SpeakOut Summer 23

THE SUMMER

SUMMER 2023

WHO CARES? SCOTLAND MAGAZINE

U T E P! E M Who Cares? Scotland held their first national members’ residential since COVID-19. Find out exactly what we got up to and check out the pictures on pages 26-27

READ ABOUT OUR FIRST REFUGEE WEEK EVENT P7

MEET OUR 2023 HARVARD STUDENTS P12-13

MSYP CHARLES GIVES US AN UPDATE ON HIS SIBLING MOTION P22

CHECK OUT THE FULL ROUND UP OF OUR SUMMER PROGRAMME P24-25

WELCOME

Welcome to the latest is s Inside this issue:

Check out what’s inside...

2-3

4-5

8-9

12-13

20-21

Welcome Pages

LIFESTYLE 4-5

Celebrating You

6

Triumphs in Tech

7

Welcome Refugees

8-9

Escaping Anxiety

10

Director Diaries

NEWS & EVENTS 11

Member Opportunities

12-13 Our 2023 Harvard Students 14-15 Spring Programme Round Up 16-17 Newsflash 26-27

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s r e d a e r r Ou 75

Every quarter SpeakOut is sent out to every Who Cares?

Scotland Family Member.

4,109 members

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Our youngest member is 1 and our oldest member is 75.

18

What is Redress Scheme Scotland?

19

Young People at the Heart of Hearings System Proposals

20-21 Spotlight on Renfrewshire 22

MSYP in Motion

23

Welcoming our New Volunteers

24-25 That Summer Feelin’ 26-27 The Summer Meet Up

ENTERTAINMENT 28

Book Review

29

Women’s World Cup

30-31 Quiz Pages 32

Contacts Page

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sue of SpeakOut Meet the Editorial Team

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The views expressed by the members in this magazine are their own and not necessarily those of Who Cares? Scotland.

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Celebrating

LIFESTYLE SECTION

Celebrating you is a space for you guys to tell us what you’ve been getting up to and to share anything you might be really proud of. We love getting stuff from you, so please send in your poems, stories, pictures, jokes or tell us about something you’ve done, your favourite hobby or a new pet, and we’ll include it in the next issue of Speakout.

Email it over to comms@whocaresscotland.org!

#SteppingUp C

harlie wrote to us about walking the Kiltwalk with her friend, Tamzin. Here’s what she had to say: “Myself and Tamzin decided to take part in the Kiltwalk 2023 to help raise funds for Who Cares?

Scotland because we wanted to give something back and donate money to help with making lifelong memories and experiences for Care Experienced people. We walked from Clydebank to Balloch which is 15 miles. The full day was amazing for both of us and definitely worth the blisters. We will definitely do it all again. Bring on Aberdeen!”

Well done!

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You!

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LIFESTYLE SECTION

A GOODBYE LETTER FROM ADVOCATE, JO HUNTER I have been working with Who Cares? Scotland as an Advocate for a year now, covering a maternity post. My post is just about to come to an end, and I am moving on to pastures new.

I just wanted to tell you that it has been an absolute privilege working for Who Cares? Scotland and advocating for all the young people that I have.

I have loved every minute of it and feel I have learned more about myself and gained more experience in the past year than in my whole career in social care (which is over 20 years, I know, scary!)

I have been a member of Who Cares? Scotland since I was a teenager, and I was in residential care. I used to love getting Christmas cards and birthday cards. They

were so special to me. They always made me feel like I was part of something bigger, a family feeling with people that understood me.

I still love getting them to this day and sharing them with my children.

Being able to advocate for young people who feel they have no voice and being their person, being right by their side when times are good and bad has given me the most job satisfaction I think I will ever have.

I also love the fact I got on the back cover of the magazine!

Love always,

Jo

We will miss yo u too!

First to Last As a little girl, I knew no love No mother's touch, no father's hug My parents’ minds were lost in pain And in the end, my dad's life was slain

The cost of living weighs me down, A constant worry always around.

And as I face postpartum blues, I struggle to keep up with life's news.

As I grew up faced my fears, But fell into bad habits and tears.

Parties and drugs became my escape A never-ending cycle to make.

But I know deep down inside, That I will always be his guide.

I'll teach him love, And hope and strength, And be there for him at any length.

But then I found a new way, A path to follow every day.

I turned my life around you see, And now I have my son with me.

With this gift comes great concern, For I fear I'll fail him and not learn.

How to be a good mother true, When I had no one to look up to

So though the road ahead is tough, I know that I will be enough.

For I am stronger than my past, And will love my son from first to last.

A poem by Cheyann Kelly

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TRIUMPHS IN TECH

SECTION LIFESTYLE

HI, I’M STEPHEN

W

e recently advertised an opportunity for an internship with Social Security Scotland. Care Experienced Software Developer and Who Cares? Scotland board member, Stephen Ramsay, shares his experience of leaving care and establishing his career in tech.

When forging a professional career, individuals with care experience often face unique challenges and barriers when pursuing their dreams. Like many of you, my journey hasn't always been smooth. As a child, I spent roughly 11 years in care, which at times was hard and left me with significant life challenges to overcome. When I left school, I wanted to become a software developer because I believed this profession would allow me to advance in life, and more importantly, it was something I really thought I could achieve with the right support. But the road to my goal was fraught with obstacles and took around 15 years to achieve.

