Speak Out Spring 2018

SpeakOut WHO CARES? SCOTLAND MAGAZINE

SPRING 2018

The Boy who Refused to Let Things Be Kevin Browne describes his journey from boy in care to the first care experienced member of the Who Cares? Scotland senior management team P10

Care Da y Special Edition

PLUS!

QUIZ PAGES, SO JUNIOR AND INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2018

NEWS & EVENTS CONTENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Welcome to the latest is s ... e id s in s t’ a h w t u o k c e h C

Hello, Welcome to the Spring Issue of SpeakOut! The first of 2018 and a Care Day special!

The 16th February saw Care Day achieving global status, as it was celebrated across the UK and Ireland, and for the first time by New Zealand. From a football tournament in South Lanarkshire to a live link chat between Scotland and New Zealand, from question time with the First Minister to a sleepover at a museum in Belfast, ending in one massive Ceilidh in Glasgow! What a day!

Care Day also saw Who Cares? Scotland announce, our very own Kevin Brown would be taking on the role of Care Experienced Membership Director. From April Kevin will be the first care experienced member of the senior management team, hear what Kevin has to say about the importance of this appointment.

WC?S along with a number of other organisations have launched the Stand Up for Siblings campaign and young care experienced women from in and around Glasgow came together to celebrate International Women’s Day. Despite the Beast from the East, the cold snowy weather that descended over the UK, WC?S Family Members have still been super busy and more than happy to share what they’ve been up to with us here at SpeakOut. With a beginning like that, we are so excited to see what the rest of the year holds for the Who Cares? Scotland Family!

Take Care,

The Speak Out! Team xxx

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Inside this issue 2-3

Welcome Pages

Lifestyle...

4-5 Celebrating You 6

Propel: The Best Way to Predict Your Future

7

Reaching Higher

8-9 An Ode to the Bruises

News & Events...

10

The Boy who Refused to let Things Be

11

Kevin’s Who Cares? Scotland Journey

12-15 Care Day 2018 16-17 WC?S Groups 18-19 Global Care Day 2018 20

WC?S Announce Scottish Women’s Football as New Partner

21

Fiona Checks In

22

Meet the (Corporate) Parents

23

East Renfrewshire Champions Board

24

International Women’s Day

25

Keeping Up with Carly

26

Stand Up for Siblings

12

Entertainment...

27

Photography

28-29 Quiz Pages

SO Junior...

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20

30-31 SO Junior 32

Contact Page

sue of SpeakOut

NEWS WELCOME & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Say Hey to your Editorial team…

IE KATITOR ED

ROS IE

LAURA

WANT TO SEE YOUR NAME IN PRINT?

We do!

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.

LY

CAR

TIA

KAREEN

Who Cares? Scotland Community

KIMBER

LY

JEMMA

Want to join next i ssue’s editorial team? tie – just get in touch with Ka We’d love to have you, 9 560 06 6 81 07 / g .or scotland membership@whocares

@whocaresscot

membership@ whocaresscotland.org

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.

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

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CelebratingYou! NEWS & EVENTS LIFESTYLE

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

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

Beth Anne

Kareen

Check these two winners out!

K

areen Stewart won young youth worker of the year for her work across Renfrewshire with care experienced children and young people. Whilst Beth-Anne Logan won for her work promoting youth participation with care experienced children and young people within the North Lanarkshire Champs Board TNT. Congratulations ladies. We are all so proud of you.

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NEWSLIFESTYLE & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Santas Little Helpers A

lthough Christmas 2017 is a distant memory, I felt the efforts of a few individuals deserved a mention this far into the new year. On the 25th December Who Cares?

Scotland held its 4th Care Family Christmas. A day which saw 85 care experienced young people from all over Scotland come together to celebrate Christmas. This day wouldn’t have been possible without the planning group, the volunteers, the gift donators, the Who Cares? Scotland Family and 5 turkeys. Well done and thank you to everyone!

o D n o w K e Ta Kareen Stewart, Development Assistant (Renfrewshire)

Happy Days Positive days, Negative times, Laugh after laugh, Fight after fight, Joking around, days when you just feel like crying.

M

Happy times, Heart breaking moments, Making happy memories, Smiling, Laughing, Takin’ the mick.

y dream job when I was growing up was to be a wrestler or MMA fighter.

So that didn’t happen, but I do enjoy Tae Kwon Do as a hobby.

I have been taking part in Tae Kwon Do for about 8 years now, I reached blackbelt after 5 years. Once I was good enough I decided to help by being an instructor. This means that I teach the kids class and train some of the lower grades. I also compete in competitions. Taking up a martial art has been good for me, it’s helped me look after myself a lot more. I try to keep fit and train regularly, and I try not to eat too much rubbish. I need to be healthy.

If I work hard enough I hope to be doing it professionally one day!

Going to theme parks, Having fun, Going to parties, Out all night, Stay more positive than Negative.

Charlie, 16

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NEWS & EVENTS LIFESTYLE

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Propel: The best way to predict your future?

Create it!

A

re people starting to ask what you’re going to do when you finish school? Have you thought about carrying on your education?

There are so many amazing subjects you could choose and working hard at college or uni could help you get your dream job in the future. It’s a big step from care to independent life at college or uni – it can be both scary and exciting. But if you decide you want to be a student, the good news is that there’s loads of support available to help you make it happen!

Become has created a website for young people with experience of care called Propel (propel.org.uk).

Propel gives you tons of information about the support you can get while studying at further education colleges and universities around the UK. For example, did you know that if you’re Scottish and you study at a Scottish public university, the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) will pay your tuition fees for you? There’s also a Care Experienced Students Bursary you can apply for, to help pay for your accommodation, day-to-day living costs.

You can find out all about the financial support available and loads of other important information about further or higher education from Propel. Propel is there to help you choose the right course at the right college or uni for you. You can look up the courses you want to do and compare what different colleges and unis offer to care experienced students - like accommodation all year round or extra grants or bursaries. You can also find out if they have a member of staff who is there to support people with experience of care.

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Propel also gives you the chance to hear from students who have successfully made the transition from care – students like Jack. Jack’s studying at the City of Glasgow College and says, “I always enjoyed drama and stuff in school, so I applied for a drama course. Being from a care background hasn’t really put up any barriers. There’s always loads and loads of support available.”

Jack’s aiming for the stars: “My dream is to go to drama school, and then become an actor.” Good luck Jack! Start planning for YOUR future by visiting propel.org.uk today!

Become is a charity which works with children in care and young care leavers and is part of the Five Nations One Voice alliance with Who Cares? Scotland.

www.becomecharity.org.uk

Five ideas to get yo ur planning started: 1 Search Propel for subjects, sports or hobbies you enjoy there’s lots to explore.

2 Think about the su bjects you love or are good at and use Propel to find out where you can stu dy them.

3 Go on a universi ty or college tour or attend one of their taster sessions.

It’s a great way of se eing what studying further or higher education is really like. Some ru n events especially for care lea vers, but you’re free to go along to any of their open days. Get in touch wi th the named contact to find out mo re.

4 Ask your social wo rker or throughcare worker to help you write a Pathway Plan, or to update it if you have one already.

