Advocacy and Participation Worker in Fife. Scot has spent the past 2 months meeting young people and staff across Fife so that we can continue to provide a high quality advocacy service across the area.

Scot is 35 years old, married to Laura and has 2 daughters Skye (16) and Emma (2). Scot also has a dog called Nuala,

she is a very stubborn but playful Beagle puppy (9 months old).

Scot’s highlights so far have been attending summer camp where he really felt one of the team, the Fife Council Activity Day at Lochore Meadows and of course meeting all of Fife’s amazing young people.

If you need to contact Scot he is available on 07712 872 096 or at smillar@whocaresscotland.org

1. Why is your job role important to you?

I’m independent, so I can speak fearlessly and make government and councils keep their promises to you on your rights. It’s sounds cheesy but this really is the best job in the world. I’m able to use my skills in law and human rights to make a real difference.

The Queensferry Crossing A

2. What drives you in your role?

Young people are often invisible in adult systems and your views and what’s best for you are still not seen as important. We need to change this.

Recently, at WC?S Summer Camp I got to speak to some of your about your lives and what changes you feel we need to make in Scotland. That drives me on to work hard.

3. What do you hope to help achieve for young people?

I want to change the way those in power think about young people and their rights. Young people don’t have the same economic power or political power as adults. Young people find it harder to use complaints systems and get changes. Rights are already set out in international laws which apply here in Scotland, but I want the Scottish Government to pass an extra law to make it so that the Government, councils, the NHS, the police and others could be taken to Scottish courts if they failed to respect your rights. It would change the way people think about children’s rights.

8

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

4. What’s your Hogwarts house?

Young people have told me a Commissioner needs to be friendly and fair (Hufflepuff), knowledgeable about children’s rights (Ravenclaw), brave in standing up to those in power (Gryffindor)... and that I also need a bit of cunning to get things done (Slytherin). I’m probably naturally a Griffindor, but actually in terms of fantasy worlds my true calling is Rohan from Lord of the Rings. One of my jobs before coming to Scotland was to be an extra in The Two Towers movie – fighting Urak-Hai at Helm’s Deep. It was good practice for my current role.

5. If you could change one thing about the system right now what would it be?

The system needs more love. It is a right to grow up in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding.

For some children and young people in care, that’s missing. Workers should be given the time to build up good relationships with you and be not afraid to care. It is also upsetting when families are split up and we need to make sure that brothers and sisters can stay in touch with each other properly. For me, it always comes back to love.

Who Cares? Scotland at the Edinburgh’s Police Box Festival 2017!

ll eyes were on Fife as they revealed their brand new bridge, The Queensferry Crossing. Who cares about a bridge though? Well, Who Cares? Scotland cares!

The Queensferry Crossing isn’t just any bridge, it’s a record breaking bridge that is 1.7 miles long. That means it is one of the longest bridges of its kind in the world! It’s so tall you would need 48 double decker buses stacked on top of each other to reach the top, making it one of the tallest bridges in Britain. As you can probably guess, it wasn’t easy to build. It took workers from all over the world over 10 MILLION hours to build it.

The first weekend in September saw 50,000 lucky people, who had won tickets, take part in a once in a lifetime opportunity to walk across it before it was opened for traffic. Sadly, the bridge is now only open for vehicles. Thankfully, Who Cares? Scotland managed to get our hands on 10 tickets! All eyes were on our snazzy Who Cares? Scotland t-shirts as 10 of our members crossed the bridge on Sunday 3rd September.

Scot, Kenny, Jordan, Alicia, Bob, Jeanette, Daniel, Leanne, Tamila and Helen sang, danced and walked their way across the bridge. It’s safe to say, we made our mark on the Queensferry Crossing. A big congratulations and thank you to everyone who took part.

O

n 26th & 27th August, Bob, Helen and Jeanette, who all attend the 2bHeard group, were proudly representing Who Cares?

Scotland at the Edinburgh’s Police Box Festival. This free family friendly event, featuring 9 blue ex-police boxes across Edinburgh, was supported by our Corporate Parents at SQA and offered a variety of activities from costume making to laser sculpturing.

Who Cares? Scotland Big up for your support were given the exciting and passion for Who Cares? opportunity to run its very Scotland! own police box to raise “I really enjoyed speaking awareness and funds for to people and telling them Scottish care experienced about the work Who Cares? children and young people.

Scotland do. We also helped In only 2 days, the members raise money by selling the of the Fife 2bHeard group Care Family tartan scarfs.” raised an amazing £249. says Jeanette, 20.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

9

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

YOUR

RIGHTS TO CARE

I

n this issue of SpeakOut we are giving every reader a Rights to Care: A guide to Continuing Care and Aftercare booklet. This booklet includes the most up to date information on young people’s rights to Continuing Care and After Care.

In 2014 the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act came into place and brought with it changes to the law around Continuing Care and After Care for looked after young people. However, 2 years on, there was still been a lot of confusion around exactly what care experienced young people have a right to and how you can access this information.

So, at the start of the year, the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland and Who Cares?

Scotland worked together to develop this booklet and a series of videos to help you guys understand your rights to care. In order to make these resources we consulted with 80 care experienced young people to make sure these resources were really going to something that young people would use.

Why should I use this booklet?

The Booklet explains simply and clearly the changes in the law, read it for a general understanding of what you could be entitled to.

But make sure you use the handy flow chart poster at the back of the booklet which asks you questions so you can work out exactly what you, as an individual, are entitled to, depending on your care experience and current situation.

For more information please visit the Children & Young People’s Commissioner Scotland website www.cypcs.org.uk/rights/your-rights-to-care This page has useful information on it relating being in care and 2 videos which include care experienced individuals Darren and Helen, who explain the terms Continuing Care and Aftercare and talk about their own experience of exercising their rights.

Care Council Update NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Meet Your First Aberdeen Care Council Representative!

Jasmine Urquhart, 21

Who am I and what makes me the best representative from Aberdeen?

Hi! I am Jasmine I’m 21 and from Aberdeen. I am a care experienced with lots of experience on a personal and professional level. I am currently a Children’s Rights Development Assistant in Aberdeen and a voice for young people at Champions Boards, conferences and meetings. I am passionate and dedicated to making sure that young people’s voices are heard!

Why did I apply?

I wanted to take the opportunity to be a part of the Care Council because I want to raise awareness and knowledge to those who don’t know about the care system. Not only do I want to be a part of making a change to Aberdeen’s care system I would also relish the opportunity to do this on a national level for Scotland.

The one thing I would change about the care system is…

I would love to change so much but my main change would be removing the stigma for care experienced young people by creating awareness on a national level! Every young person has the right to be heard and we will make that happen!

For anythin g Care Coun cil related

10

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

ct Please conta / am h Euan Gra l ci n u Care Co Co-ordinator 0 5 2 7 4 077934

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

11

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

YOUR

RIGHTS TO CARE

I

n this issue of SpeakOut we are giving every reader a Rights to Care: A guide to Continuing Care and Aftercare booklet. This booklet includes the most up to date information on young people’s rights to Continuing Care and After Care.

In 2014 the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act came into place and brought with it changes to the law around Continuing Care and After Care for looked after young people. However, 2 years on, there was still been a lot of confusion around exactly what care experienced young people have a right to and how you can access this information.

So, at the start of the year, the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland and Who Cares?

Scotland worked together to develop this booklet and a series of videos to help you guys understand your rights to care. In order to make these resources we consulted with 80 care experienced young people to make sure these resources were really going to something that young people would use.

Why should I use this booklet?

The Booklet explains simply and clearly the changes in the law, read it for a general understanding of what you could be entitled to.

But make sure you use the handy flow chart poster at the back of the booklet which asks you questions so you can work out exactly what you, as an individual, are entitled to, depending on your care experience and current situation.

For more information please visit the Children & Young People’s Commissioner Scotland website www.cypcs.org.uk/rights/your-rights-to-care This page has useful information on it relating being in care and 2 videos which include care experienced individuals Darren and Helen, who explain the terms Continuing Care and Aftercare and talk about their own experience of exercising their rights.

Care Council Update NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Meet Your First Aberdeen Care Council Representative!

Jasmine Urquhart, 21

Who am I and what makes me the best representative from Aberdeen?

Hi! I am Jasmine I’m 21 and from Aberdeen. I am a care experienced with lots of experience on a personal and professional level. I am currently a Children’s Rights Development Assistant in Aberdeen and a voice for young people at Champions Boards, conferences and meetings. I am passionate and dedicated to making sure that young people’s voices are heard!

Why did I apply?

I wanted to take the opportunity to be a part of the Care Council because I want to raise awareness and knowledge to those who don’t know about the care system. Not only do I want to be a part of making a change to Aberdeen’s care system I would also relish the opportunity to do this on a national level for Scotland.

The one thing I would change about the care system is…

I would love to change so much but my main change would be removing the stigma for care experienced young people by creating awareness on a national level! Every young person has the right to be heard and we will make that happen!

For anythin g Care Coun cil related

10

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

ct Please conta / am h Euan Gra l ci n u Care Co Co-ordinator 0 5 2 7 4 077934

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

11

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

NEWS & EVENTS

Meeting the Deputy First Minister Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Sophie, 16

Harvard Summer School Graduates H

arvard University is the oldest university in America and is regarded as one of the most prestigious in the world. It has educated famous figures such as Bill Gates and Michelle and Barack Obama. Now Rashida and Elina, who SpeakOut previously interviewed, can count themselves as summer school graduates from Harvard after spending seven weeks studying there.