Due to the disadvantages, I faced as a result of my time in care, I had many unsuccessful attempts at gaining admission to university and college. Eventually, I found out about CodeClan’s intensive software developer course which, with the financial support I received from Skills Development Scotland, made the barrier to attaining professional education much lower. Completing this course meant I finally reached the starting line of my career. This led to my current role at Social Security Scotland, where I am part of an amazing team that develops websites.

During a period of long-term unemployment when I lived in a deprived area of Edinburgh, it was my dream to be in a place where I could improve things for Care Experienced people and make it easier for them to access skilled roles.

When I started in my current role back in December 2021, I hadn’t forgotten my dream, but I decided to settle into the role before pursuing it. However, 6

I joined our Corporate Parenting Champions group, and it was through this connection that I was invited to give a quote for an article on the work intranet. My quote highlighted the difficulties I had faced in trying to get this far in life and emphasised the importance of raising awareness of Care Experienced people. This article was read by the Head of Software Engineering Services who reached out to me to ask if I would be interested in collaborating on a project to hire another Care Experienced person to join the engineering division.

Through the combined efforts of myself, the Head of Software Engineering Services and the chairperson for the Corporate Parenting Champions group, this project has now come to fruition. We have designed a tech internship for a Care Experienced person who will join our engineering team at Social Security Scotland. Additionally, we partnered with Who Cares? Scotland, who effectively promoted the position on social media, reaching thousands of potential candidates.

I'm thrilled to report that we have found an exceptional individual who will be joining us later this year. They will undergo a 16-week Professional Software Development course at CodeClan, with their place being funded by Social Security Scotland. During their training, they will receive a salary and benefit from regular mentoring sessions. By ensuring the person receives a salary and is provided with fully-funded training, we have removed two of the biggest barriers many Care Experienced people face when pursuing a career.

Through this initiative, I have taken a step towards achieving my dream and it is my hope that I can pursue further opportunities to help Care Experienced people find their footing, not only in the tech industry, but in other skilled roles.

Refugees Welcome Here

LIFESTYLE SECTION

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e celebrated Refugee Week on the 20th of June with a special gathering of our members and Care Experienced refugees supported by the Scottish Guardianship Service. The evening included food from around the world, music, and plenty of fun!

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-year-old Sudanese refugee, Kadim has shared his thoughts on why there are so many refugees, the challenges they face and what needs to change to make the world a safer, more equal place to live for everyone.

Most nations have immigrants because many countries across the world are burning by the fire of war. Many people have left their homes for several reasons such as war, displacement, harassment, fear, terror, killing, looting, and poverty. Most of these challenges are caused by authorities run by dictators, especially in conflicted countries. There is an absence of justice and a lack of human respect for moral values and rights. Everyone should receive freedom, social protection and be able to live a peaceful life.

Stop human violations, corruption, poverty, self-destruction, environmental struggles, and the flow of refugees will stop!

Who would look to leave their home and start again from zero if conditions in their own home were safe?

Refugees can encounter difficult life challenges and need to be brave and patient. They are ambitious people who don’t give up easily in a crisis. Young refugees are more exposed to danger. Young refugees undergo arduous journeys, enduring perilous escapes from their home countries due to conflict, persecution, or other lifethreatening circumstances. They may face treacherous border crossings, separation from loved ones, and the loss of their homes and possessions. These challenges can result in malnutrition, exposure to harsh climates, and increased vulnerability to violence.

Additionally, young refugees grapple with emotional and psychological hurdles. They undergo immense trauma, witnessing violence and experiencing forced displacement. This trauma can lead to severe anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and other mental health issues. Separation from family and friends, cultural shock, and the loss of identity and emotional damage can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness in their new

environments. They can struggle to integrate and connect with the local community.

Access to education can also be a challenge for young refugees. Displacement disrupts their educational journeys, often forced to abandon school and interrupt their learning. Many refugee children lack access to quality education and face language barriers, discrimination, and limited resources.

Refugees need comprehensive support systems.

Charitable organisations, and local communities are doing their best to support refugees, but young refugees need extra care. They need safe and welcoming environments, and access to essential services, including education, healthcare, and mental health support. Language and vocational training programmes can also equip young refugees with the skills necessary to thrive in their new communities.

It would be better if we all worked together, sharing help and support for young refugees, and respecting their rights. To provide help to young people, experienced professionals need to adopt the flexible attitude adopted by the Scottish Guardianship Service. Social workers, support workers, lawyers, and interpreters need to work together as a team to meet the needs of young refugees.

You might notice that there are similarities between the Care Experienced and refugee communities, including the difficulties they face and their resilience to overcome these difficulties. So, in the same way that Who Cares?

Scotland asks communities across Scotland to make sure that Care Experienced people feel loved and respected, we must all work together to make sure refugees feel welcome and are treated equally.

Guardianship Scotland is a specialist statutory service providing Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ITCG) to all unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and victims of trafficking who arrive in Scotland. If you’d like to read more about The Scottish Guardianship Service visit: https://www.aberlour.org.uk/ email guardianship@aberlour.org.uk or phone 0141 445 8659.

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LIFESTYLE

Escaping As part of Mental Health Awareness Week (15th – 21st of May), 24-yearold member Emma Dullaghan wrote about her experience learning to cope with anxiety and finally finding the confidence to follow her dreams.