5 Speak to your de signated teacher or school careers advis er about going to college or uni. Th ey’ll give you guidance on the subje cts you need to take to make sure yo u can study the course you want to do. They will also help you think abou t jobs you might like to do in the futu re.

NEWSLIFESTYLE & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Reaching

r e h Hig Toni, 17

G

rowing up for me was hard, I stayed in Paisley with my family.

Everything was going well until my Dad’s brother passed away, after this it was very hard for my family. My Mum and Dad stopped giving me food, stopped cleaning the house and I never attended any medical appointments. I felt like it was the end and that I had no future.

On my 5th birthday my life changed.

I was moved into a foster home with my brothers. I remember being given decent food and asking, “what is this?

What do I do with it?” A few days later I started school for the first time. The primary school did everything they could to support me. When the time came to move on to high school, I was worried that it was going to be tough and I was scared to mention the fact I was fostered. I felt like I was different to everyone else when I just wanted to be the same, so I never told anyone that I was in care, but I got a lot of support from the teachers at school.

When I was in fifth year I just felt that high school wasn’t for me, so I left and started a modern apprenticeship in child care. After 6 months I decided that child care wasn’t what I wanted to do either. I felt a bit lost and wasn’t sure what to do next, so I got in touch with Who Cares? Scotland and was introduced to a man called Peter, Peter is the Employment Manager, he was very supportive and said he believed in me. Peter encouraged me to take part in the Who Cares? Scotland Reaching Higher programme – the Reaching Higher programme is designed to help care experienced young people get jobs by teaching them basic work skills and providing them with work experience opportunities. The Reaching Higher team helped me write my cv and helped me apply for a

modern apprenticeship at SQA. Once I found out that I had got an interview with SQA, the team helped me prepare, they even did a practice interview with me. I went to the actual interview and was called the same day saying I had been successful. I was over the moon.

If it wasn’t for the Who Cares?

Scotland team and the Reaching Higher programme, I wouldn’t be in this job that I’m loving. I still speak to the team regularly and they provide me with so much support.

Looking back, I wish I hadn’t been scared of telling people that I was in care, because people do understand that care can be a positive thing rather than a negative. By owning my care identity I’ve been able to access services that are just for care experienced people, like Who Cares? Scotland’s Reaching Higher programme.

You can take part in the Reaching Higher programme if you are: • Unemployed • Care experienced

• Between 16 and 29 years old • Not currently on the DWP ‘Work Programme’, Work Choices programme or Specialist Employment Support • Not currently on Work Able Scotland or Work First Scotland • Meet the eligibility criteria for Community Jobs Scotland

ut the If you want to learn more abo e, please Reaching Higher programm m at Who contact the employment tea ce on Cares? Scotland National Offi 0141 226 4441.

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

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NEWS & EVENTS LIFESTYLE

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

An ode to t and to

d to there b

sperson

By Carmel Jacob, WC?S Family Member & Spoke

I

can’t remember the first time I watched wrestling. All I recall is being obsessed by it. The bright lights, colourful costumes, the larger than life characters – they engrossed me.

So much so, that when I was watching wrestling, I wasn’t thinking about anything else. In my ‘real world’ I felt vulnerable; when I watched wrestling, I felt invincible.

At 16 I attended my first professional wrestling training session. It was terrifying and sore, yet exhilarating. Almost instantaneously I became immersed in this bubble that would define the next 12 years of my life. The people I would meet would become my family; the experiences I had, will be my stories to share when I am old and grey; and the opportunities I gained, serve as my confirmation that

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dreams can come true.

Professional wrestling commonly gets described as a ‘drug’, and that is what it was to me. The pain, the glory, the adrenaline, I quickly became addicted to it, and in many ways, wrestling helped to heal me. Wrestling presented me a platform upon which I could unleash my inner frustrations; the character that I developed became an extension of my inner trauma. The physical aches and pains I would wake to after a match detracted from and lightened the burden of my emotional pain. When I reflect on my time in wrestling, I recognise how impactful it has been on me and my journey and I am forever grateful to the little child Carmel that first started watching it, whenever that was.

One of my most vivid childhood

memories is delivering a talk in English class about my aspiration to become a professional wrestler. It was met with bemusement and laughter, and all the usual comments such as, ‘wrestling is fake’ and ‘girls don’t wrestle’. Those comments fuelled me even more. The following year I got my first paid gig; I walked hand-in-hand down to the wrestling ring as ‘Bad Boy’ Liam Thomson’s manager – he is now my husband.

It was 2006. I had been training for over a year and I was ready for a match, but there were no girls to wrestle and I was exceedingly shy. As Liam’s manager I had the opportunity to be in front of a crowd, boost my confidence, and learn. I learnt so much from watching Liam. He would always involve me in his matches, have me

NEWSLIFESTYLE & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

the bruises

being no more! intrude out of nowhere with a move called the ‘top-rope hurricanrana’. So I did get that buzz. But I wanted more…I got more.

Eventually, I began to get booked all over the UK, and was regularly travelling to work in mainland Europe.

My profile was building, my selfesteem was growing, my character was developing, and that wrestling bubble I mentioned, it was thickening.

By the time the popularity of a Scottish company called ‘Insane Championship Wrestling’ (ICW) began to exceed all expectations, I was completely encapsulated in the world of wrestling. It was my job, my social life, and my family. I received my first ‘try out’ with the top American company (WWE) in 2012, after which, I felt motivated to work harder,

experience more, and get better. A couple of years later, I returned to the WWE for a second opportunity; and I knew that I was done.

It wasn’t long after that I announced my retirement; after my match on ICW’s first show at the Hydro. A few months later ICW announced me as the first entrant into their Hall of Fame. I was honoured and I was sad; this meant it was really over. I’d spent the last few years being terrified of letting go of wrestling. I wasn’t scared because I didn’t know what I was going to do next. I was scared because I didn’t want to feel like I was giving up, I didn’t want to feel like a failure. But I know now that in certain situations, with certain people, under certain circumstances, letting go can take more strength than holding on.

The night I got accepted into the ICW Hall of Fame was truly the highlight of my career. Over the years I have wrestled all over, competing against some of my childhood idols.

But being respected in my home company, considering my struggle as the first woman and knowing where ICW is now, was incredible.

I made a speech that night and I honoured the person that phoned me after every single wrestling match I ever had, right up until the very end, to make sure that I had ‘no bruises’.

My wonderful Gran, who raised me single-handedly from a young age and taught me everything I know; and in honour of her unconditional support for a world that she really didn’t understand; we had a cheers, ‘to no more bruises!’

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

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NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

The Boy who Refused to Let Things Be C

ector Kevin Browne, Care Experienced Membership Dir

are Day has always been a day of celebration and this year was no exception with Who Cares? Scotland’s announcement that it had appointed its first ever Care Experienced Director, Kevin Browne. Kevin, who is currently the Corporate Parenting Manager at WC?S, will take up his new post as the Care Experienced Membership Director at the end of April. This is a history making decision and below Kevin tells us what it really means to him.