Rashida and Elina became aware of the opportunity of a lifetime through their social workers, who encouraged them to apply to the Who Cares? Scotland Harvard Summer School scholarship. As part of the application process, the girls had to write a personal statement about why they would like to study at Harvard and how they would make the most out of the opportunity. Then they had to impress the Who Cares? Scotland interviewers, and satisfy the Harvard selectors. Rashida said she would encourage other care experienced young people who have high educational ambitions to apply for the scholarship.

After an emotional goodbye at the airport with their foster families, Elina and Rashida were on their way to Boston! At Harvard, they shared dorms with other students, and made 12

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

friends from all over the world. Elina stated that “it was amazing to share stories with people from very different backgrounds and origins, learning about different ways of life”. Both have exciting holiday opportunities awaiting them in the future!

At Harvard, students are expected to live independently, take responsibility for attending classes and handing in coursework on time. Both girls were surprised by the workload and pace of their classes, with up to three essays due each week. However, they both managed to pass with flying colours and Rashida said that the “blood, sweat and tears were all worth it in the end”.

Alongside their studies, the girls managed to get out and about and explore Boston. Elina went on a whale watching trip and managed to see 5 whales. They also experienced the 4th of July American style, Rashida noted that “Hogmanay has nothing on the 4th of July…. Sorry Scotland!”.

Both Rashida and Elina felt that they learned a lot about themselves. They felt that the experience had given them more confidence and belief that they can make friends from a variety of backgrounds, and live independently.

Back home in Scotland, Elina and Rashida both have bright futures ahead

of them. Elina is heading to Glasgow School of Art to study Architecture and Rashida is going to the University of Glasgow to study English and French. Both are keen to break down the stigma of low expectations of children in care and believe that care experienced young people can achieve as much as anyone else.

W

hen I was invited to the SQA exam results celebration by my WC?S worker, I was worried I would have to open my results in front of people and it would be really awkward, but I was reassured that it would be good fun so I agreed to go along.

Rosie from WC?S got in touch with me a week before to ask if I would speak to John Swinney. I didn’t know who John Swinney was but I agreed and when I met with Rosie in advance to talk about what I was going to say, she told me he was the Deputy First Minister. I couldn’t believe it! On the morning of results day my results were sent to my Mum’s house so I wasn’t able to collect them before heading to the SQA event, so I arrived not knowing what I had got. On the way to the Hilton, where the event was being held, I got to speak to Bruce Adamson, the Children and Young People’s Commissioner, he helped me prepare.

When we arrived at the Hilton, there were loads of people with cameras but I was quite happy because there were lots of people from summer camp that I recognised and it was great to see everyone again.

out was the chairman of SQA, I told him I was really nervous and he said not to worry, that qualifications aren’t everything and what’s more important is how you present yourself and if you’re a good person. He was really down to earth and made me feel at ease. They called everyone’s name to go up on stage to get bag of goodies and a framed copy of our results. I still hadn’t got my results by this point so I was terrified but when I glanced down at the frame and saw that I had got an A in English and a B in History,

not experienced, If you are care ween niversity, bet currently at U the -21 and like the age of 16 mmer ding your su sound of spen an niversity, keep at Harvard U s e application eye out on th . er b m Nove launching in I spoke to a guy who I later found

I screamed ‘I got an A!’ and everyone was clapping and cheering and I was shaking and hugging everyone, I was so happy.

After the celebration was over and I calmed down, I went in to speak to John Swinney. I was the first to speak and he congratulated me on my results. Bruce interviewed me and asked me a series of questions about my experience of education, what inspired me and what steps I had taken to get to where I was. John listened to my answers and I got to ask him questions and tell him what I want him to do for care experienced young people in education. I told him that I got a lot of support because I was care experienced and it really helped me but I know that there are lots of young people out there who don’t get that level of support. I want all young people who are struggling to get the same level of support. Teachers should be really aware and look out for those that need that extra help.

It was a really special day, especially because it was my first ever results day! It was great to share it with friends who gave me so much love and encouragement.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

13

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

NEWS & EVENTS

Meeting the Deputy First Minister Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Sophie, 16

Harvard Summer School Graduates H

arvard University is the oldest university in America and is regarded as one of the most prestigious in the world. It has educated famous figures such as Bill Gates and Michelle and Barack Obama. Now Rashida and Elina, who SpeakOut previously interviewed, can count themselves as summer school graduates from Harvard after spending seven weeks studying there.

Rashida and Elina became aware of the opportunity of a lifetime through their social workers, who encouraged them to apply to the Who Cares? Scotland Harvard Summer School scholarship. As part of the application process, the girls had to write a personal statement about why they would like to study at Harvard and how they would make the most out of the opportunity. Then they had to impress the Who Cares? Scotland interviewers, and satisfy the Harvard selectors. Rashida said she would encourage other care experienced young people who have high educational ambitions to apply for the scholarship.

After an emotional goodbye at the airport with their foster families, Elina and Rashida were on their way to Boston! At Harvard, they shared dorms with other students, and made 12

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

friends from all over the world. Elina stated that “it was amazing to share stories with people from very different backgrounds and origins, learning about different ways of life”. Both have exciting holiday opportunities awaiting them in the future!

At Harvard, students are expected to live independently, take responsibility for attending classes and handing in coursework on time. Both girls were surprised by the workload and pace of their classes, with up to three essays due each week. However, they both managed to pass with flying colours and Rashida said that the “blood, sweat and tears were all worth it in the end”.

Alongside their studies, the girls managed to get out and about and explore Boston. Elina went on a whale watching trip and managed to see 5 whales. They also experienced the 4th of July American style, Rashida noted that “Hogmanay has nothing on the 4th of July…. Sorry Scotland!”.

Both Rashida and Elina felt that they learned a lot about themselves. They felt that the experience had given them more confidence and belief that they can make friends from a variety of backgrounds, and live independently.

Back home in Scotland, Elina and Rashida both have bright futures ahead

of them. Elina is heading to Glasgow School of Art to study Architecture and Rashida is going to the University of Glasgow to study English and French. Both are keen to break down the stigma of low expectations of children in care and believe that care experienced young people can achieve as much as anyone else.

W

hen I was invited to the SQA exam results celebration by my WC?S worker, I was worried I would have to open my results in front of people and it would be really awkward, but I was reassured that it would be good fun so I agreed to go along.

Rosie from WC?S got in touch with me a week before to ask if I would speak to John Swinney. I didn’t know who John Swinney was but I agreed and when I met with Rosie in advance to talk about what I was going to say, she told me he was the Deputy First Minister. I couldn’t believe it! On the morning of results day my results were sent to my Mum’s house so I wasn’t able to collect them before heading to the SQA event, so I arrived not knowing what I had got. On the way to the Hilton, where the event was being held, I got to speak to Bruce Adamson, the Children and Young People’s Commissioner, he helped me prepare.

When we arrived at the Hilton, there were loads of people with cameras but I was quite happy because there were lots of people from summer camp that I recognised and it was great to see everyone again.

out was the chairman of SQA, I told him I was really nervous and he said not to worry, that qualifications aren’t everything and what’s more important is how you present yourself and if you’re a good person. He was really down to earth and made me feel at ease. They called everyone’s name to go up on stage to get bag of goodies and a framed copy of our results. I still hadn’t got my results by this point so I was terrified but when I glanced down at the frame and saw that I had got an A in English and a B in History,

not experienced, If you are care ween niversity, bet currently at U the -21 and like the age of 16 mmer ding your su sound of spen an niversity, keep at Harvard U s e application eye out on th . er b m Nove launching in I spoke to a guy who I later found

I screamed ‘I got an A!’ and everyone was clapping and cheering and I was shaking and hugging everyone, I was so happy.

After the celebration was over and I calmed down, I went in to speak to John Swinney. I was the first to speak and he congratulated me on my results. Bruce interviewed me and asked me a series of questions about my experience of education, what inspired me and what steps I had taken to get to where I was. John listened to my answers and I got to ask him questions and tell him what I want him to do for care experienced young people in education. I told him that I got a lot of support because I was care experienced and it really helped me but I know that there are lots of young people out there who don’t get that level of support. I want all young people who are struggling to get the same level of support. Teachers should be really aware and look out for those that need that extra help.

It was a really special day, especially because it was my first ever results day! It was great to share it with friends who gave me so much love and encouragement.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

13

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

The Launch of the Moray Champions Board Bev McKeown , Partic ipation Assistant

T

he 7th of June 2017 will be a date remembered by most of Morays young people and corporate parents.

You may ask why though? Well let me tell you. After a year and a half of hard emotional mental and physical work, the guys in Moray launched their first champions board.

The work to get this champions board up and running started in February 2016. Where I spoke up and shared my journey for the very first time, at a corporate parent’s level 3 event. This was in front of 400+ plus corporate parents and from that moment it was all go.

From there, some groups were set up, including a health sub group. Moray is now in the process of getting a flagging system with in the NHS. This will alert that a young person is looked after and help them be prioritised for support.

Kia and Jodie met with Moray’s Director of Education and Social care, Laurence Findlay, who agreed to the training of head teachers around Moray so that there is a better understanding of what care schools.

Keiron met with Amy Cruickshank from employment to discuss a way forward with the family firm.

As well as induvial meetings with corporate parents the focus group have met at two residential gatherings where they discussed how they would like the champions board to run. The young people have looked at the different pillars within the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant and mapped them out in such a way that they can start working with the appropriate lead professionals.

14

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

SCOTTISH YOUTH PARLIAMENT UPDATE Helen Johnston and Ryan McShane

O

Some of the corporate parents, Lesley and Gavin and even parents, grandparents and foster carers, who attended the Moray Champions Board, to listen to the young people of Moray.

This was just some of the work that went into preparing for the official launch of the champions board. I am sure the young people involved will agree that it took a lot of hard work. On the day of the launch itself, Laurence and I co-chaired the formal opening.

We then went on to an ice breaker where Amber with a little help from Gavin explained how to play human

bingo.