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was always a shy child, however, as I entered adolescence, these feelings of nervousness intensified. I grew fearful of day-to-day activities and although things like speaking in class were always out of my comfort zone, I soon became frightened of people even glancing in my direction. It felt like every sensation in my body was heightened. Growing up in care, feelings such as loneliness and alienation were already familiar to me, but as anxiety began to control my life, these were amplified.

When I tried to explain my fears to my school and family, I was often met with the advice ‘No one cares about that, it’s all in your mind’ or ‘Just go up and speak to someone and you will realise it’s not that scary!’. They may sound trivial to some, but feelings are real and valid. This was a dark period of my life, and I became increasingly worried I would be stuck in this bubble forever. How could I enjoy life if I felt unable to approach people? How could I get a job or make friends when the thought of starting a conversation with someone filled me with trepidation?

What if I say the wrong thing? What if I stutter, what if I freeze up and everyone is staring at me, what if, what if, what if?

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*Prophesising “A belief system is a deeply built construct of our thoughts, emotions, and behavior which affects every aspect of our lives. People with anxiety have irrational and negatively skewed belief systems from years of negative experiences, thoughts, and expectations.

Prophesising is part of this where the person is guessing future outcomes based on their belief systems.”

– The Social Anxiety Institute

The pattern here is that this was just me prophesising*, and given my lack of psychic abilities this seems foolish now. I had convinced myself that the worst possible scenario was a reality. I saw my past experiences as a certainty for the future and became discouraged from asking for help again. I developed the habit of ignoring messages and missing appointments, leading to my problems escalating and the feelings of isolation increasing.

Eventually, I began to open up and share how I felt with people. I found that things became a little easier. When people realised how much this impacted my life, the level of understanding and support I was given became integral to my recovery. I grew tired of hiding and began to slowly push myself more.

I looked back one day and thought about all the things I had missed out on due to my anxiety: my prom, birthdays, and weddings.

My life thus far had been plagued with fear and I vowed to no longer let the condition rob me of my happiness.

I began to face my fears. And honestly? It was not easy.

Often, I sat the night before interviews or presentations contemplating packing my bags, leaving the country, and throwing away my phone as my fears consumed me. But as I slowly began to speak more and try new things, a common theme arose once they were over. ‘Well, that actually wasn’t that bad.’

Anxiety LIFESTYLE

This was my experience almost every time. Does it mean that now, all my anxieties are magically erased from my mind? No! But I now have the experience, evidence, and knowledge that I can do it.

And each time I try something new, it makes me a little braver and more confident in my abilities.

When I first began writing this, I tried to think of some tips for fellow anxiety sufferers, and as much as I would like to share some groundbreaking tactic, a magic cure, of course, I cannot. I often felt the advice I was given about basic things such as getting proper sleep and going to the gym was condescending. I was convinced for a long time that these things would make no difference and it’s true that a glass of water and a shower is not going to erase all your problems, but these little changes are steps towards a healthier and happier you.

If there’s one piece of learning I’d like to share, it is the power of nature. I decided to go outside more. I began to explore mindfulness and felt I was able to think and breathe more clearly than ever before. Walking can be difficult as some days doing anything can feel like a challenge, but whatever you feel able to do even if it is just getting out of bed that day and going outside for 5 minutes of fresh air, that is something to be proud of!

Everyone is different, but there will be something out there that helps you! Finding what works may take time but do not give up hope. For years of my life, I saw relationships break down and opportunities pass me by as I was so unsure of myself.

As an adult, I can now look back and think of all the amazing things I have been able to do, such as giving parliamentary talks and being a voice for other young people. If I had been told this would be my future as a scared young girl who used to lock herself in the toilet all day in school to avoid having any kind of social interactions, I would have thought “Yeah right!”, but it did happen, and although it can feel like it won’t ever get better, and you can’t do it. It will and you can.

If you are struggling with feelings of anxiety there are some useful resources available at The Young Minds website:

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SECTION LIFESTYLE

The Director Diaries

With Fiona Donaldson – Director of Finance

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’ve worked in finance for my entire career, and I’ve covered a lot of different sectors from training, property, waste management, to the arts sector and health sector, and a bit of film production thrown in for good measure! I’ve worked in the charity sector for the last 14 years and I joined Who Cares?

Scotland in 2021. I definitely prefer the charity sector to the private sector because I find it’s much more collaborative and everyone is working towards a common goal.

What does your role involve?

I oversee the finance and HR functions within the organisation. I work closely with Philip and Doreen in the finance team to provide our Senior Management Team and the Board with the information they need to support their decision making. I also work closely with our newly appointed HR and Workforce development manager Louise Ferguson to ensure that our HR processes are working correctly, and that staff get the training they need to support their work.

What are your aspirations for the organisation and the care community as a whole?

When I’m not focusing on numbers, I have a dog and cat that keep me occupied with their many demands! I’ve lived in the same town for most of my life apart from a 5 year stay in London which I really enjoyed and made the most of time off from work to see the sights and catch a lot of theatre shows. I’m a bit of a TV addict and am a big Buffy the Vampire Slayer and West Wing fan.

I’ve just started my annual West Wing rewatch so that’ll keep me busy for a while.

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I hope the organisation continues to be a vital voice for the care community, raising awareness of the issues they face and campaigning for lifelong advocacy to ensure that the right support is available for everyone.