At school, lots of the kids in my class dreamt of being astronauts, firefighters, footballers or teachers. I understood why. But having spent 15 years of my life growing up in care, I spent a lot of time dreaming about how to improve the very world in which I was living.

My school reports during that time always said that I’d do much better, and find myself in a lot less trouble, if I just kept my nose out of other people’s business. I could never do it. When I saw an injustice in the playground or heard someone in my class being spoken to like they were nothing, I’d be the first to stick my hand up, the first to shout and the first to be told to leave the class. Eventually, my refusal to just leave things be would lead to me being excluded from school.

I was taken into care at the age of three and I left at the age of eighteen.

The state made a decision to get involved in my life – and then made many more decisions about where I lived, who I lived with, when I could see the people that mattered to me, what information I needed and which of my rights I was entitled to.

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In most cases, I never felt like I was an equal in the decisionmaking process. People, none of whom seemed to understand what it was like to actually live in care, decided things for me.

I would lie in bed at night, feeling strongly that something had to be different but lacking the words to describe it. That unknown, unnamed feeling ran through my veins throughout my childhood and into adulthood.

When I was 13, Who Cares? Scotland, or rather a guy called Ray from Who Cares? Scotland, came into my life. Working as my advocate, Ray helped me find the words that I had been searching for. He also introduced me to a part of the world that I didn’t imagine existed – a room in Paisley where other care experienced people like me talked about changing things.

In April, I will take up my post as the first care experienced member of the senior management team, with the intention of making my dreams of a better world for care experienced people a reality. It’s now my job to make sure that care experienced people, no matter where they are, understand Who Cares? Scotland’s unique lifelong membership offer and the benefits of this, which include having a voice that is heard and a sense of belonging within the care experienced family and the world that exists beyond that.

The distance I have travelled to get where I am now has been profound. I hope that other care experienced people will see that this journey is possible. The young people who interviewed me told me they want to see me lead from the front and connect with care experienced people the length and breadth of Scotland. And that’s exactly what I intend to do.

At heart, I am still that boy who refuses to just let things be.

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Kevin’s Who Cares? Scotland Journey To mark Kevin’s new appointment as Care Experienced Membership Director, we here at SpeakOut, thought it only fair that as members of Who Cares? Scotland you got to know your new Director a little better. So we’ve trawled through old photo albums and (very) old issues of SpeakOut to bring you Kevin’s Who Cares? Scotland journey. (There are some gaps!) (You’re welcome!)

2005 The first trace we can find of Kevin in SpeakOut is in an article from 2005 titled ‘Look like a model’. #bringbackthechain.

2005

2006

Kevin interviews actor, James Nesbitt, for SpeakOut.

Kevin is now Chair of the WC?S Board and has a regular feature in SpeakOut called ‘Keeping up with Kev’.

2011

2013

Kevin is now Advocate for Glasgow.

After a travelling the world, Kevin returns as a Sessional Worker before becoming a Training and Information Officer, just in time to help WC?S host their first campaign event where we asked professionals to take the pledge to listen.

2014 Kevin supported a group of 21 care experienced young people to give evidence to the Education and Culture Committee. This would eventually lead to a landmark change in the law and the Children and Young People’s Act 2014 (Scotland).

2014 Kevin and WC?S celebrate National Care Leavers Week 2014.

2018

Kevin and Duncan meet the Cabinet Secretary during NCLWS15. #bluesteel

WC?S holds its 2nd annual Summer Camp.

Kevin helps create a caring and loving environment!

2016 Kevin is part of a group of care experienced people who get the chance to talk to the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, whilst she visits the Who Cares? Scotland National Office.

2015

2015

2015 2015 Kevin is now the Corporate Parenting Manager and has his own team, who love him!

2016 Kevin takes himself really seriously!

At this years Staff Away Days, we mark the end of an era as we say goodbye to spikey haired Kevin and we say hello to smooth side parting Kev!

2017

Kevin celebrates Care Day with a little dance at the Carelidh.

Last year’s Summer Camp, saw Kevin embrace his ‘Camp Kev’ persona, a pensive man of the woods, complete with hair band.

2017 Yabadabadoo! Celebrating Time to Shine 17 with Chief Ghostbuster, Claudia!

kOut lar feature in Spea Look out for a regu if you his new role, and following Kevin in k ns you’d like to as have any questio to em th l emai Kevin then please caresscotland.org ho w p@ hi members

THE FUTURE The future looks bright at Who Cares?

Scotland. We are so excited to see what the Who Cares? Scotland Family can achieve with Kevin leading the way.

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

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NEWS & EVENTS

CARE DAY 2018

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

The Carelidh 2018 Chelsea Ely, 22

I

had never been to the Carelidh before, so I was a bit unsure. I got ready in the WC?S national office with some other people, there was a great atmosphere with music playing and everyone was just generally excited.

Once we were ready we jumped in taxi’s and headed to the venue. When we arrived, it was nice to see that everyone had made an effort and

looked really lovely. We were greeted with little button hole thistles which you attached to your outfit. There was a live band which was playing traditional ceilidh music and people were either dancing or sitting and watching.

I did near enough every dance even though I probably wasn’t the best. It was hilarious to watch when people kept getting the dance moves wrong.

Care Day Cup C

are Day Cup 2018 saw 31 care experienced young people from across four different local authorities participating in a 6-a-side football tournament at Hamilton Power League. Areas represented were, South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire and Fife. The trophy was

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Half way through they served food which was amazing. I think I was the first up. To end the night the band played Loch Lomond and Auld Lang Syne. Everybody was up, holding hands in a massive circle singing their hearts out. That was the best part for me seeing our Care Family having the best time ever. Surely that’s what Care Day is all about!

By Chris Murdoch, Participation Ass istant

awarded to North Lanarkshire Community Alternatives team, as was the player of the tournament trophy. The event was part of Who Cares? Scotland’s Care Day 2018 celebrations and was contested competitively with some great skill on display!

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

CARE DAY 2018

NEWS & EVENTS

Celebrating Care Day with the Children’s Minister

A

s part of the Care Day celebrations we met with the Children’s Minister, Maree to talk about the rights of care experienced young people. I kicked off the day with a short speech about what Care Day means to me. Normally I just talk, I don’t need notes, but because of how important Care Day is to me, I felt that I needed to write down what I wanted to say. It was hard to explain in words what Care Day means to me? How do you describe a feeling? Despite being really nervous I managed and after that I felt more relaxed.

We did 2 rights themed activities with the Children’s Minister. The first one was about us being on an island with 6 items and we had to get rid of one. Trying to decide on which item was harder than you’d think. Next, we

looked at 7 rights from the UNCRC that we have as care experienced young people and we had to decide on a right we would be happy to lose.

We talked about what was important about each right and then we put them in order from most important to least important. This was really hard as all the rights seemed equally important, for example one the rights was “You have the right to the best health possible and to medical care and information.”, we all agreed that this is a basic human right, and I spoke about my time in secure and having mental health problems and how when I reached 18, all my support was taken away from me because I was too old for CAMS. Another right we discussed was “You have the right to education” and we all agreed that we need

education, not only to get good jobs but to basically survive in the world.