All the young people involved with the champions board got up in front of everyone and said a bit on the different pillars.

To think that a year and half ago the young people wouldn’t speak in front of the group never mind speak in front of all of their corporate parents. Well done everyone, we are all so proud of you.

n Saturday, the 24th and Sunday the 25th of June we attended our first ever SYP sitting. This wasn’t just a first for us, but it was also the very first time Who Cares? Scotland has been represented in the Scottish Youth Parliament. This for us came as such a joy as it meant that the care experienced voice is now being heard on a much higher platform, with the potential to influence real lasting change within government. Walking into the weekend we both felt rather nervous but extremely proud to be representing the voice of care experienced young people across Scotland.

The weekend began with an introductory speech from the Scottish Youth Parliament’s former chair, Terri Smith, who kindly reflected on her experience as both an MSYP and chair of the SYP. This was followed by a deeply moving and eye-opening talk from a lady at Refuweegee about the power of connection. What followed was all MSYPs participating in a series of workshops designed to help us represent the voices of young people in Scotland in the best way we can, such as workshops on public speaking and including young people in discussions. During the weekend, we also got to do a lot of voting. Such

as voting in the new chair and vice chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament; Amy Lee Fraioli and Suki Wan respectively. The weekend gave us a fantastic opportunity to get to know and interact with the other MSYPs, learning from each other’s experiences and even coming together on the Saturday evening to celebrate our new roles within the Youth Parliament with a Ceilidh.

On the run up to the sitting we asked you to tell us what you wanted the new national campaign in the Scottish Youth Parliament to be and because of this we voted, on your

behalf, for the popular option of Young People’s Rights! Which we are pleased to say won out and is now the new National campaign. A campaign in which we cannot wait to engage you all in within the coming year.

If you would like to speak to your MSYPs about anything you feel passionately about then please feel free to contact either of us on twitter @Helen_MSYP & @ ryanmcshanemsyp or by email at Helen.Johnston.MSYP@sypmail.org.uk & Ryan.Mcshane.MSYP@sypmail.org. uk or contact your Who Cares? Worker to get in touch with us. We would love to hear from you.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

15

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

The Launch of the Moray Champions Board Bev McKeown , Partic ipation Assistant

T

he 7th of June 2017 will be a date remembered by most of Morays young people and corporate parents.

You may ask why though? Well let me tell you. After a year and a half of hard emotional mental and physical work, the guys in Moray launched their first champions board.

The work to get this champions board up and running started in February 2016. Where I spoke up and shared my journey for the very first time, at a corporate parent’s level 3 event. This was in front of 400+ plus corporate parents and from that moment it was all go.

From there, some groups were set up, including a health sub group. Moray is now in the process of getting a flagging system with in the NHS. This will alert that a young person is looked after and help them be prioritised for support.

Kia and Jodie met with Moray’s Director of Education and Social care, Laurence Findlay, who agreed to the training of head teachers around Moray so that there is a better understanding of what care schools.

Keiron met with Amy Cruickshank from employment to discuss a way forward with the family firm.

As well as induvial meetings with corporate parents the focus group have met at two residential gatherings where they discussed how they would like the champions board to run. The young people have looked at the different pillars within the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant and mapped them out in such a way that they can start working with the appropriate lead professionals.

14

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

SCOTTISH YOUTH PARLIAMENT UPDATE Helen Johnston and Ryan McShane

O

Some of the corporate parents, Lesley and Gavin and even parents, grandparents and foster carers, who attended the Moray Champions Board, to listen to the young people of Moray.

This was just some of the work that went into preparing for the official launch of the champions board. I am sure the young people involved will agree that it took a lot of hard work. On the day of the launch itself, Laurence and I co-chaired the formal opening.

We then went on to an ice breaker where Amber with a little help from Gavin explained how to play human

bingo.

All the young people involved with the champions board got up in front of everyone and said a bit on the different pillars.

To think that a year and half ago the young people wouldn’t speak in front of the group never mind speak in front of all of their corporate parents. Well done everyone, we are all so proud of you.

n Saturday, the 24th and Sunday the 25th of June we attended our first ever SYP sitting. This wasn’t just a first for us, but it was also the very first time Who Cares? Scotland has been represented in the Scottish Youth Parliament. This for us came as such a joy as it meant that the care experienced voice is now being heard on a much higher platform, with the potential to influence real lasting change within government. Walking into the weekend we both felt rather nervous but extremely proud to be representing the voice of care experienced young people across Scotland.

The weekend began with an introductory speech from the Scottish Youth Parliament’s former chair, Terri Smith, who kindly reflected on her experience as both an MSYP and chair of the SYP. This was followed by a deeply moving and eye-opening talk from a lady at Refuweegee about the power of connection. What followed was all MSYPs participating in a series of workshops designed to help us represent the voices of young people in Scotland in the best way we can, such as workshops on public speaking and including young people in discussions. During the weekend, we also got to do a lot of voting. Such

as voting in the new chair and vice chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament; Amy Lee Fraioli and Suki Wan respectively. The weekend gave us a fantastic opportunity to get to know and interact with the other MSYPs, learning from each other’s experiences and even coming together on the Saturday evening to celebrate our new roles within the Youth Parliament with a Ceilidh.

On the run up to the sitting we asked you to tell us what you wanted the new national campaign in the Scottish Youth Parliament to be and because of this we voted, on your

behalf, for the popular option of Young People’s Rights! Which we are pleased to say won out and is now the new National campaign. A campaign in which we cannot wait to engage you all in within the coming year.

If you would like to speak to your MSYPs about anything you feel passionately about then please feel free to contact either of us on twitter @Helen_MSYP & @ ryanmcshanemsyp or by email at Helen.Johnston.MSYP@sypmail.org.uk & Ryan.Mcshane.MSYP@sypmail.org. uk or contact your Who Cares? Worker to get in touch with us. We would love to hear from you.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

15

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Fiona Checks In Dear Reader,

S

ince the Independent Care Review started, I’ve have had the huge privilege of meeting lots of children and young people, like you, who’ve been sharing their thoughts with me. They have told me what parts of the care system work for them, as well as what doesn’t, what must change or stop.

They’ve told me what makes them happy, who they like and trust, what makes them sad and what annoys them or makes them angry.

The Review will last two years and has four stages. It is in the second ‘discovery’ stage just now and it’s looking at two big questions. The first is what people think the best care system in Scotland looks like, and we’ll use these answers to help us create a collective vision for the Review. The second is, what do you think a root and branch review of the care system should include? So for example, what things do you think we should be looking at in this Review?

Figuring out the answers to these questions will not be easy and it will take time. But it’s really important.

This is the Review that care If there is anything in experienced young people asked for so it will be delivered with their voice particular you want me to write about, please just email at its heart, throughout each stage.

Already, we’ve heard from hundreds fiona@carereview.scot or tweet me @fionacarereview and I will of children and young people include it. but that is not enough. The First I plan to meet as many children and Minister pledged to listen to 1000 young people who want to talk to me, care experienced young people, and so I can hear your hopes and ideas the Review has asked Who Cares? about how Scotland can be the best Scotland to continue supporting the place in the world for you to grow up 1000 Voices to make that happen. in.

And I will continue to take part in Who Cares? Scotland is working the occasional assault course… closely as part of the Review By telling us what you think, to ensure that there are many you can feel confident that care opportunities provided to speak to experienced children and young the Review. They have been great people (and some older people too) supporters of the Review, including are shaping all of the Review.

Please us in the summer camp in July and get involved https://www.carereview. helping us to work out how best to scot/get-involved/ - and be #1of1000 listen to 1,000 voices. voices that will change care.

I immediately said yes when Who Thank you, Cares? Scotland asked me to write an article for each edition of SpeakOut, so every quarter I will give you an update on the progress of the Review.

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

t as e h Sout from

Asia

when he ome of you may remember Brad from an Alumni now d, tlan Sco s? worked for Who Care enture adv new his ut abo Member, here he tells us in Southeast Asia.

S

Hey Folks,

Brad here again. For those of you that read the first article I had in SpeakOut a few months ago, this is essentially the follow up to let you all know – if you’re interested – what I’ve been getting up to more recently.

For those of you that didn’t see the last article, in essence I’m a former employee of WC?S and a member of the care experienced community. The best community if you ask me. Life in Cambodia continues to amaze, humble and enlighten me. I continue to work with Bamboo, the greatest travel company in the world and one that goes above and beyond what responsible tourism is all about. Bamboo champions give-backpacking in the same way that each of your advocates champion you. Mary “Mary Doll” Bateman was the beacon of light in an otherwise world of darkness for

me, and for a long time. It’s important to remember that the strongest person in each of your lives is yourself: you are all the ones that got through your care journey and are doing amazing things with your lives. Regardless of how daunting obtaining your dream can be, remember each and every single one of you are holding that fire and tenacity within yourselves to achieve it. Three words that will never leave me is the saying ‘never give up!’ It won’t always be easy, falling down again and again is just a part of the process of succeeding.

So again, it won’t always be easy,

but it will absolutely always be worth it. I started out here as an intern of the sales team. As of last month the Fat Pandas (company directors) promoted me to role of the Bamboo copywriter.

I’m now in a full time contract, and in a unique role within the company. I am supported fully by my line manager and department director. My life suddenly feels fulfilled and with purposeful. I went from years of anti-depressant medication, anxiety attacks and suicidal episodes and attempts, to now living in Southeast Asia, traveling all over this beautiful part of the world and getting paid to do what I love – write. I’m rapidly establishing not only a brand new life out here, but a future full of promise. Having now been out here for some time I’m developing further dreams and aspirations like filmmaking, writing and community work. I want every single one of you to be able to have the same opportunities I’ve had. You’re all heroes, legends and super strong young folk.