If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would you choose and why?

Writer, broadcaster and former politician, Gyles Brandreth, he’d keep the conversation flowing all night!

Is there anything you’d like to say to our members?

I’m really glad that I joined Who Cares? Scotland and can make a small contribution to making sure the organisation goes from strength to strength and continues to represent our members and the wider care community.

Member Opportunities

LIFESTYLE SECTION

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e have been recruiting three exciting opportunities this summer. Each opportunity will provide applicants with the chance to improve their skills like public speaking, teamworking, campaigning and much more.

Empowered Voices Training Programme Our Empowered Voices Training Programme is our spokesperson training course focused on helping the care community learn vital campaigning, activism, and public speaking skills. Care Experienced people have always spoken up and campaigned for change. Across centuries this has taken many different forms, but one thing holds true, the power of the voices of those with experience of care has driven change.

Applicants will make connections with other influential Care Experienced people and have the

opportunity to drive change together.

Previous members of these training programmes have gone on to become co-chairs of the independent care review, members of the Scottish Youth Parliament, and hold other influential roles in Scottish civic society.

Training will take place over three weekends during the year, with the opportunity for further learning on an ad hoc basis.

We will be running this programme on an ongoing basis, so keep a look out for the next round of sign-ups.

National Representative Body (NRB) Who Cares? Scotland’s National Representative Body (NRB) 2023-2025 will comprise of Care Experienced members of Who Cares? Scotland and aims to support the representation of the broader membership for Care Experienced people. The NRB will be elected by our members at a regional level and will help local members to voice their views, and represent these at a national level.

They will be the mouthpiece of the wider Care Experienced community, helping make sure the voices of all our members are heard and to achieve Who Cares? Scotland’s vision of a lifetime of equality, respect, and love for Care Experienced people.

Applications for the NRB will be readvertised again soon after the first phase closed on the 30th of June.

Member of Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP) Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs) are 14 – 25-yearolds from every part of Scotland who have been elected to represent Scotland’s young people and campaign for positive change.

MSYPs are elected every two years and the next elections will take place in November 2023.

Who Cares? Scotland is a partner of the Scottish Youth Parliament, with two seats for Care Experienced members to serve as MSYPs. Throughout their

term, Charles Fernando and Oísin King, our MSYPs for 2021 - 2023, have brought forward a motion about mental health for the Care Experienced community and attended The Festival of Care in Shetland. They were also awarded the ‘Human Rights Defender’ at the SYP Awards 2022 and have sat on different SYP committees.

Applications for MSYPs closed on the 30th of June. Catch your first glimpse of your seven new candidates on pages 16-17.

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SECTION NEWS & EVENTS

Our Harvard 2023 Students!

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ur Harvard Summer School Programme is back. This year another four of our amazing members travelled to America and spent their summer studying at the Harvard University Summer School.

Find out about the 2023 students here:

» Age: 17 » Hometown: Inverurie » Interests: I’m really into musical theatre and performing. I can even play 5 instruments! » Fun fact: I was in an ABBA tribute act for one night. » What are you studying while at Harvard? I’m studying ‘Intermediate French: Francophone Culture’ and ‘Performing Musical Theatre’.

» Age: 17 » Hometown: Carluke » Interests: I enjoy playing The Sims in my free time. I also really like biology and learning Hawaiian. » Fun fact: A hobby of mine is studying and speaking Hawaiian. I hope to visit the island one day. » What are you studying while at Harvard? I’ve picked to do ‘Neurobiology’ as I think it will be helpful for when I start my university degree in September. I’m also doing a philosophy course called ‘Big Ideas, Great Thinkers’.

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» What are you looking forward to the most? I think just going there and being in Harvard and studying there. That just excites me. And I think getting to meet all the other people that are there as well. » What else are you looking forward to doing while in America?

Fireworks! I’m excited to see all the fourth of July celebrations. Being in America – that’s new to me. And also exploring the area and being in a new place.

» What are you looking forward to the most? The people and just being in a completely new area. I’ve always been independent, but I think it will be really interesting to do it all while in a new place. It will also be really cool meeting people and making connections with people from different places. » What else are you looking forward to doing while in America? It might sound silly but going to Target or Walmart. That was one of the first things I was looking at - watching someone on TikTok buy a haul of stuff from Target. I just loved it because they seem so crazy as they’re just so massive and everything’s just thrown in. So that’s what I’m going to spend all my money on.

who is this?

NEWS &SECTION EVENTS

» Age: 17 » Hometown: Cambuslang » Interests: I’m really into Politics and Spanish. In fact, it’s what I’m studying at university once I get back from Harvard. » Fun fact: On my first and only lottery ticket I got 4 numbers and won £150. Must have been beginner’s luck! » What are you studying while at Harvard? I have picked to study ‘Voice and Speech’ and ‘Propaganda, Past and Present’.

» Age: 17 » Hometown: Kirkintilloch » Interests: I’m interested in business as it’s what I want to do at university, and I like to keep myself busy playing sports. » Fun fact: I am a qualified ski instructor. » What are you studying while at Harvard? While at Harvard I’m doing ‘Improvisational Acting’ which I’m really looking forward to.

I’m also studying ‘Basic Journalism in the Digital Age’.