However, we discussed how this right was often violated because all our panel meetings were arranged during school time, so we would be taken out of school and asked why we weren’t doing well in school?

The Children’s Minister said she didn’t want to get rid of any of them because they are all so important, and that turned out to be the right answer! All our rights are there for a reason and every single one of them should be upheld by society.

The last thing we did was write our manifestos on how we would make a better care system. Then we helped Maree write hers, so she could take it away and be reminded of what we are all fighting for. On Care Day and every other day!

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NEWS & EVENTS

CARE DAY 2018

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Care Day in the Western Isles Jean Anne MacLachlan , Participation Assistant

W

e decided to do something slightly different here in the Western Isles to celebrate Care Day. APW Alison, North Team Manager Tom and myself put our heads together and came up with the idea that I would host a breakfast and invite our local police Inspector Jane Nicolson and our local Sheriff, David Sutherland. Other guests would include my sister Sophie, my friends Megan and Alison.

All of us have had experience with the police and the court justice system whilst being in care. As Care Day is about celebrating success, we thought it would be great to show our guests how well we are doing now and the positive changes we have made to our lives.

We set up a lovely breakfast which included sausage and bacon rolls, croissants, pain au chocolates, fresh fruit, juice, tea and coffee. We managed not to burn anything which was a good start. We chatted over breakfast, Alison asked questions to help us share our feelings about the experiences we had been through.

Sophie talked about why she used to

run away from the children’s home and how despite everything the police were always kind and respectful when they found her. Inspector Nicolson described how the police feel when a young person runs away from a children’s home and the worry that it causes them. Jane explained that their main priority was to find the young person as soon as possible and then look after them until they can be returned to the house.

Sheriff Sutherland gave us an insight into his role and said that he is very aware that his actions can change peoples lives. He must ensure the safety of both the perpetrator and the victim whilst showing the same respect to both. Listening to Sheriff Sutherland being so open and honest was refreshing and really changed my thoughts on my experience in court.

Inspector Nicolson remembered me from my past involvement with the police and again was very honest with her reflections on this. This was also so helpful for me to reflect on. It just goes to show you how being able to have a conversation, where you feel

listened to and in turn listen to the other person, can really improve your relationship and attitude with law enforcers. Megan talked about the support she received from the police 3 years previously when she felt very vulnerable and needed to feel protected from a prisoner returning to the island.

Megan still has this support and Jane was delighted to hear how her team has made such a difference to Megan.

Before they left we were given notes which thanked us for our hospitality, congratulated us on how well we were doing and wished us all the best for the future. As a thank you I sent Sheriff Sutherland to work with a breakfast “doggie bag” to share with his colleagues!

First Minister’s Question Time M

eanwhile in Glasgow, First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon arrived at the House for and Art Lover to celebrate Care Day by taking part in another First Minister Question Time, alongside, Chair of the Review, Fiona Duncan.

First speeches were made by Chief Executive, Duncan Dunlop; newly appointed Care Experienced Membership Director, Kevin Browne; 1000 Voices Ambassador and WC?S member, Callum Lynch; Spokesperson and WC?S member, Carmel Jacob and care experienced guest speaker from California, Noel Anaya. All the speeches were inspiring and moving, as the speakers shared why Care Day is so important.

The First Minister then told us how honoured she was to celebrating Care Day with us and repeated her promise to make Scotland a better place for care experienced people before answering questions, asked by members of Who Cares?

Scotland, on how she intended to do that. The Question Time itself was skilfully chaired by Noel Anaya, who brought his own insight from growing up in the care system in America.

One WC?S member commented, “when the First Minister turns up to stuff like this, it shows that she really does take us seriously and is listening to us. That means a lot!”

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Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

CARE DAY 2018

NEWS & EVENTS

Kibble Celebrate Care Day PW Jemma Kane, A

T

his Care Day the Kibble group got together to talk about the positive things about being in care. For some young people this was a struggle as many negatives of being in care automatically came to mind. But it wasn’t long before we got talking about the opportunities being in care can provide, such as getting to visit new places, do activities and go on holiday. Some young people talked about the emotional support they received and the strong relationships they’ve been able to build with caring staff members who won’t give up on them. Other young people commented on the sociable aspect of being in care and not feeling isolated in their care journey.

A polaroid camera was used for young people to take photographs to express themselves and write down their positive aspect of being in care. These

photographs were then stuck onto a large canvas, within a heart shaped by colorful hand prints. We ended up with an impressive piece of art - a happy and vibrant celebration of care! Whilst Care Day is only one day of the year, this artwork will remind us for the other 364 days to continue those conversations about what it means to be in care and that care experienced children and young people deserve to be celebrated.

Care Day in Moray Lesley Prendergast, Development Officer

C

are Day in Moray was marked by the hoisting of the Moray Care Experienced Young People’s Flag.

After some photographs on the steps of the Council building, the young people, corporate parents and support workers made their way up to the roof.

The flag was hoisted by one of our young people and the Chief Executive of Moray Council, Roddy Burns. This amazing moment was carried out to the piped refrain of ‘Scotland The Brave’ performed by Neil McConnachie who works with TMC’s Through Care, After Care Service. We then moved indoors for a reception hosted by the Council with some words from Roddy on the impact flags can have, the importance of Care Day and his

hopes of growing this event for 2019.

In the evening, Historic Scotland, an organisation responsible for promoting and protecting Scotland’s history, invited a group of 50 care experienced young people and support staff to the impressive Fort George, to continue the celebrations.

They provided dinner, a tour of the fort and a talk on historic weaponry.

There was also the chance to dress up in historical clothing and have your picture taken or to partake in some arts & crafts. It was a really wonderful experience – the welcome, the surroundings, the warm knowledgeable staff and the activities that were provided, all contributed to the special feeling of celebration on Care Day 2018.

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• The Young Islanders: Tackling island life.

• CEYP Group: Specifically, for care experienced young people.

For more info contact Alison.

Western Isles Groups mp care.

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Group: Fun, • Moray Social food & friends. ntact Lesley P. For more info co Arts & crafts.

• In the Mix: ntact Paula.

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Moray Groups

ups. We ur local gro o d n e tt like a you would entitled to If ! re u a o u y o r y e a , e d s? Scotlan going on n S staff on th ? s re C t’ a a W C h r o w h fo e W e rs er of g numbe elow to s As a memb telephone h by emailin c e ve a look b u a th to H d r. in n e fi t ff e l o u’l , then g have lots to on about a group, yo ing for you th y n a ti a d n rm fi u can’t more info azine. If yo g a m is th d.org f back o aresscotlan c o h w @ ip membersh

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e Groups • YPOC • LAC Fact or • Aberde enshire Ch ampions Board For more in fo contact Lynne W.

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y Groups • ACE (12 +): Fun, foo d& friends.

• ACE Sp orts (12+): Get sporty.

• Aberde en Champio ns Board: You ng people changing c For more in are. fo contact Laura Bailey

land, d about in Shet Sian is out an , er th ge to lk fo g bringing youn the cinema and to enjoying trips . up ng hi catc contact Sian.

For more info

Shetland

NEWS & EVENTS Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Fife Groups

• 2BHeard: Fun, food & friends.

For more info call Scot.