Keep on keepin’ on.

Until next time, peace x

Brad Halliday, 24

Fiona

16

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

17

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Fiona Checks In Dear Reader,

S

ince the Independent Care Review started, I’ve have had the huge privilege of meeting lots of children and young people, like you, who’ve been sharing their thoughts with me. They have told me what parts of the care system work for them, as well as what doesn’t, what must change or stop.

They’ve told me what makes them happy, who they like and trust, what makes them sad and what annoys them or makes them angry.

The Review will last two years and has four stages. It is in the second ‘discovery’ stage just now and it’s looking at two big questions. The first is what people think the best care system in Scotland looks like, and we’ll use these answers to help us create a collective vision for the Review. The second is, what do you think a root and branch review of the care system should include? So for example, what things do you think we should be looking at in this Review?

Figuring out the answers to these questions will not be easy and it will take time. But it’s really important.

This is the Review that care If there is anything in experienced young people asked for so it will be delivered with their voice particular you want me to write about, please just email at its heart, throughout each stage.

Already, we’ve heard from hundreds fiona@carereview.scot or tweet me @fionacarereview and I will of children and young people include it. but that is not enough. The First I plan to meet as many children and Minister pledged to listen to 1000 young people who want to talk to me, care experienced young people, and so I can hear your hopes and ideas the Review has asked Who Cares? about how Scotland can be the best Scotland to continue supporting the place in the world for you to grow up 1000 Voices to make that happen. in.

And I will continue to take part in Who Cares? Scotland is working the occasional assault course… closely as part of the Review By telling us what you think, to ensure that there are many you can feel confident that care opportunities provided to speak to experienced children and young the Review. They have been great people (and some older people too) supporters of the Review, including are shaping all of the Review.

Please us in the summer camp in July and get involved https://www.carereview. helping us to work out how best to scot/get-involved/ - and be #1of1000 listen to 1,000 voices. voices that will change care.

I immediately said yes when Who Thank you, Cares? Scotland asked me to write an article for each edition of SpeakOut, so every quarter I will give you an update on the progress of the Review.

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

t as e h Sout from

Asia

when he ome of you may remember Brad from an Alumni now d, tlan Sco s? worked for Who Care enture adv new his ut abo Member, here he tells us in Southeast Asia.

S

Hey Folks,

Brad here again. For those of you that read the first article I had in SpeakOut a few months ago, this is essentially the follow up to let you all know – if you’re interested – what I’ve been getting up to more recently.

For those of you that didn’t see the last article, in essence I’m a former employee of WC?S and a member of the care experienced community. The best community if you ask me. Life in Cambodia continues to amaze, humble and enlighten me. I continue to work with Bamboo, the greatest travel company in the world and one that goes above and beyond what responsible tourism is all about. Bamboo champions give-backpacking in the same way that each of your advocates champion you. Mary “Mary Doll” Bateman was the beacon of light in an otherwise world of darkness for

me, and for a long time. It’s important to remember that the strongest person in each of your lives is yourself: you are all the ones that got through your care journey and are doing amazing things with your lives. Regardless of how daunting obtaining your dream can be, remember each and every single one of you are holding that fire and tenacity within yourselves to achieve it. Three words that will never leave me is the saying ‘never give up!’ It won’t always be easy, falling down again and again is just a part of the process of succeeding.

So again, it won’t always be easy,

but it will absolutely always be worth it. I started out here as an intern of the sales team. As of last month the Fat Pandas (company directors) promoted me to role of the Bamboo copywriter.

I’m now in a full time contract, and in a unique role within the company. I am supported fully by my line manager and department director. My life suddenly feels fulfilled and with purposeful. I went from years of anti-depressant medication, anxiety attacks and suicidal episodes and attempts, to now living in Southeast Asia, traveling all over this beautiful part of the world and getting paid to do what I love – write. I’m rapidly establishing not only a brand new life out here, but a future full of promise. Having now been out here for some time I’m developing further dreams and aspirations like filmmaking, writing and community work. I want every single one of you to be able to have the same opportunities I’ve had. You’re all heroes, legends and super strong young folk.

Keep on keepin’ on.

Until next time, peace x

Brad Halliday, 24

Fiona

16

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

17

18 W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

Shet la Sian nd is o u t and abou t bring in Shetla n in toget g young d, folk her, e njoyi trips n to and c the cine g ma atchi ng up For m . o conta re info c t S ia n.

rkshire South Lana e two rkshire hav South Lana nt, the se re ing at p n n ru s p u gro re group g Foster Ca in d n ta -s g lon Care wly formed and the ne up are ro g up. Both ro G rs e v a Le members. oming new lc e w s y a alw Ewan or fo, contact in re o m r Fo Lynne M.

t Leah or Brooke.

YPiCC (Edinburgh, every second Thursday) A fun group that tackles local issu es while providing young people a chance to build relationships.

For more info contact Lesley-Ann or Ellie B.

FAMILY group esday) (Mussleburgh, every Tu osphere This group creates an atm epted and acc l where young people fee ey also Th g. lon a space where they be East the o int feed their discussions . ard Lothian Champions Bo cia or Sophie.

For more info contact Ali

n East Lothia Board s Champion h, every rg (Musselbu Thursday) e to join, If you’d lik th A. contact Be

Falkirk Champion s Board (every 2 weeks) For more info call Ray.

Tayside Care2Cre ate For more info cont ac

Midloth ian Champio ns Board (Dalkeit h, every second Mo For mor nday) e info, c all Jordan.

Young Radicals (Glasgow, Fortnig htly) Care experienced young people fro m all over central Scotland meet to think criti ca lly and shape real change in th e care system and wider world.

Solidarity. Rights.

Unity. Action.

For more info cont act Euan G.

gow Care2Create: Glas fortnightly) (10-15 year olds, tive skill to learning a crea Whether you’re in d new, an n something fu or just want to try well fed yo u! We’ll keep u yo r fo is e at re 2C Care too. with excellent food t Euan G. ac For more info cont

2BHeard , weekly) (Across Fife ree groups There are th ss Fife, acro who meet ing uff happen st f o loads out. g and find come alon fo call Scot.

For more in

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Care2Create: Ayrshire (6-10 year olds) One of WC?S’s youngest groups have been up to all sorts of fun and creative activities!

For more info contact Jem ma.

Group Inverclyde sday) very Wedne (Gourock, e erclyde In care in v e k a m s u Help roup is NAL! This g PHENOME g people u o y the y n b d le ly re enti long if de. Come a of Invercly nds and ie fr make to e k li ’d u yo fun and ll kinds of a in e g a g en activities. interesting Nicole. fo contact in re o m r Fo

The Diamonds gr oup (Paisley, under 10 s) Children in Kinshi p care or looked after at home com e to enjoy arts an d crafts, play games and meet others like them. Your grownups can come alon g too to chat while you have fun!

For more info cont act Julie.

Renfrewshire Renfrewshire Cham pions Board Meet new people and get a chance to be real champi ons and make care in Renfrewshire be tter!

For more info cont act Donald.

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

rs Group Care Leave (Paisley) ut people abo For young ave h re or who to leave ca e ne so. Com already do ,a et a munch s together, g ce e re experi n blether, sha al re e ake som and let’s m changes!

Julie. fo contact For more in

Highland Aberdeen Champi ons Board ACE Frequent group ge y) tl gh (E ni very 2 – 3 month rt fo , t-togethers, lots of ty Ci n ee rd s) be (A to pizza, trips out an Young people and r fun, food and d about and the ch fo er th s ge th to le eir corporate Is et G ance r to contribute to th Western parents are going s at our regula rs, a group nd e e Hi ie d fr gh n la w nd la ne Is to Ch e be am g ak getting pions m Board – already ch The Youn together again to p. cot, gives anging Care in Hi make some amaz

by Young S rdeen City grou be y.

A gh le la ai nd fo B r a to th ur e ing, ce supported be tter. We’re also star an positive change in ntact La ting up groups olds the ch Aberdeen! r more info co Fo s in e Fo su rt 11-15 year W is illiam, Skye and Ca e For more info, cont ithness and d look at th act Laura Bailey. are looking at de ngs. ri meet up an b d n la ve is lo pi n ng a a n lo o ca l g sc hool champions board that livin p in Mid-Ross. other grou d Fo ce r m n or e There is an e info contact Donn peri a. for care ex Aberdeenshire een especially tw e b d e g a , LAC Factor le p o e M oray Regular YPOC and young p . old n activity, film The Moray group gatherings with fu son.

14-18 years li A ca t c n be ta n fo un d out ng and a growing fo co on the road trying making, campaigni For more in different activities pions Board. from climbing to voice in the Cham bowling with regu act Lynne W. lar monthly meetings For more info cont K at ib El up gi ro b n G Yo le Gro uth Café. ugh For more info cont The Breakthro (every 2 up act Paula. p) ou gr w re e ca eks) (Foster New me a regular mbers Help produce welcom Renfrewshire e. newsletter for Transformers group F or more in ls e liv ho w le info op g Individua pe n u o Y young n (An u F gus, fortnightly) contact you fancy Ellie, of ry Monday) e h v c e n , u h b rt foster care. If t e Fo n r (P more info contact Mel ra Pamela a vib s, writing or Leah. or a n h group is o rt e ly P k e making puzzle e e h w T D arren. meet s, o ew h d vi w te re e g le p in re o g do e e b stories, young p will always ng new y night. You wed by a o d ll n drawing, meeti fo o l, M a ed me ard/YPPG touch. k o in t co ge e en m th o Dundee Champions Bo h people ughter. with a la d n a t ts ac a ) nt h co s, c (Dundee, fortnightly or Heather.