» What are you looking forward to the most? Just the general hubbub of the place. What I’ve seen in the movies and TV and having the chance to go over there and experience it for myself. But also, the courses I’ve picked to do as well. » What else are you looking forward to doing while in America? I have always wanted to go to Pinocchio’s Pizza place because of the show Suits. So, I’m hoping to do that while I’m there.

» What are you looking forward to the most? The lectures because I feel like when you watch movies, you see clips of them and people are just sitting there and it seems so relaxed. Yet they are writing hundreds of notes and I just find it quite interesting. And obviously, I’m excited to go to the beach and stuff like that. » What else are you looking forward to doing while in America? This is my first time going to America, so I’m really excited. I like eating so seeing their big portions of food.

Also just experiencing a different culture and making friends.

xt issue of SpeakOut Be sure to check out the ne how they got on with where they will be sharing their summer in America!

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NEWS & EVENTS SECTION

2023 Spring Progr T

his year Who Cares? Scotland ran our Spring Programme which saw members across the country taking part in lots of fun activities and days out, supported by our friends at John Lewis Partnership. Hear from members about what they got up to.

The Greatest Show-man!

On the 13th of April, our West Central team took a group of members to go to the Everyman Cinema and watch The Greatest Showman. Members settled down for the show with soft drinks and their choice of sweet or salted popcorn. Once everyone had taken their seats, the film started and before you knew it people started singing along to the songs, and as the film went on more and more people joined in.

“I enjoyed seeing everyone and

meeting new people. I loved the movie and we could sing along. I hadn’t been to that cinema before and, I loved seeing Morag and spending time with her, the popcorn was amazing and we got fizzy drinks as well. Thank you for this experience, I loved it.”

“I enjoyed it because I got to see my friends. I was really excited to see Morag again because I haven’t seen her in a long time. I enjoyed seeing The Greatest Showman because I got popcorn.”

Jump Into Spring Whilst our West Central had a nice relaxing cinema trip, our North East team did things a little differently as they went trampolining for their Jump Into Spring Event - their very first regional connection and fun day for their local members. Members, along with their support workers, carers, and parents bounced around the Jump In centre in Aberdeen.

The venue was spectacular, with many different types of trampolining areas, bright colours, a great soundtrack and lots of space for members to have to themselves.

“I’m impressed by the choice of venue and activities. It feels like

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such a safe space.”

“I just wanted to say a big thank you for the event at Jump In yesterday. We thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was clear to see that all the other young people there were having a great time as well.

The “Who Cares” staff were all very friendly and welcoming and the Jump In staff were very patient with the young people. The pizza lunch was a lovely end to a funfilled morning.”

NEWS &SECTION EVENTS

ramme Roundup Fired Up Our Lanarkshire team took 9 young people from their Crafty Foxes and Mad Middles groups to a local fire station, where they were given a tour. Whilst there they took part in a range of different activities, such as trying on the uniform, a demo on sawing a car to rescue people, exploring the fire engines and seeing how

they store their equipment (some of it is very heavy!) They also got to use the hoses and take part in a Crawl Space activity in which they rescued a dummy, and lastly, they were given a fire pole demo.

Looking After our Planet World Earth Day was celebrated on the 22nd of April and our members in South and East Ayrshire got stuck in and cleaned up some litter while enjoying a day at the beach.

We had 19 Care Experienced children, young people and their supporters helping out at Ayr Beach.

The day was loads of fun and we split into teams to see which group could collect the most litter in an hour. There was lots of time to chat, build relationships and share stories whilst collecting the litter – and some even played games amongst themselves. The laughter, running around and high spirits were only temporarily disrupted when someone got wet feet!

After the litter was bagged up and

the beach was looking much cleaner the group spent some time at the outdoor activity park. Everyone got stuck in and the older members encouraged the younger ones to get involved and try equipment they were a bit cautious of. From all the shrieking and laughing we think everyone had fun.

We finished the day off with some chips and a well-deserved ice cream!

“It was a great wee day, they all enjoyed it. Especially the chips!”

“Thank you for today, I’m glad I met you.”

It’s great to see our members helping to look after our local community. Here are some other ways you can make a small difference to the climate crisis: Recycle your rubbish at home

Buy clothes second hand

Use refillable water bottles and coffee cups

Use public transport to get around

Our Summ er Programm e is currently ru nning, if you’d like to find ou t what’s happenin g in your a re a, you can talk to your advo c ate, email us a t events@ whocares scotland.o rg or message us on soc ial media.

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NEWS & EVENTS

NEWSFLASH Who Cares? Scotland’s Members’ Newsletter

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very quarter we send out a digital newsletter called Newsflash to our members. However, we know that not all of our members will have an email account to access the internet. That’s why we are including a round up of important headlines from the

2022 Annual Report “It’s no understatement to say that the period of our Strategic Plan 2018-2022 represents one of the most significant eras for the Care Experienced community in Scotland…We emerge from this period as a stronger organisation that has developed new ways of connecting, listening, representing, and upholding the rights of the care community.”

– Louise Hunter We released our annual report for 2022 which celebrates the progress made since 2018, looks at our advocacy data from last year, and includes feedback from the Care Experienced people we support using a new framework. Read it now and understand the impact our work is having.

Who Cares? Scotland All Staff Conference On 30th March, Who Cares?

Scotland staff gathered together at the Crowne Plaza for a day of development.