Dundee Gro u

• Champio ps ns Board/ YPPG: Youn g people changing ca re.

For more in fo call Cind y or Leah.

• Tayside Care2Create : Arts & craft s.

For more in fo contact Leah or Bro oke.

& friends.

• Kibble Group: Fun, food s ela or Darren.

Pam Glasgow Group : For more info contact Ellie, ls ca di Ra g ng people changi • Youn Falkirk Groups .

• Champions Board: Young Solidarity. Rights • Champions Board: care.

Action. . ty ni U & d Yo ung people Fun, foo ntact • The Breakthrough Group: For more info co ch an ging care. friends.

Euan G. For more info call Ra d. nal Do t tac con y.

For more info Board: • Champions people ng You up: Gro s ups ver Lea le e • Car Young peop East Lothian Gro e. car m fro d: Young people ing . ar tion re Bo transi ampions changing ca Ch • s & crafts for ntact changing care.

• The Diamonds group: Art For more info co t Charlotte – under 10s. more info contac r Karen.

Fo So uth Lanarkshire d & friends for 1107793378531.

• Johnstone Drop: Fun, foo Gr ou ps Fun, food & 16 year olds.

FAMILY group: • • I SL n Foster Group: For vercly all ages. friends.

• Care to Play: Football for • Pro de Groups young people in foste t Alicia or u r e. d Juli t 2 more info contac tac r con C Fo info are: Fu For more ca re , kinship care and food n, Sophie.

For mo and friends. looked after at home re info . ups contac Nicole.

Midlothian Gro ard: Young people • SL Care Leavers: t Bo s • Champion For young people changing care. transitioning from ca ll Jordan. re .

For more info, ca Ayrshire Groups For more info contac t ps • Care2Create Ayrsh Ewen K or Lynne M. Edinburgh Grou & friends. ire: Arts & od fo crafts for 6-10 year • YPiCC: Fun, or olds. ntact Lesley-Ann For more info contac For more info co t Jemma.

• South Ayrshire (8 Ellie B. +): Fun, food & friends.

• South Ayrshire Ch ampions Board: Young people changin g care.

For more info contac t Denise or Sheryl.

Renfrewshire Groups

ung • FYI (Fun Yo n, Individuals): Fu s. food & friend ntact For more info co .

Leah or Brooke

Perth Groups Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

NEWS & EVENTS

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NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Global Care Day 2018 Jacob Batten

New Zealand took part in the WC?S Members who to Jacob d tte cha d an k lin live

O

n Global Care Day 2018 I met up with the VOYCE Youth Council at VOYCE HQ in Auckland. We spent some time making pizzas together and catching up over some food. Then we all played a couple games to warm up for the night and break the ice. After having dinner and playing a few games we moved into the Board room and connected via a live link to members from Who Cares?

Scotland’s Care council in Scotland as well as a few care experienced young people in Ireland and Wales.

Talking to care experienced young people from across the globe was really awesome because it reminded me that being in care isn’t just limited to our corner of the world. It made me feel like I’m not alone in this journey through care. I learnt some really important information from Who Cares? Scotland which was mainly about the organisation and how their Care Council works. By listening to what they had to say I was able to think about what we at VOYCE can do and the steps the Youth Council can take to move forward this year.

The reason why it’s important to celebrate

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Global Care Day is because all care experienced people, across the world, whether they are still in care or have left, need to know they are not alone and there is always support available to help them through hard times. I believe Global Care Day is a great time to connect and recognise all care experienced people.

I personally want to encourage all young people in care and care experienced people that no matter where you come from or what past you have had, you can always do well in life if you believe in yourself. As a young child I was bullied and teased for my vision disability, but I have never let people get in the way of what I want to achieve.

Global Care Day is a good reminder to you all that there is support around you and you can turn to someone when in need.

Never hesitate to reach out and use the support you’re offered and to take the opportunities that come before you.

Never let people say you’re not good enough. You are. We all are.

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Global Care Day 2018

A little bit closer to home, Care Day was also being celebrated by the rest of the UK, led by our partner organisations in the 5 Nations 1 Voice union – VOYPIC (N Ireland), EPIC (Republic of Ireland), VFC (Wales) and Become (England). This year the focus of Care Day was rights, celebration and voice.

Wales

Northern Ireland

Voices From Care Cymru led the celebrations in Wales by taking part in interviews with BBC Radio Wales; organising a family meal with some of their care experienced young people. There was also some rock climbing. A group of young people made a video that looks at things that are commonly said to care experienced people and definitely shouldn’t be.

Then exactly a week after Care Day the Proud to be Me conference was held for young people and their supporters to discuss what being looked after in Wales really means.

The care experienced people of Northern Ireland and their supporters celebrated throughout the day and across the country with coffee mornings, talks and stalls at local Health and Social Care Trusts. Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Alderman Gareth Wilson helped mark Care Day by hosting members from VOYPIC at the Palace in Armagh to raise awareness around young people in care. The finale was a night at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum with lots of fun activities including entertainment from an aerial dancer.

England Across England, charities took the chance to share how they were celebrating Care Day. The Children’s Commissioner of England showed his support. A group of children were taken by an organisation called CLICK to a Kidzania London, which is an indoor city run by kids meant to empower children and give them the chance to role play lots of jobs. TV interview on ITV showcasing a new local initiative to support care leavers. Local MPs fought for change in their local constituencies. The same week Derby council announced care leavers up to age 25 would be exempt from paying council tax.

On Friday 16th February, all over the world, people took to social media to share messages of love and support for care experienced people – from CEOs to politicians, foster carers to residential workers, Corporate Parents to members of the public. #CareDay18 trended for 9 hours solid across the U.K. That is quite an achievement. The challenge now is to keep the momentum of that support going. Look out for the #StillCaring hashtag as we continue to highlight what is being done for the care experienced population throughout the year.

Republic of Ireland In the Republic of Ireland, the care experienced young people and professionals took part in radio interviews and flash mobs to raise awareness. The Social Care classes from Waterford and Dublin enjoyed inspirational talks from care experienced young people. 2 young people from EPIC made a video to find out what the public of Ireland really know about care experienced people. EPIC also released a track called ‘You’ve Rights that they can’t touch’ which was available to buy online, with all proceeds going towards more music workshops for care experienced young people. The day was rounded off with a Care Day 2018 gig.

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Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Who Cares? Scotland Announce Scottish Women’s Football as New Partner Misa Martincova, Fundraising Officer

T

his Care Day marked Who Cares? Scotland’s announcement of our newest partner, Scottish Women’s Football (SWF).

SWF is the governing body for women’s football in Scotland, supporting girls and women to play football across the country.

Kareen Stewart, our Care Experienced Development Assistant, attended the announcement event, and had this to say, “I’ve always enjoyed football and I’ve been part of the football community but I’m also a proud to be part of the Care Experienced community.

To be here to see Scottish Women’s Football not only celebrating Care 20

Experienced women but making a commitment to support Care Experienced people makes me happy. I hope that this commitment helps the wider football community understand why they should put their backing behind Scotland’s Care Experienced population.”