For more info fun activitie or Leah. ntact Leah co fo in re d.

For more info call Cindy Donal For mo

l a n o i Reg -Up d n Rou NEWS & EVENTS NEWS & EVENTS

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D 19

18 W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

Shet la Sian nd is o u t and abou t bring in Shetla n in toget g young d, folk her, e njoyi trips n to and c the cine g ma atchi ng up For m . o conta re info c t S ia n.

rkshire South Lana e two rkshire hav South Lana nt, the se re ing at p n n ru s p u gro re group g Foster Ca in d n ta -s g lon Care wly formed and the ne up are ro g up. Both ro G rs e v a Le members. oming new lc e w s y a alw Ewan or fo, contact in re o m r Fo Lynne M.

t Leah or Brooke.

YPiCC (Edinburgh, every second Thursday) A fun group that tackles local issu es while providing young people a chance to build relationships.

For more info contact Lesley-Ann or Ellie B.

FAMILY group esday) (Mussleburgh, every Tu osphere This group creates an atm epted and acc l where young people fee ey also Th g. lon a space where they be East the o int feed their discussions . ard Lothian Champions Bo cia or Sophie.

For more info contact Ali

n East Lothia Board s Champion h, every rg (Musselbu Thursday) e to join, If you’d lik th A. contact Be

Falkirk Champion s Board (every 2 weeks) For more info call Ray.

Tayside Care2Cre ate For more info cont ac

Midloth ian Champio ns Board (Dalkeit h, every second Mo For mor nday) e info, c all Jordan.

Young Radicals (Glasgow, Fortnig htly) Care experienced young people fro m all over central Scotland meet to think criti ca lly and shape real change in th e care system and wider world.

Solidarity. Rights.

Unity. Action.

For more info cont act Euan G.

gow Care2Create: Glas fortnightly) (10-15 year olds, tive skill to learning a crea Whether you’re in d new, an n something fu or just want to try well fed yo u! We’ll keep u yo r fo is e at re 2C Care too. with excellent food t Euan G. ac For more info cont

2BHeard , weekly) (Across Fife ree groups There are th ss Fife, acro who meet ing uff happen st f o loads out. g and find come alon fo call Scot.

For more in

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Care2Create: Ayrshire (6-10 year olds) One of WC?S’s youngest groups have been up to all sorts of fun and creative activities!

For more info contact Jem ma.

Group Inverclyde sday) very Wedne (Gourock, e erclyde In care in v e k a m s u Help roup is NAL! This g PHENOME g people u o y the y n b d le ly re enti long if de. Come a of Invercly nds and ie fr make to e k li ’d u yo fun and ll kinds of a in e g a g en activities. interesting Nicole. fo contact in re o m r Fo

The Diamonds gr oup (Paisley, under 10 s) Children in Kinshi p care or looked after at home com e to enjoy arts an d crafts, play games and meet others like them. Your grownups can come alon g too to chat while you have fun!

For more info cont act Julie.

Renfrewshire Renfrewshire Cham pions Board Meet new people and get a chance to be real champi ons and make care in Renfrewshire be tter!

For more info cont act Donald.

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

rs Group Care Leave (Paisley) ut people abo For young ave h re or who to leave ca e ne so. Com already do ,a et a munch s together, g ce e re experi n blether, sha al re e ake som and let’s m changes!

Julie. fo contact For more in

Highland Aberdeen Champi ons Board ACE Frequent group ge y) tl gh (E ni very 2 – 3 month rt fo , t-togethers, lots of ty Ci n ee rd s) be (A to pizza, trips out an Young people and r fun, food and d about and the ch fo er th s ge th to le eir corporate Is et G ance r to contribute to th Western parents are going s at our regula rs, a group nd e e Hi ie d fr gh n la w nd la ne Is to Ch e be am g ak getting pions m Board – already ch The Youn together again to p. cot, gives anging Care in Hi make some amaz

by Young S rdeen City grou be y.

A gh le la ai nd fo B r a to th ur e ing, ce supported be tter. We’re also star an positive change in ntact La ting up groups olds the ch Aberdeen! r more info co Fo s in e Fo su rt 11-15 year W is illiam, Skye and Ca e For more info, cont ithness and d look at th act Laura Bailey. are looking at de ngs. ri meet up an b d n la ve is lo pi n ng a a n lo o ca l g sc hool champions board that livin p in Mid-Ross. other grou d Fo ce r m n or e There is an e info contact Donn peri a. for care ex Aberdeenshire een especially tw e b d e g a , LAC Factor le p o e M oray Regular YPOC and young p . old n activity, film The Moray group gatherings with fu son.

14-18 years li A ca t c n be ta n fo un d out ng and a growing fo co on the road trying making, campaigni For more in different activities pions Board. from climbing to voice in the Cham bowling with regu act Lynne W. lar monthly meetings For more info cont K at ib El up gi ro b n G Yo le Gro uth Café. ugh For more info cont The Breakthro (every 2 up act Paula. p) ou gr w re e ca eks) (Foster New me a regular mbers Help produce welcom Renfrewshire e. newsletter for Transformers group F or more in ls e liv ho w le info op g Individua pe n u o Y young n (An u F gus, fortnightly) contact you fancy Ellie, of ry Monday) e h v c e n , u h b rt foster care. If t e Fo n r (P more info contact Mel ra Pamela a vib s, writing or Leah. or a n h group is o rt e ly P k e making puzzle e e h w T D arren. meet s, o ew h d vi w te re e g le p in re o g do e e b stories, young p will always ng new y night. You wed by a o d ll n drawing, meeti fo o l, M a ed me ard/YPPG touch. k o in t co ge e en m th o Dundee Champions Bo h people ughter. with a la d n a t ts ac a ) nt h co s, c (Dundee, fortnightly or Heather.

For more info fun activitie or Leah. ntact Leah co fo in re d.

For more info call Cindy Donal For mo

l a n o i Reg -Up d n Rou NEWS & EVENTS NEWS & EVENTS

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D 19

ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

12-15 Summer Camp A

t first the Summer Camp field doesn’t look very big but once you get closer its massive which is really good for activities and for other things.

I made lots of friends and done awesome things like going down the hillside and I shared some of my experience on what I thought about camp on stage. We also done some cool “ice breakers” and that’s really good for meeting people.

My favourite pat was when I met someone from Who Cares?

Scotland called Callum he was really funny and very caring. He helped me share some of my personal care experience when

I didn’t think I could do that. I made lots of other friends too like Deksi, Josh, Sophie, Oisin, Findlay, Lisa, David, Shane, Toni, Kara and a lot more, it would take me forever to list them all.

I would recommend camp to anyone because it is probably the best experience there is. You make lots of friends and take part in amazing activities but most of all you can be who YOU want to be!

Kacey, age 12

20

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

21

ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

12-15 Summer Camp A

t first the Summer Camp field doesn’t look very big but once you get closer its massive which is really good for activities and for other things.

I made lots of friends and done awesome things like going down the hillside and I shared some of my experience on what I thought about camp on stage. We also done some cool “ice breakers” and that’s really good for meeting people.

My favourite pat was when I met someone from Who Cares?

Scotland called Callum he was really funny and very caring. He helped me share some of my personal care experience when

I didn’t think I could do that. I made lots of other friends too like Deksi, Josh, Sophie, Oisin, Findlay, Lisa, David, Shane, Toni, Kara and a lot more, it would take me forever to list them all.

I would recommend camp to anyone because it is probably the best experience there is. You make lots of friends and take part in amazing activities but most of all you can be who YOU want to be!

Kacey, age 12

20

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

21

ENTERTAINMENT

22

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

23

ENTERTAINMENT

22

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

23

ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

16-19 Summer Camp S

o this was my first time at camp. It was also my 18th birthday when I was there. I was excited before going to camp, but a little bit nervous because I didn’t know what to expect.

How many people would be there?

How nice would people be? All I really knew was that we were going to be in the middle of a field and the toilets were going to be minging!

When I got to camp my first impression was ‘this is gonna be horrible, get me out of here!’. I had to share a tent with people I didn’t know and this made me nervous. There were so many new people and I thought we would all fall out with each other, but there weren’t any big fallouts and everybody I spoke to was having a great time.

In the mornings, we had workshops which I really enjoyed. We talked a lot

24

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

about people’s different experiences and how people are affected by them.

We also had people from the care review come and listen to our groups, which is good because they were hearing our experiences straight from us, instead of it getting passed about like Chinese whispers.

Usually, my birthday is like any other day only it’s worse because no one is there to celebrate with me. This year was different and extra special because everyone at camp came together to wish me happy birthday.

When I went to camp, I didn’t know anyone apart from my advocacy worker Jordan and Sean, who I knew from Midlothian champions board.

Camp felt like being part of one big happy family who love me for who I am for the first time in my life. I got a massive birthday cake, a card that

everyone signed and everyone sang happy birthday to me, about four times! Then at night we had the talent show and disco, with some really unique performances. My favourite was Callum’s farting ears!

Don’t let your fears stop you, because I didn’t. Everyone loves each other at camp so just go for it and have a great time. It is a good escape, to get away from things at home, to just go and have fun. I did, I got to put Duncan in the water! Love you Duncan!

I would like to thank everyone for celebrating my birthday with me at camp. I loved it! Next year it’s your time to go, have some fun. We all deserve it.”

T

his year was my first year at camp and it was great. I thought the staff were really welcoming when you arrived at camp. I liked the different activities and the other young people were really welcoming too. At first I was really nervous about going because I didn’t know anyone that was going but when I went I really enjoyed it and I would really recommend it to anyone that isn’t sure about going. One word that describes camp is AMAZING.”

rcly de e v ln , 7 1 , n la Dy

Chantelle, 18, Midlothian

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

25

ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

16-19 Summer Camp S

o this was my first time at camp. It was also my 18th birthday when I was there. I was excited before going to camp, but a little bit nervous because I didn’t know what to expect.