The day allowed colleagues to connect with each other, many for the first time, as we dived into the work we do, helping enhance our knowledge of the work we do across the organisation.

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last couple of months and sharing them again, here in SpeakOut, so you don’t miss out.

If you’re signed up but haven’t been receiving Newsflash, just email membership@whocaresscotland.org and we’ll update your details.

Care Experienced History Month In April, we once again marked Care Experienced History Month. This year we shared articles on care from around the world, blogs on several aspects of care history, as well as lectures and essays from previous Care Experienced History Months. All of this content can be found at their new home on our website.

We also marked International Care Experienced Day of Remembrance on Sunday 30th April in memory of all the Care Experienced people who have come and gone before us.

Jasmin’s Petition Our member Jasmin and our Policy & Public Affairs Manager, Laura gave evidence on the petition Jasmin has been working on, which calls for lifelong rights for Care Experienced people.

who is this?

NEWS & EVENTS

Conservative Party Conference In the last week in April, some members of our staff attended the Conservative Party Conference to discuss issues facing Care Experienced people and the need to #KeepThePromise.

We had discussions with several MSPs on the topic, and look forward to attending other conferences in the future.

Meeting Decision Makers We have continued engaging with decision makers. This month our CEO Louise and Director Kenny met with newly appointed Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise, Natalie Don. We also welcomed Megan Gallacher MSP to our national office to discuss Keeping the Promise and what MSPs can do to help.

We look forward to working and engaging with both ministers moving forward.

The 'Hearings for Children: The Redesign Report'

Louise Speaks to the BBC and STV on a New Care Statistic This month, our CEO Louise spoke to the BBC and STV in light of a report containing new statistics which suggest around 1 in 100 babies born in Scotland are taken into care before their first birthday.

Louise spoke about how these figures are alarming as we’ve also heard recently that the number of those going into care has fallen. As the membership body for Care Experienced people, we know from their direct testimony that the best childhood is a result of decisions being made which are best for the child.

What this means, will not be the same for every person and we must ensure children’s voices are at the centre of decision making. It's important that every child being taken into care has access to independent advocacy, and we need to know that the environment they’re in is one where The Promise is being kept.

On 25th May, The Promise launched 'Hearings for Children: The Redesign Report'.

We highlighted our hope that it would serve as a much needed step towards Keeping the Promise, and outlined our intention to review the report and ensure that Care Experienced voices and people are at the heart of any changes implemented.

Meet our 23/25 MSYP Candidates These are your seven candidates running in the election to be your next MSYPs! Keep an eye out for their campaigns over September and October to hear more about their priorities, and then cast your vote 6-19th November.

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Warning: Mention of abuse

What is Redress Scheme Scotland?

T

he Redress Scheme Scotland was set up to compensate people who were abused as children in a care setting. People apply to receive financial redress payments of £10,000 but if a person feels they deserve more, then a panel may review the circumstances of their claim to see if they are entitled to a higher payment Redress Scotland recently held an engagement session with Who Cares? Scotland where staff from their Helpline team were made more aware of the application and decision-making process, so they can support people to apply.

Redress Scotland have shared the following story from Bill, a Care Experienced applicant from Glasgow, who has shared his experience of applying to the scheme.

He said: “I would encourage anybody that’s thinking about applying to seriously consider it.

I did have a difficult time growing up in care and there were a lot of events that I didn’t want to revisit but I knew that I had to get that down on paper as part of my application.

“When I got the decision out, at the end of it all, it was a good decision and I did feel that there was some justice.

“There is caseworkers there that are available to help you and always go to them if you need help and utilise their skills and you’ll be fine.

“I had some reservations about

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“

When I got the decision out, at the end of it all, it was a good decision and I did feel that there was some justice.

applying initially because there was a lot of sensitive and private information I was having to give.

Initially, I wasn’t sure about all the different steps but once I had gone on to the Redress Scotland website (www.redress.scot) it was actually quite clear because they had a step-by-step guide within their website. It showed you how to apply and what would happen.

“Doing the application was initially quite difficult but what I did was wrote it down into bitesize chunks. You can get help from third parties but I just felt I wanted to do it on my own.

“Gathering the information and documents to support the application was quite difficult but I made sure I pulled together

”

everything that I needed to support the application because what I didn’t want was Scottish Government or Redress Scotland coming back to me for more information so I exhausted all avenues.

“The case worker advised me that it had been passed over to Redress Scotland and then about 6 weeks later they advised me that a For more please contact: decision hadinformation been made.

Alanwhole Winetrobe “The purpose of me Data Analyst applying was to actually put it down on record, along with every other T: 0787 999 4036 E: Alan.Winetrobe@redress.scot survivor who was doing it, so it was really to support all survivors out there. That abuse had to be acknowledged and there had to be an apology and to me that was the most important thing.”

If you would like to speak to some from the Who Cares? Scotland Helpline about the Redress Scheme, you can give them a call on 0330 107 7540 between 12-4pm, Monday – Friday or email help@ whocaresscotland.org for a call back.

NEWS &SECTION EVENTS

Young People at Heart of Hearings System Proposals I

n May, the ‘Hearings for Children: the Hearings System Working Group’s Redesign Report’ was published. It’s an important milestone in an effort to improve Scotland’s Children’s Hearings System* in response to the experiences of those who have been through it.