Fiona McIntyre, Executive Officer for SWF said, “We are delighted to be launching this fantastic partnership with Who Cares? Scotland.

They do amazing work and we can’t wait to promote that further to our various members and supporters.”

Our CEO, Duncan, added, “Football has always brought communities

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

together – not only on the terraces. It has been a leading light in changing minds and creating discussion for the better.

From racism to gender equality and LGBT rights, football has had an influence and has helped set the scene for change.”

We can’t wait to work with SWF! As part of our

partnership, they have pledged to cooperate with us on a range of membership and campaigning activities and will be also actively encouraging their associates to fundraise for Who Cares?

Scotland.

As members, keep a look out for SWF offers coming your way!

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Fiona Checks In Dear Reader,

Hello, I hope the Year of Young People has been good to you so far?!

2018 has been really busy for the Review and has already had some amazing highlights like Care Day and the fabulous Carelidh – and it’s only March!

Just like last year I had such a great time at the Carelidh. A HUGE thank you to everyone who made time in between dancing to chat with me and members of the Review team.

The conversations I am having with children and young people all across Scotland are truly the best part of being Chair. The Carelidh was such a fabulous night – the Who Care’s Scotland folks really know how to put on amazing party!

Since the last edition of Speak Out, the Review has been working hard and I want to share with you some news about what has been happening and what is coming next. To keep up-to-date, please have a look at the new website, www.carereview.scot – I hope that you like the look of it. The

colours and design all came from what children and young people told us online.

As the ‘Discovery’ stage reaches its conclusions, everything you have told us has been gathered and analysed, alongside the other work that the Review team has been doing, to give a vision and scope for the Review.

This vision and scope has will be used to create a map for next stage of the Review – the ‘Journey’. But before this map is finalised, it was so important to properly involve children and young people in planning to ensure that the all the ideas and decisions make sense and reflect the most important issues to you.

To make this happen, during March, the Review has been working with GOTO groups –and I’m hoping that lots of Speak Out readers will have taken part. As always, the response to the call out was amazing and I am being blown away by the commitment and support so many children and young people have shown the Review – thank you so much.

There was a lot of time spent listening really hard during the ‘Discovery’ and so in the next stage ‘Journey’, it’s time for action. We won’t stop listening but there are things that you have identified that need to change now - and the Review takes its responsibility to make that change happen really seriously.

The Journey will take around 18 months from start to finish. And there will continue to be lots of ways for you to be involved. So far almost 900 children, young people and adults with care experience have spoken to the Review team and along with the 1000 Voices we will make sure that we continue to offer fun and interesting ways for you to share your voice – especially for anyone who feels they haven’t yet been heard.

We are sharing the plans for the next stage on the Review website and on social media so please check that you are following – you can find details of the Review social media channels at www.carereview.scot/getinvolved/.

So until next time, thanks for reading and take care.

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

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Meetthe Parents NEWS & EVENTS

(Corporate)

F

ife College is committed to making sure that its care experienced students feel supported throughout their time at college. All staff are aware of their corporate parenting responsibilities to our students and know that their support and guidance is key to making sure our students do well, not only during the time that they study with us at college but also into their futures.

One of the many ways that we support our care experienced students is to celebrate important milestones with them. We do this by sending greetings cards marking a range of important celebrations including birthdays, passing exams and moving house.

The cards that are used were created following a college-wide student design competition, reinforcing that not only do our staff have a responsibility to support our care experienced students, but fellow students also care and want to show their support.

Vice-Principal Carol Scott, who leads on corporate parenting at Fife College and sits on the Fife Regional Corporate Parenting Board, said: “I was delighted with the entries we received for the card competition. To see the effort that was put in from students to help celebrate important milestones for our care experienced students was fantastic. We hope that projects such as this compliment our other activities for our care experienced students, ensuring that they feel supported throughout their time with us.”

We realise we need to keep improving however, so have also launched the 22

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Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

I

n the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, section 9 names lots of diff erent organisations as ‘corporate parents’.

A corporate parent has a set of responsibilities, in law, which are designed to make sure that young people in care get the help and support they need to do we ll just like any parent would wa nt for their child. Every college and university in Scotland is a corporate parent, and in thi s issue of SpeakOut, we found out a little bit more about wh at Fife College is doing for its care experienced students.

Kare-Experienced Voice (KEV) Project. KEV started as a project led by Gail Burton from the College’s Guidance team who encouraged colleagues from departments across the College to volunteer and play a part. The team put out a call to careexperienced students to join the group for pizza and also to share their experiences at the College and their ideas for how we can continue to support careexperienced students.

A lot of what the students had to say was reassuring, proving that we are on the right track and making great progress to become a better corporate parent.

The students also came up with some great new ideas such as ‘buddy lunch tables’ which is designed to offer peer support. The best commendation for the project was that the students want to continue to have regular meetings next session and the College’s corporate parenting action group will be making sure that this happens. Crucially, we now have students volunteering to be part of our action group, directly informing the next stage of our development as a corporate parent.

Are you a student with care experience? Who Cares Scotland are bringing together care experienced students from across Scotland in 2018. Our Learner Alumni Group meets regularly in Glasgow to discuss to discuss the experiences of care experienced students in education, influencing policy on a national level.

Interested? Email our Alumni Co-ordinator Gregor: gclunie@whocaresscotland.org.

NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

East Renfrewshire Champions Board

Lindsay Cook, East Renfrewshire APW

A

s a happy go lucky APW, I have been, well…both happy and lucky to be involved in the progression and facilitation of East Renfrewshire’s Champions Board these last few months. There has been real momentum from last September leading to our first official Champions Board meeting on October 4th of last year.

As my dear old granny used to say, ‘A kipper is not a slipper.’ Now whilst I still have no idea to this day what that actually means, it’s true to say that with most things, it’s solid preparation that makes a successful end product and this was very much the case with the young champions working four full evenings in the week leading up to the meeting to ensure things went smoothly.

The young champions chose ‘mental health’ as their first theme to be researched and explored, leading to being presented at the official meeting. My trusty colleagues Tia and Saffron conducted some fantastic work in researching this theme, discovering the types of mental health services available in the authority, what they offered and how they went about

helping young people in difficulty.

This afforded the young champions an informed platform from which to explore their own experiences of these services, setting out what worked well, what didn’t and what changes could have made a positive impact.

Some of the young champions took part in creating and presenting an abstract drama titled, ‘Journeys’ at the meeting. This was a lovely piece representing a care kid’s journey through life and was met with rousing applause from their adult champion guests.

The evening was rounded off in a poignant manner, with three young champions sharing their life experiences relating to mental health.

This was a very personal, emotional and extremely brave piece that brought silence to the room. The proverbial ‘pin drop’ was certainly heard, with wonderful feedback from the adult champions, a good few having for the first time, the privilege to listen to care experienced young people share a part of their lives with them.

As one adult champion commented to me, ‘They are far more than just

statistics, aren’t they!’

Now we are looking at approaches mental health resources use in engaging with care experienced young people; does a clinical approach hinder young people engaging with a service? Does a more relationshipbased approach help a young person to gain trust and open up? We hope our adult champions can help us find out. We also hope that our fellow Champions Boards across the country will get involved with this consultation.