How many people would be there?

How nice would people be? All I really knew was that we were going to be in the middle of a field and the toilets were going to be minging!

When I got to camp my first impression was ‘this is gonna be horrible, get me out of here!’. I had to share a tent with people I didn’t know and this made me nervous. There were so many new people and I thought we would all fall out with each other, but there weren’t any big fallouts and everybody I spoke to was having a great time.

In the mornings, we had workshops which I really enjoyed. We talked a lot

24

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

about people’s different experiences and how people are affected by them.

We also had people from the care review come and listen to our groups, which is good because they were hearing our experiences straight from us, instead of it getting passed about like Chinese whispers.

Usually, my birthday is like any other day only it’s worse because no one is there to celebrate with me. This year was different and extra special because everyone at camp came together to wish me happy birthday.

When I went to camp, I didn’t know anyone apart from my advocacy worker Jordan and Sean, who I knew from Midlothian champions board.

Camp felt like being part of one big happy family who love me for who I am for the first time in my life. I got a massive birthday cake, a card that

everyone signed and everyone sang happy birthday to me, about four times! Then at night we had the talent show and disco, with some really unique performances. My favourite was Callum’s farting ears!

Don’t let your fears stop you, because I didn’t. Everyone loves each other at camp so just go for it and have a great time. It is a good escape, to get away from things at home, to just go and have fun. I did, I got to put Duncan in the water! Love you Duncan!

I would like to thank everyone for celebrating my birthday with me at camp. I loved it! Next year it’s your time to go, have some fun. We all deserve it.”

T

his year was my first year at camp and it was great. I thought the staff were really welcoming when you arrived at camp. I liked the different activities and the other young people were really welcoming too. At first I was really nervous about going because I didn’t know anyone that was going but when I went I really enjoyed it and I would really recommend it to anyone that isn’t sure about going. One word that describes camp is AMAZING.”

rcly de e v ln , 7 1 , n la Dy

Chantelle, 18, Midlothian

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

25

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

26

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

27

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

26

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

27

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Why Harry Potter was a Game Changer I

t started on the 26th of June 1996, when five hundred hardback copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone hit the shelves of bookstores across the country. Today as I write this, 20 years later, there are upwards of one hundred million copies of that book, in dozens of languages, lying in homes, schools and cars in almost every country in the world. You’ll find about 6 different editions lying about my house alone.

You could judge the Harry Potter franchise solely by the numbers. 20 years, 450+ million books sold, 9 movies released, 10 billion dollars at the box office, 4 more films on the way, a dozen theme parks and attractions all over the world visited by tens of thousands of people every day, a critically acclaimed West End

28

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

play that sold out three years in advance and is heading to Broadway.

If you don’t want to judge it by numbers, we can look at the impact the book series has had. Did you know studies have linked the series to a fall in illiteracy in the 18-29 age bracket amongst developed nations?

That’s places like the United States

“Did you know studies have linked the series to a fall in illiteracy in the 1829 age bracket amongst developed nations?”

Kier McWhir an ter,

21

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

and the UK where Harry Potter was most successful.

Did you also know that numerous pieces of research including one published in The American Journal of Applied Phycology, have identified children and teenagers who have read Harry Potter as having a greater awareness of the issues faced by

the stigmatised minorities in their communities i.e. LGBT, disabled, Black etc. That same research also claims those children and teenagers have a substantially increased level of acceptance of those minorities compared to those who have not read the books. Research like that has led to the creation of courses at Universities, where students now study the sociological, cultural and philosophical implications of J. K. Rowling’s fantasy series.

So you could argue that Harry Potter has changed the world, but I’m going to tell you how it definitely changed mine.

Growing up in care can be lonely.

The reality means that, unless you are very lucky, you move around a lot. And with every move you must start your life again, in a totally new environment, with completely new people. A whole different reality from the one you’d been living the day before. For me those moves were always accompanied by the loss of just about every support network I had; teachers, friends at school, kids on my street, clubs I’d joined, and after a few times it got really hard to build all that up again because I never knew how long it was going to last.

For me the Harry Potter books were an escape from all of that.

They were an escape from every hour I spent standing outside classrooms or sitting outside teacher’s offices instead of learning. They were an escape from every depressing waiting room I sat in waiting to be told the panel was ready for me. They were an escape from every car journey I took from one home to another. They were an escape from how isolating and detaching the experience of being in care was for me.

I know what you’re thinking “they’re only books but”. But those books (and Disney movies obvs) were some of the biggest influences on my childhood. I formulated a moral compass based on the ideals of an orphaned wizard who lived in an abusive home environment but who never let that colour his view or belief in the ultimate good of people and the world around him, despite how terribly unkind it had been. I was taught by those books that it

was wrong to judge people based on anything but their character. I realised through those books that you didn’t need money or power to live a happy life. I learned within those pages, that the only opinion about you that should concern you is your own…though got to admit that one’s easier said than done.

Hermione taught me that it was ok to be clever and read. Ron showed me that while we don’t always have everything in this world that we want, we are sometimes given what we need and we can hope the rest will come in time. Harry made me realise that sometimes you get knocked down and it hurts, but you pick yourself back up and you don’t forget but you do go forward.

“Harry made me realise that sometimes you get knocked down and it hurts, but you pick yourself back up and you don’t forget but you do go forward.”

It’s all horribly sentimental but the lessons I took from those pages are ones I will carry with me my whole life.

Harry Potter was the orphan boy who was hurt, betrayed, abandoned and deprived of almost everyone that mattered in his life. He was the boy who made friends with the poor kid and the geek, the boy who didn’t take the hand of a bigot, the boy who defended his friends every single time, he was the boy who found happiness only to see it ripped away time and time again. He was the boy who laid down his life so that those he cared about could live.

I have two tattoos one is a drunken sloppy Lion King themed mistake, the other one is a tribute to Harry Potter and the permanent mark it left on me as a person. Harry James Potter was always who I wanted to be when I grew up. Sure, he was fictional but he was, still is and always will be this guy’s hero.

Happy 20th Birthday HP….STILL WAITING FOR THAT SEQUEL!!!!!!!!!

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

29

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Why Harry Potter was a Game Changer I

t started on the 26th of June 1996, when five hundred hardback copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone hit the shelves of bookstores across the country. Today as I write this, 20 years later, there are upwards of one hundred million copies of that book, in dozens of languages, lying in homes, schools and cars in almost every country in the world. You’ll find about 6 different editions lying about my house alone.

You could judge the Harry Potter franchise solely by the numbers. 20 years, 450+ million books sold, 9 movies released, 10 billion dollars at the box office, 4 more films on the way, a dozen theme parks and attractions all over the world visited by tens of thousands of people every day, a critically acclaimed West End

28

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

play that sold out three years in advance and is heading to Broadway.

If you don’t want to judge it by numbers, we can look at the impact the book series has had. Did you know studies have linked the series to a fall in illiteracy in the 18-29 age bracket amongst developed nations?

That’s places like the United States

“Did you know studies have linked the series to a fall in illiteracy in the 1829 age bracket amongst developed nations?”

Kier McWhir an ter,

21

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

and the UK where Harry Potter was most successful.

Did you also know that numerous pieces of research including one published in The American Journal of Applied Phycology, have identified children and teenagers who have read Harry Potter as having a greater awareness of the issues faced by

the stigmatised minorities in their communities i.e. LGBT, disabled, Black etc. That same research also claims those children and teenagers have a substantially increased level of acceptance of those minorities compared to those who have not read the books. Research like that has led to the creation of courses at Universities, where students now study the sociological, cultural and philosophical implications of J. K. Rowling’s fantasy series.

So you could argue that Harry Potter has changed the world, but I’m going to tell you how it definitely changed mine.

Growing up in care can be lonely.

The reality means that, unless you are very lucky, you move around a lot. And with every move you must start your life again, in a totally new environment, with completely new people. A whole different reality from the one you’d been living the day before. For me those moves were always accompanied by the loss of just about every support network I had; teachers, friends at school, kids on my street, clubs I’d joined, and after a few times it got really hard to build all that up again because I never knew how long it was going to last.

For me the Harry Potter books were an escape from all of that.

They were an escape from every hour I spent standing outside classrooms or sitting outside teacher’s offices instead of learning. They were an escape from every depressing waiting room I sat in waiting to be told the panel was ready for me. They were an escape from every car journey I took from one home to another. They were an escape from how isolating and detaching the experience of being in care was for me.

I know what you’re thinking “they’re only books but”. But those books (and Disney movies obvs) were some of the biggest influences on my childhood. I formulated a moral compass based on the ideals of an orphaned wizard who lived in an abusive home environment but who never let that colour his view or belief in the ultimate good of people and the world around him, despite how terribly unkind it had been. I was taught by those books that it

was wrong to judge people based on anything but their character. I realised through those books that you didn’t need money or power to live a happy life. I learned within those pages, that the only opinion about you that should concern you is your own…though got to admit that one’s easier said than done.

Hermione taught me that it was ok to be clever and read. Ron showed me that while we don’t always have everything in this world that we want, we are sometimes given what we need and we can hope the rest will come in time. Harry made me realise that sometimes you get knocked down and it hurts, but you pick yourself back up and you don’t forget but you do go forward.

“Harry made me realise that sometimes you get knocked down and it hurts, but you pick yourself back up and you don’t forget but you do go forward.”

It’s all horribly sentimental but the lessons I took from those pages are ones I will carry with me my whole life.