There were three organisations that made up the ‘working group’ for the report. These were the Children’s Hearings Scotland, the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration and The Promise Scotland, and it was led by Sheriff David Mackie.

The report gives the Scottish Government a set of recommendations to strengthen the Children’s Hearings System, with young people at their heart. Among them is that early and effective support should be available to stop children and young people needing

the Children’s Hearings System in the first place. Another key learning is that Scotland needs to tackle poverty and funding for it to be successful.

The report seeks to strengthen what is known as the ‘Kilbrandon principles’, which were set out in the Kilbrandon Report. These laid the foundations of Scotland’s Children’s Hearings System.

‘Hearings for Children’ aims to reinforce these principles by ensuring hearings are inquisitorial, not adversarial – that they are a conversation, not a confrontation.

Key to this will be figuring out the ‘grounds’ for a hearing before someone needs to attend so that the hearing can focus on the future, not the past.

The report emphasizes that a hearing should focus on a young person’s ‘needs’. It supports keeping children out of the criminal justice

system and bringing all under-18s who require care and protection into the Children’s Hearings System.

Before a hearing, children and their families will be able to meet the Chair of the panel, and they will become a familiar face for that person on their journey.

A recommendation that has been talked about a lot is that Chairs and Panel Members should be paid. It recognises the important role they do and wants to strengthen that.

The Scottish Government will now consider the recommendations and reply to them later this year.

Road to the Report 1971: Scotland’s Children’s Hearings System comes into effect

1964: Kilbrandon Report published

2013: Children’s Hearings Scotland launched

1996: Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration established

Have Your Say

As the Scottish Government considers its response to the report, they are keen to hear directly from you, our members, about what matters most to you, and if these recommendations live up to that.

Over the summer, your Who Cares?

2020: The Promise published

2017: Independent Care Review commissioned

2023: Hearings for Children: the Hearings System Working Group’s Redesign Report is published

2021: The Promise Scotland established The Hearings System Working Group starts work

Scotland local team will be in touch to get your views. This might be on a one-to-one basis or in a group. Some meetings might even have government officials and politicians there! Keep an eye on our website and social media for how to get involved.

* The Children’s Hearing System is responsible for protecting children and young people.

It does this through holding legal meetings, often called ‘hearings’, and making decisions about their care.

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Spotlight on Renfrewshire T

he Renfrewshire Team have a new youth space at their Paisley office and Street Artist, Bmore Sketchy has worked with the Paisley young people to design this incredible mural. It features everything from music, football and our minibus taking them on

Meet Aimee Aimee is one of the WC?S Youth Workers in Renfrewshire, and she’d like to introduce herself and the groups she helps run.

My name is Aimee and I work and live in Renfrewshire.

I live with my cat Tilly who keeps me busy with all the toys she has and being an indoor cat, she gets all the attention she could ever want from me. She wakes me up SUPER early in the morning just to let me know she is going to eat her breakfast.

I love having my 10-year-old niece overnight to stay when I can, we share a love of Scooby-Doo and always watch it together. I like that she has a room in my house and can come to visit when she’s off school.

I started my job at Who Cares? Scotland in November 2022 and it was a very exciting time getting to meet everyone just before Christmas.

My job is about making sure Care Experienced young people just like you can connect in our groups, try things you’ve never tried before, and visit places you haven’t been before. I like that my job is decided by what young people want to do and experience. I’m excited for you all to bring suggestions and ideas to us at Who Cares? Scotland I enjoy meeting new people so if you see me at our groups or at a national event come up and say hi! I love learning new facts too so I’m always happy for a chat!

There are three groups for Care Experienced young people that you can get involved with in Paisley.

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trips to Blair Drummond to see the monkeys, through to the central theme of justice represented by the scales - all surrounded by their feelings of happiness, safety, friendship and love.

NEWS &SECTION EVENTS

y e h t e v a h What ? o t p u n ee b As part of the 2023 Spring Programme, the groups got up to lots of fun activities like visiting Dalkeith Country Park and Go Ape and taking part in a series of Judo taster classes with Clyde Judo. They have lots of fun activities planned for over the summer too so get in touch and find out how you can get involved!

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MSYP In Motion C

harles Fernando, Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP) for Who Cares?

Scotland, embarked on a trip to Orkney for the SYP Sitting 79. Read about his trip here!

We set off on Friday on a long bus to the top of Scotland from Glasgow.

From there it was a four-hour ferry to Kirkwall. It was myself, Thomas Bartlett and Megan Moffat that formed the Who Cares? Scotland group. We met fellow members of the Scottish Youth Parliament on the ferry before arriving in Orkney and going to our hostel.

The sitting began the next day with an introduction from the MSYP for the Orkney Isles before moving onto members’ motions, which I felt reflected the needs of young people across Scotland.

Throughout the day we had sessions with the Scottish Parliament

and had insightful discussions on the importance of youth work. I shared how important getting involved with youth work was to me and how it opened up so many opportunities as well as meeting new people. The day ended with a ceilidh and delicious Orcadian ice-cream - a lovely end to an eventful day!

The next day started with inspiring stories from MSYPs and then it was Max, MSYP for the Young Carers Trust, and I’s turn to

host our workshop. We outlined the differences between care experience and young carers as we felt during our time at SYP there was some confusion between the two.

Afterwards we asked everyone to write a pledge to all young carers and Care Experienced young people in their area. We were overwhelmed by the amount of responses!