So, if you are part of a Champions Board, please talk to your colleagues and peers about this and get in touch.

(See the back of the magazine for my number.)

As my wee granny and the representatives of LEGO might say, ‘The wee people will only make the big people nervous by sticking together.’

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International Women’s Day T

o celebrate International Women’s Day, we held an evening of activities and discussion in the Who Cares? Scotland National office. This was organised by the brilliant Sarah Case from our Public Affairs team. It was attended by our female staff, family members, and alumni members, including Sylvia Douglas, who is not only an alumni member but CEO of MsMissMrs – a social enterprise set up to help women with self-esteem issues.

The night kicked off with a confidence-boosting activity where everyone had to pass around an envelope with their name on it and we each had to write a compliment about that person to put into their envelope. At the end of the evening the girls got to go home and read all these lovely compliments about them – an activity which we would recommend to all groups, it’s a wonderful way to spread positivity and kindness!

The rest of the evening was spent discussing what it means to be a woman, what it means to be careexperienced, and then ultimately, what it feels like to be a care-experienced woman. Discrimination, stigma and other issues were talked about by all the young women present, and the evening showed the importance of sharing these experiences with those who have faced similar issues. We worked in small groups and wrote down some of these experiences and how it made the girls and women feel. There were also positive examples of inspirational female role models, female strength and the connection that girls feel with one another.

These written notes about what was said have been kept by our Policy Team – this is so they can share these views with a women’s organisation in Scotland called ‘Engender’. They are researching how well Scotland is treating women and girls in all parts of society and this means they must include the voices of care experienced women! Engender will use the voices of Scotland’s women to tell the United Nations how well they think Scotland’s

DID YOU KNOW?

brated in many countries International Women’s Day is cele women are recognised around the world. It is a day when ts. The United Nations and celebrated for their achievemen en’s Day on 8 March began celebrating International Wom rprogress, a call to 1975. This year’s theme was #pressfo gender equality. action to press forward and progress

government is respecting women’s rights and whether women are being treated equally.

To round off the night, Sylvia from MsMissMrs led a short empowerment workshop. We discussed what it means to feel empowered, and how we must selfcare, which means looking after ourselves and valuing ourselves. Finally, everyone was given a little self-care pack and a pair of Empowerment Pants to take away with them! Thank you Sylvia for joining us and helping us celebrate International Women’s Day! A massive thank you to everyone who contributed and shared their experiences. It was so good to watch everyone connect and celebrate being a woman!

Something we don’t do often enough in my opinion!

#girlpower

MsMissMrs Sylvia Douglas set up the MsMissMrs social enterprise in 2013 for all women to address self-esteem issues which they suffer as a result of a difficult life journey. This was conceived by Sylvia after her own experience growing up in care and all that followed. The mission at MsMissMrs is to support female empowerment. They live this mission through providing women and girls with effective self-care techniques on their Self-Empowerment programme alongside a range of health, well-being and self-care workshops. The sale of their Empowerment Pants also helps fund the work they do! www.msmissmrs.co.uk

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NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Keeping Up with Carly:

What is feminism and why do we need it?

Carly Telford, Corporate Parenting Assistant

W

hilst trying to decide what to write for my SpeakOut piece, we celebrated International Women’s Day and it made me want to share why I call myself a feminist, what it means to be a feminist in today’s society and why everyone should get involved in this fight for equality.

Like any movement, feminism has been interpreted to mean different things to different people over the years, but at its root feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes – the rejection of misogyny (prejudice against women) and sexism. Misogyny is responsible for the discrimination that women face every day. Here are some examples; the assumption that it is a woman’s job to do the cooking and cleaning; the fact that women in the UK still earn on average 20% less than men; that women must give up their jobs to look after their children; that women are less likely to study science and technology subjects because these are seen as ‘men’s subjects’; when people go to see a Doctor and are surprised when it’s a woman; the fact that the majority of board chairs, presidents and CEOs of UK organisations are men.

I’m a feminist because I want to end this discrimination.

To me, and others, feminism is also a critique of traditional gender roles, for both men and women.

By gender roles we mean, the way in which society expects men and women to dress, to act, what jobs they should do and how they express themselves. The feminism I believe in says if women want to wear trousers, why shouldn’t they? If women want to be the boss and take control, why shouldn’t they? If men want to become nurses and stay at home dads, why shouldn’t they? If men want to cry, why shouldn’t they?

Feminism isn’t defined by women who burn their bras or women that don’t want to shave their legs, it is for all; young girls, old women, single mothers, women who don’t want children, women of colour, LGBTQI women, business women, housewives and also men, because men are not the enemy, they too are victims of an unequal society.

And anyone who recognises and understands that the lack of equality between the sexes is damaging and needs to be addressed, is a feminist.

As awareness around gender inequality grows, movements have been formed, one such movement is #MeToo, which started when actress Alyssa Milano asked, “If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.” Within days, millions of

women used #MeToo on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to disclose the harassment and abuse they have faced in their own lives. Prompted by these revelations, ‘Time’s Up’, which is a movement against sexual harassment began at the start of 2018, championed by people in Hollywood in response to Harvey Weinstein, a movie producer who used his power and status to abuse women who he worked with. Time’s Up has raised a fund of over $20 million, which can now be accessed by those who have experienced sexual harassment.

These movements have allowed women to share their experiences and feel solidarity with one and other. Behaviour that at one point has been seen as something that women just have to put up with is now being challenged across the world.

As care experienced individuals and members of Who Cares?

Scotland, we know about challenging stigma, the power of sharing your story and the fight for equality. So maybe many of you are half way there to becoming feminists already. Hopefully this article has made you think about things that you might just have taken for granted and reminded you that the fight for equality is multilayered. Here’s to a future of equality for all!

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NEWS & EVENTS

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S

tand Up for Siblings is a new partnership between Clan Childlaw, Who Cares? Scotland, SCRA, the University of Strathclyde and CELCIS that was launched on the 9th March. The first event looked at children’s rights and concrete changes that can be made at practice level to improve contact between brothers and sisters in care. One of the key parts to this event was care experienced people sharing their experiences of sibling contact and, more often than not, sibling separation and the real impact this has on them. Delegates also heard from Fiona Duncan, the Chair of the Independent Care Review, and Bruce Adamson, the Children’s Commissioner. At the end delegates pledged their support to Stand Up for Siblings and gave a commitment to what they or their organisation can do to help.

Helen was one of our care experienced members who spoke at the conference. Below, she and her sisters talk about the importance of sibling relationships and the special opportunity this Care Day gave them.

“

As the 16th of February approached, we were so excited.

For the first time in over three years we were going to be in the same room, in the same place, together! Growing up, our relationship with one another has always been a special one, although it’s been difficult at times living in different places but our bond as sisters has never been stronger.

Growing up in the care system resulted in us missing out on so many key events of each other’s lives, first days at high school to watching our eldest sister leave for university. This means for us that every second we get to spend together are moments that we cherish. Entering the Barony hall together, the setting for this year’s Carelidh, is a feeling that we won’t ever forget. It was a mix of happiness, love and pride.