Harry Potter was the orphan boy who was hurt, betrayed, abandoned and deprived of almost everyone that mattered in his life. He was the boy who made friends with the poor kid and the geek, the boy who didn’t take the hand of a bigot, the boy who defended his friends every single time, he was the boy who found happiness only to see it ripped away time and time again. He was the boy who laid down his life so that those he cared about could live.

I have two tattoos one is a drunken sloppy Lion King themed mistake, the other one is a tribute to Harry Potter and the permanent mark it left on me as a person. Harry James Potter was always who I wanted to be when I grew up. Sure, he was fictional but he was, still is and always will be this guy’s hero.

Happy 20th Birthday HP….STILL WAITING FOR THAT SEQUEL!!!!!!!!!

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

29

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Get Write In Competition Announces Winners A

ugust the 15th saw Joseph Ness and William Cathie win their respective age categories of the Get Write In competition, a new competition introduced by CELCIS earlier this year to celebrate the writing of care experienced young people. The awards ceremony was attended by all the shortlisted entrants. Jackie Kay, the Scottish Makar (National Poet), and Mark McDonald, Minister for Childcare and Early Years, presented the awards. Both boys won trips to the Harry Potter studios in London as well as access to writing workshops and other reading related goodies.

Congratulations to both Joseph and William, enjoy reading their winning entries below.

Dumb

New Life

They never listen. Everyone in the world has gone deaf. But it’s not them, it’s me. This random happening changed my life. I could have died in fact death was only an inch away. Now no-one listens.

No-one hears. No-one can hear me.

They said the rollercoaster would be fun. NO. A big mistake to make.

It was Sunday 12th June. The sun was blistering everyone it stroked.

The clouds had either run away, or gained invisibility powers. Anyhow none were to be seen. I walked to the park thinking, ‘wow, nothing bad could happen here’. When I got on the rollercoaster of hell I thought ‘This is fun’, when BAM the roller coaster derails, the cart flies into the water rapids and only one person, one little boy who had a normal life got injured. Me. I got flung out of the car and into a pile of rocks. If my head hadn’t hit a particularly large one I would have been fine, but no.

I was found under the rubble and carried off in a stretcher into a waiting ambulance. The ambulance was a maniac on four wheels. It went on the pavement, zoomed past stop signs, gave way to no one, dodged past cars and almost collided with a train. I’m no expert

A fork in the road is the metaphor we use to represent a turning point.

A turning point can be either good or bad in your life, depending on your point of view, for example an unplanned pregnancy may start as a shock, whereas winning the lottery would change anyone’s life for the better.

A very specific turning point for me would be gaining a new member of our tribe and by that, I mean a nephew to our family. Since this angel from heaven soared into my life, it hasn’t been the same ever since! I remember the first time I met him: it was a surprisingly awful day for the 12th of July, the clouds pushed each other around in the sky, thunder grumbled and raindrops reported for duty.

My pilgrimage through the hospital to meet my nephew was pretty cruel: firstly, we had to walk miles to get to the maternity ward my sister was in. Secondly I hadn’t eaten anything all day and my stomach was like a bottomless pit. You can imagine how close to tears I was when I saw the food courts open for business, only to discover I had no money whatsoever!

Finally we reached our destination.

As we walked into the ward, we were approached by a nurse asking if I

by Joseph Ness, 11

30

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

by William Cathie, 15

but I’m sure that ambulances need to go the quickest and safest way to the hospital and this ambulance did neither. It went round the whole town before getting to the hospital.

They rushed me in messily and took me straight to Radiology. After my scan, I was wheeled to the Ear, Nose and Throat ward. I was put into bed although three seconds later I ran to the bathroom and chucked up.

A strange coloured liquid came up.

I’m good with biology, but I had no idea what it was. I just knew that it was important to find out. I came back to the hospital bed just as Doctor Clover came in. He was quite handsome and had a stethoscope around his neck.

“Now we just need to do a checkup, ok?” he said. I tried to reply but

no sound came out. The Doctor did not acknowledge this. He looked at my scan. He thought hard, I know this cos I can tell. He then said absent-mindedly, “Well no breaks but hmmm, what’s this?”

He wheeled the picture round and showed me something. “Yeah do you see this here?” He pointed to part of the scan. “That’s where your vocal cords are”. I couldn’t swallow the lump in my throat.

“You see, when you hit your head it damaged one vocal cord really badly. So it’s gone into paralysis.”

Paralysis? From a rollercoaster?

My vocal cord? Apparently this had happened only once before in his career. “We’ve got something to fix that. Something to help you speak again”. He turned and left the room.

wanted toast! This was a wish come true and just as I said to the nurse “yes, I’ll have some butter”, my eye caught a glance of a small, fragile, wrinkled but adorable bundle of bones - who was sleeping silently in a tiny hospital incubator down the right hand side of the room, with my sister watching over him like a goddess.

My heart melted when I saw this beautiful, blue eyed boy resting so peacefully. He was as snug as a bug in a rug. It was then that my mature instincts kicked in. I looked up to the woman who gave me a nephew and hugged her and with a smile on my face, I didn’t say “congratulations”, I said, “Thank-you”. I mean, we may be siblings and we may fight like cat and dog, but I do love her and I am nice to her (sometimes).

In all my life God has put me through so many obstacles like: being short-sighted, deaf, having autism, being bullied and being left out with no partners in school classes. Along with having liver failure (not caused by alcohol by the way!). What I’m getting at is, in life it’s the little things that matter the most and the obstacles that God has put me through have taught me a valuable lesson and that is, that while I was moping around feeling sorry for myself, time raced by and before I knew it I was an adult with a nephew to look after. I’ve lost so many people over the years, I’m not prepared to lose him, I’m ready to show my beautiful, blue-eyed boy the world and guarantee his life will be lived to the fullest.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

31

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

Get Write In Competition Announces Winners A

ugust the 15th saw Joseph Ness and William Cathie win their respective age categories of the Get Write In competition, a new competition introduced by CELCIS earlier this year to celebrate the writing of care experienced young people. The awards ceremony was attended by all the shortlisted entrants. Jackie Kay, the Scottish Makar (National Poet), and Mark McDonald, Minister for Childcare and Early Years, presented the awards. Both boys won trips to the Harry Potter studios in London as well as access to writing workshops and other reading related goodies.

Congratulations to both Joseph and William, enjoy reading their winning entries below.

Dumb

New Life

They never listen. Everyone in the world has gone deaf. But it’s not them, it’s me. This random happening changed my life. I could have died in fact death was only an inch away. Now no-one listens.

No-one hears. No-one can hear me.

They said the rollercoaster would be fun. NO. A big mistake to make.

It was Sunday 12th June. The sun was blistering everyone it stroked.

The clouds had either run away, or gained invisibility powers. Anyhow none were to be seen. I walked to the park thinking, ‘wow, nothing bad could happen here’. When I got on the rollercoaster of hell I thought ‘This is fun’, when BAM the roller coaster derails, the cart flies into the water rapids and only one person, one little boy who had a normal life got injured. Me. I got flung out of the car and into a pile of rocks. If my head hadn’t hit a particularly large one I would have been fine, but no.

I was found under the rubble and carried off in a stretcher into a waiting ambulance. The ambulance was a maniac on four wheels. It went on the pavement, zoomed past stop signs, gave way to no one, dodged past cars and almost collided with a train. I’m no expert

A fork in the road is the metaphor we use to represent a turning point.

A turning point can be either good or bad in your life, depending on your point of view, for example an unplanned pregnancy may start as a shock, whereas winning the lottery would change anyone’s life for the better.

A very specific turning point for me would be gaining a new member of our tribe and by that, I mean a nephew to our family. Since this angel from heaven soared into my life, it hasn’t been the same ever since! I remember the first time I met him: it was a surprisingly awful day for the 12th of July, the clouds pushed each other around in the sky, thunder grumbled and raindrops reported for duty.

My pilgrimage through the hospital to meet my nephew was pretty cruel: firstly, we had to walk miles to get to the maternity ward my sister was in. Secondly I hadn’t eaten anything all day and my stomach was like a bottomless pit. You can imagine how close to tears I was when I saw the food courts open for business, only to discover I had no money whatsoever!

Finally we reached our destination.

As we walked into the ward, we were approached by a nurse asking if I

by Joseph Ness, 11

30

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

by William Cathie, 15

but I’m sure that ambulances need to go the quickest and safest way to the hospital and this ambulance did neither. It went round the whole town before getting to the hospital.

They rushed me in messily and took me straight to Radiology. After my scan, I was wheeled to the Ear, Nose and Throat ward. I was put into bed although three seconds later I ran to the bathroom and chucked up.

A strange coloured liquid came up.

I’m good with biology, but I had no idea what it was. I just knew that it was important to find out. I came back to the hospital bed just as Doctor Clover came in. He was quite handsome and had a stethoscope around his neck.

“Now we just need to do a checkup, ok?” he said. I tried to reply but

no sound came out. The Doctor did not acknowledge this. He looked at my scan. He thought hard, I know this cos I can tell. He then said absent-mindedly, “Well no breaks but hmmm, what’s this?”

He wheeled the picture round and showed me something. “Yeah do you see this here?” He pointed to part of the scan. “That’s where your vocal cords are”. I couldn’t swallow the lump in my throat.

“You see, when you hit your head it damaged one vocal cord really badly. So it’s gone into paralysis.”

Paralysis? From a rollercoaster?

My vocal cord? Apparently this had happened only once before in his career. “We’ve got something to fix that. Something to help you speak again”. He turned and left the room.

wanted toast! This was a wish come true and just as I said to the nurse “yes, I’ll have some butter”, my eye caught a glance of a small, fragile, wrinkled but adorable bundle of bones - who was sleeping silently in a tiny hospital incubator down the right hand side of the room, with my sister watching over him like a goddess.