Sharon said that getting to go was “like a dream come true. Being reunited with my sisters made me feel so warm inside. I’ve never felt happier in my entire life” and this is a feeling that we all shared. Being reunited made us feel whole again. Karen said that “I was so happy to be with Helen and Sharon, it was the best day of my life because I was finally with my family. Even though it was only for three hours it was like I was finally happy and safe with both of my sisters”.

That feeling of togetherness is something that’s quite hard to explain and we felt so blessed to be able to come together in a safe and welcoming place, where for the first time in what felt like forever we could just simply be sisters. Helen said after it that “it’s the first time in my life that I’ve felt 100% content and happy, having my sisters by my side is a feeling that I will cherish, being able to hold them close and share

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that moment with them is the biggest gift I’ve ever received”.

We are so grateful that we got the chance to come together to celebrate not only our care identity but each other and although Care day 2018 is over and thankfully Helen and Karen’s embarrassing dancing is over (at least until next year) the feeling of pride, love, hope and most importantly togetherness is a memory that all three of us will cherish for a lifetime.

”

Helen (18),

Sharon (17)

and Karen (1

5)

NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

By Caitlin McKeown , Public Affairs Assistant

I

first got into Photography when I was 16. Phones weren’t very good at taking photos – but I still tried! I mostly took photos of my friends, family and pets. When I got my first beginner camera, I was really into photographing horse riding events, as I was a rider myself, I thought it would be good if others had someone there to photograph them. I decided that I wanted to learn how to get better at taking action photos at equestrian events, so I could become an equine photographer.

When I wanted to try something different, I would take my camera into Glasgow and Paisley and take photographs of people and buildings.

After a year, I got another camera – a Canon EOS 650D, my first DSLR. Round about that time I found out there was an evening photography course at a college in Paisley and I decided to apply and was accepted. When I turned up, I was the youngest person there, whilst the oldest was over 80! Showing how there really is no age limit for being passionate about photography! I learned a lot of different things, new skills and techniques, so I decided to start charging £10 an hour for equestrian photoshoots. This was an attempt to change what had previously been a hobby into a career. I knew inside me that this is what I wanted to do but it’s an extremely difficult market to get into.

Whilst I was going full time to college, I met another photographer who I got on well with, we used to photograph Asian weddings. Some of these

weddings could go on over 3 days, for as long as 14 hours a day! It was extremely tiring, so it was good to do it with another person, we made a great team.

During my time as a student I studied a range of different photography units, from fashion to portrait. One of my favourite units was called “Beauty in the Mundane”, during this class we were asked to think about how we saw beauty and where we saw it. As photographers we learned to look beyond what was obviously beautiful and find beauty in unexpected places and capture it with our cameras. This could be super challenging but also really interesting when we got to share our work and see all the different things we’d photographed.

Now we love it when you guys send things into us here at SpeakOut, so if you wanted to take up the challenge of finding ‘beauty in the mundane’ and sending in your photographs, we’d love to print them. So grab your phone, camera, whatever will take a photo and get out there and be creative, think outside the box. Here are some examples to get you feeling inspired!

Beauty in the Mundane

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NEWS & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

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 Friday 8th June 2018 to be in with a chance of winning a £20 voucher of your choice.

Guess the song ‘When I was six years old I broke my leg, I was running from my brother and his friends’

s r e w o fl e h t h c t Ma a. Sunflower

d. Poppy

b. Thistle

General Knowledge

e. Buttercup

c. Daffodil

Which Disney character has a nose that grows longer every time he tells a lie?

Guess the artist

Born: 8th September 1979 Song: What About us Fact: Has a daughter called Willow Sage

Finish the saying Spring _ _ _ _ _ _

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

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_ , fall _ _ _ _.

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H LAST ISSUES WIN NERS ARE: De clan Stewart – 15 Murs Muramma – 15 Roberto Covaciu – 9 Amilea Fraser – 15 Dean Nicholson – 13

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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS & EVENTS

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

JUST FOR FUN…

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DAFFODILS EASTER EGG CHOCOLATE

LAMBS SPRING BASKET BONNET

DUCKLINGS RABBIT HUNT CELEBRATION

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NEWS & EVENTS SO JUNIOR

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

R O I N U J O S Buddy the Bear loves finding out what our younger members have been up to! Make sure you let him know!

A Winning Family We are brothers and sisters and we have all won the Who Cares? Scotland Speak Out magazine competition.

I was the first out of my family to win. With my voucher I bought a Snoopy game for the PS4. The game is calle d Snoopy’s Grand Adventures. The game is hard to play. I like level 2 of the game because it has trampolines and you get to climb . I think there are 18 levels. I’ll keep entering the competition.

Leland, 5

my voucher for Build I was the second one in my family to win. I got y. I picked a dog tedd a d a Bear. We went to Build a Bear and picke ht him a motorbike boug I . because he looked cute. I named him Brian some high tops. and s short hoodie, some cool jeans, some swimming clothes not for for ping shop I had fun shopping because I always love to do is get have you What n. food. I was happy I won the competitio win. you hope all of the answers correct to win and I

Charlie, 9

I was the third one in my family to win. I got my voucher for Intu, it’s a big shopping centre.

I went to a shop called Smiggle. Smiggle sells school thin gs, like pencil cases, pencils that smell like coca cola and they have school bags and packed lunch boxes. I pick ed a pencil case. It’s a football theme. I like that the pen cil case has lots of different compartments. I can reco rd things using my pencil case. It has a record and play button and a speaker. It’s big and it lights up. I love it. I enjoy doin g the competitions.

Lewis, 11

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NEWSSO & EVENTS JUNIOR

Speak Out Magazine | SPRING 2018

Filming with Owen , 13 Rosie First of all, we had pizza and then Rosie started to put up her camera kit.

Rosie had special lighting and it kept falling. It was kind of funny but kind of sad. After that, I went first to film. When I was filming I was talking about what advocacy is. I talked about what I do with Shannon who is advocate. Filming was so good. Rosie came to Inverclyde to film us and Rosie was asking what the least busy train station was to get home. Ellie, Molly, Rosie and Nicole were there too. I also made these pictures with Shannon when I was in her office.

My Day with Nicole Olivia, 8

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icole (my advocate) came to my house, we went on the big bus, I like the bus, we pretended to drive it. Nicole said I could bring one of my toys, I brought Daisy she is my toy dog. On the bus the lady was dressed up as a Santa Claus. She gave me some chocolates for Christmas, it was funny.

After that me and Nicole got off at McDonald’s, I love McDonald’s. I wanted a chocolate milkshake with my Happy Meal but there were no chocolate milkshakes! But then I seen there was strawberry and I have never had strawberry before, it was the best thing ever made in the whole of history! I shared my wrap with Diary, my toy dog, who wanted more of it. Where we were sitting boys and girls were walking by us all the time. I played on the order machine, pretending to make orders but just pretending. We went to B&M before Nicole took me home. I bought the first Paddington Bear film because I have never seen that before, but I saw Paddington Bear 2 in the cinema a few weeks ago and I loved it. If I could describe my day with Nicole in one word it was AMAZING!

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

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Jantine van Loon APW Highland 07850852708

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