My heart melted when I saw this beautiful, blue eyed boy resting so peacefully. He was as snug as a bug in a rug. It was then that my mature instincts kicked in. I looked up to the woman who gave me a nephew and hugged her and with a smile on my face, I didn’t say “congratulations”, I said, “Thank-you”. I mean, we may be siblings and we may fight like cat and dog, but I do love her and I am nice to her (sometimes).

In all my life God has put me through so many obstacles like: being short-sighted, deaf, having autism, being bullied and being left out with no partners in school classes. Along with having liver failure (not caused by alcohol by the way!). What I’m getting at is, in life it’s the little things that matter the most and the obstacles that God has put me through have taught me a valuable lesson and that is, that while I was moping around feeling sorry for myself, time raced by and before I knew it I was an adult with a nephew to look after. I’ve lost so many people over the years, I’m not prepared to lose him, I’m ready to show my beautiful, blue-eyed boy the world and guarantee his life will be lived to the fullest.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

31

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

IN IT TO WIN IT… O

nce you’ve completed the IN IT TO WIN IT PAGE please return it to your Who Cares? Scotland APW or send it to Who Cares? Scotland, 5 Oswald Street, Glasgow, G1 4QR by Thursday 30th November 2017 to be in with a chance of winning a £20 voucher of your choice.

1. WHAT AM l?

I’m sometimes big And sometimes small In the autumn You see me fall

2. GUESS THE SONG It’s just a jump to the left.

And then a step to the right.

With your hand on your hips.

You bring your knees in tight.

3. DO YOU KNOW… What infamous plot do we remember on bonfire night?

A.

A.

A.

5. NAME THE FILM

4. SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Can you name these 5 spooky films?

A

Can you spot the 5 differences between these 2 pumpkins?

C

B

A.

D

B.

E

C. D. E.

YOUR NAME: AGE: PHONE: WC?S WORKER: RETURN YOUR ENTRIES TO: WHO CARES? SCOTLAND, 1st Floor, 5 Oswald Street, Glasgow G1 4QR. 32

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

HHHHHHHH

H

H LAST ISSUES WIN NERS ARE: Kieron Donnelly, 11 Molly Browne, 15 James Nicholson, 17 Lewis Vallance, 10 Jennifer Barclay, 15

HHHHHHHH

HH

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

JUST FOR FUN… SPEAKOUT’S HALLOWEEN

D SEARCH R O W Y V G E E K O R B B I W K L D

T F X R D N H F B O J T P P P

R V N Q Y F I G E R N A A S Z

AUTUMN BONFIRE COSTUMES

A A H T C T E H C M W F R E H

P W S W C I W O S E E M I H C

V N U T A C S P H O U U A R M

H W K H J T O U B W T O I T E

C H I G U X M M M X P E B G C

D D U M X S H P K D U Y M Q T

DARK HALLOWEEN PARTY PUMPKIN

X Z E Z P Q Q K R A D W S I H

U S G P Z Z G I K F K T V X T

T J I I H W V N V Y A C X Y G

N E E W O L L A H E C J I W F

A U T U M N G Z R K J V B R S

B O S J Y I Z T G P G M H O T

TIME TO SHINE TREATS TRICK W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

33

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

IN IT TO WIN IT… O

nce you’ve completed the IN IT TO WIN IT PAGE please return it to your Who Cares? Scotland APW or send it to Who Cares? Scotland, 5 Oswald Street, Glasgow, G1 4QR by Thursday 30th November 2017 to be in with a chance of winning a £20 voucher of your choice.

1. WHAT AM l?

I’m sometimes big And sometimes small In the autumn You see me fall

2. GUESS THE SONG It’s just a jump to the left.

And then a step to the right.

With your hand on your hips.

You bring your knees in tight.

3. DO YOU KNOW… What infamous plot do we remember on bonfire night?

A.

A.

A.

5. NAME THE FILM

4. SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Can you name these 5 spooky films?

A

Can you spot the 5 differences between these 2 pumpkins?

C

B

A.

D

B.

E

C. D. E.

YOUR NAME: AGE: PHONE: WC?S WORKER: RETURN YOUR ENTRIES TO: WHO CARES? SCOTLAND, 1st Floor, 5 Oswald Street, Glasgow G1 4QR. 32

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

HHHHHHHH

H

H LAST ISSUES WIN NERS ARE: Kieron Donnelly, 11 Molly Browne, 15 James Nicholson, 17 Lewis Vallance, 10 Jennifer Barclay, 15

HHHHHHHH

HH

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

JUST FOR FUN… SPEAKOUT’S HALLOWEEN

D SEARCH R O W Y V G E E K O R B B I W K L D

T F X R D N H F B O J T P P P

R V N Q Y F I G E R N A A S Z

AUTUMN BONFIRE COSTUMES

A A H T C T E H C M W F R E H

P W S W C I W O S E E M I H C

V N U T A C S P H O U U A R M

H W K H J T O U B W T O I T E

C H I G U X M M M X P E B G C

D D U M X S H P K D U Y M Q T

DARK HALLOWEEN PARTY PUMPKIN

X Z E Z P Q Q K R A D W S I H

U S G P Z Z G I K F K T V X T

T J I I H W V N V Y A C X Y G

N E E W O L L A H E C J I W F

A U T U M N G Z R K J V B R S

B O S J Y I Z T G P G M H O T

TIME TO SHINE TREATS TRICK W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

33

NEWS & EVENTS SO JUNIOR

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

R O I N U J O S

NEWSSO & EVENTS JUNIOR

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

! n I e M r u o Col

My Past

Buddy the Bear loves finding out what our younger members have been up to! Make sure you let him know!

Mini Champs Summer Program T

he mini champs summer program was an enormous success!

We had a week full of fun activities: On Monday, it was getting to know each other day! We had fun with ice breakers - games to help us find out more about each other - and we all met David who was going to be doing some film making with us on Wednesday. He even left a camera so we could do some of our own film making.

Tuesday was a day full of arts and crafts.

We decorated mugs, made clocks from paper bowls and made our own personalised keyrings, some with photos and others with our very own designs.

Wednesday was the day

34

we got to become actors and actresses and star in our own film trailers. We created story boards and the ideas for our trailers and then had fun acting them out with costumes and props.

Thursday, we went to Deep Sea World! It was great fun, being able to see all the sharks!

Friday was our last day and we did a bit more filming to evaluate our week. Everyone in the group was interviewed so they could share their thoughts and feelings on the Group. Then we invited our family and friends to see our everything we had made in our Friday Showcase.

To sum up our week - it was full of laughs and making new friends and we can’t wait for the group to start again.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

My past has gone fast, but it’s gone at last My future could be a blast, I felt aghast It has been RED not GREEN It was not to be seen But I speak about it, no one can make comments on it Because it is my past Here’s one thing about life You only get one So now get out there and be AMAZING….

Jamie, 12

The Diamonds A

t our Diamonds group in Paisley we’ve had special visitors. The Police. Some of want to join the Police when we are bigger and it was really good that PCs Kevin and Robert came to visit. We even got to try on the handcuffs and sit in the police car. We also talked about being back at school and they stayed to help with that.

We have also been talking about our feelings and made ‘calm down’ jars for when we feel angry. We put glitter, lego and small toys in them.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

35

NEWS & EVENTS SO JUNIOR

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

R O I N U J O S

NEWSSO & EVENTS JUNIOR

Speak Out Magazine | AUTUMN 2017

! n I e M r u o Col

My Past

Buddy the Bear loves finding out what our younger members have been up to! Make sure you let him know!

Mini Champs Summer Program T

he mini champs summer program was an enormous success!

We had a week full of fun activities: On Monday, it was getting to know each other day! We had fun with ice breakers - games to help us find out more about each other - and we all met David who was going to be doing some film making with us on Wednesday. He even left a camera so we could do some of our own film making.

Tuesday was a day full of arts and crafts.

We decorated mugs, made clocks from paper bowls and made our own personalised keyrings, some with photos and others with our very own designs.

Wednesday was the day

34

we got to become actors and actresses and star in our own film trailers. We created story boards and the ideas for our trailers and then had fun acting them out with costumes and props.

Thursday, we went to Deep Sea World! It was great fun, being able to see all the sharks!

Friday was our last day and we did a bit more filming to evaluate our week. Everyone in the group was interviewed so they could share their thoughts and feelings on the Group. Then we invited our family and friends to see our everything we had made in our Friday Showcase.

To sum up our week - it was full of laughs and making new friends and we can’t wait for the group to start again.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

My past has gone fast, but it’s gone at last My future could be a blast, I felt aghast It has been RED not GREEN It was not to be seen But I speak about it, no one can make comments on it Because it is my past Here’s one thing about life You only get one So now get out there and be AMAZING….

Jamie, 12

The Diamonds A

t our Diamonds group in Paisley we’ve had special visitors. The Police. Some of want to join the Police when we are bigger and it was really good that PCs Kevin and Robert came to visit. We even got to try on the handcuffs and sit in the police car. We also talked about being back at school and they stayed to help with that.

We have also been talking about our feelings and made ‘calm down’ jars for when we feel angry. We put glitter, lego and small toys in them.

W H O CA R E S? S COT LA N D

35

Paul Lamont APW Dundee 07787436681

Leah Law APW Pert & Kinross, Balnacraig & Sycamore 07976738663

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Scott Millar APW Fife & Cairn Mhor 07712872096

Sheryl Truesdale APW South Ayrshire 07738 195 692

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Mags Corr APW North Lanarkshire 07841033018

Ellie Barrow APW Edinburgh & Harmeny 07970 515 440 Sophie Morris APW East Lothian 07985 046739

Denise McMillan APW South Ayrshire 07932 101076

www.whocaresscotland.org

Rachel Outram APW East Ayrshire 07985 089 947