Afterwards we had lunch, and onto the rest of the motions. I was nervous to present my motion next.

My motion was: ‘The Scottish Youth Parliament is concerned that much more work needs to be done to uphold the new sibling rights in the Children (Scotland) Act 2020, and calls on duty-bearers to take immediate action to ensure full awareness and application of these rights, and to put robust accountability measures in place.’

My speech was very emotional as it reflected what the membership of Who Cares? Scotland feel about sibling rights. After it lots of people told me how important the motion was to them. It was then onto closing speeches and Molly, the chair of SYP, ended the sitting by announcing that all motions had passed.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I look forward to representing my constituents at the next sitting in Aberdeen.

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NEWS &SECTION EVENTS

Welcoming our New Volunteers

O

ur volunteers come along to support events and local groups throughout the year and without them, we wouldn’t be able to make these happen. Throughout Spring, our Volunteer Team supported a busy programme of events. From Go Ape to outings at Edinburgh Zoo, volunteer support made sure our members

had some fantastic and memorable experiences.

We would love to introduce you to our new volunteers who have been recruited recently.

They all have a diverse set of backgrounds and skills, which makes them welcome additions to the Who Cares? Scotland family.

Our Glasgow Drop-in group will welcome Amy Sloan. Amy is an English teacher who, having worke d with Care Experienced children in sch ool, was motivated to reach out to Wh o Cares?

Scotland to offer her time as a volunteer.

“I’ve seen what it’s like for someone in care to not have anybody they can turn to,” said Amy. “I don’t want anybody to ever feel that way. I want everyone to have someone they can sha re the bad days and celebrate the good da ys with.”

ve two shire, we ha w e fr n e R st In Ea volunteers on support ti a ip ic rt a p erine Nicol. new m and Kath a h ra B a n with an – Fio rofessional p IT n a is a Fion originally outdoors – e th in st re inte s and was st Christma la d re e te n volu olunteering ue further v rs u p to d e mov Cares? s with Who opportunitie Scotland.

Katherine e joined by b ill rience from w a n io F alth of expe e w a s g n ri b Nicol, who ctor. the third se in o Cares? r e re a c her join the Wh to d e it xc e y ll part of the “I am rea keen to be s a w I . m a e perfect Scotland te o and it is th working with d y e th rk o amazing w experience to get more y it n u rt o p op ple.” young peo

t Group The East Ayrshire Chill Ou ed 16 + supports young people ag and will be supported by a, Dina Cruz Da Fonte. Din ha wit l ga rtu Po m fro originally ncy, background in accounta said: h “I chose to volunteer wit d, an otl Sc ? res Who Ca because I want to find d something rewarding an a to make a difference in ve lie be I d an life n’s perso I have a lot to offer.”

The Bright Stars group in East Ayr shire has had volunteer Tacita Broadb ridge working with them since the Spring.

Tacita has made quite an impact on more than one of the Ayrshire gro ups and all We greatly appreciate our volunteers our of lot a the work they do. Without them, the in e we’r work would not be possible, and get ll you’ e process of recruiting more! We hop our at re futu r to meet some of them in the nea upcoming events.

If you would like to find out how you can website become a volunteer, take a look at our d. tlan ssco by visiting https://www.whocare org/get-involved/volunteer/.

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That

FEELIN’

This summer we’re having the most amount of fun and building memories that will last a lifetime with our members. Across the country, our members have been taking part in our 2023 Summer Programme and getting together for a host of different activities –

from watersports in Dundee to animal spotting in Blair Drummond Safari Park, plus July saw the return of our national football tournament – The Care Cup. We’re having so much fun, we don’t want the summer to end!

Here’s a recap of what we have been up to!

Briarlands Farm

We brought together 20+ Members from Stirling and Clackmannanshire who had a great time visiting Briarlands Farm and meeting all the animals, including some pigs, chickens and most surprisingly some guinea pigs.

They had a blast driving tractors and jumping on the giant beanbags.

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Blair Drummond Safari Park

We’ve had multiple trips to Blair Drummond Safari Park where members were able to take tours around the animal enclosure seeing the lions, camels and monkeys who were sitting on top of people’s cars. They wandered around the park, had some lunch and for the Stirling & Clacks group, the day finished with an intense bottle flip competition.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Members from Renfrewshire braved a 16-hour long day to visit Blackpool Pleasure Beach for our thrill seekers.

Some spent their time riding rollercoasters for a high octane experience, while others took the leisurely route of riding the carousel.

You can see by the smiling face that the long trip was worth it.

NEWS &SECTION EVENTS Stay tuned on ou r social media channels to see what else we get up to this summer – it’s not over ye t!

Did you know, w e also have a TikTok account?

Be sure to follow us @whocaresscotla nd!

Kelburn Castle

The Renfrewshire Wee Diamonds had a cracking day out at Kelburn Castle and Largs seafront. A great day of exploring, amusement, and togetherness was had by all, with the perfect ending of a much-needed chippy at the seaside.

Banksy Cut and Run Exhibition

We also had some of our lovely members from The Glasgow Drop-In visit worldrenowned street artist, Banksy’s, Cut and Run exhibition at the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art. The exhibition shares the intimate details of his artistic process and features a multitude of his stencils, original drawings and even a video from Stormzy receiving the vest he wore to Glastonbury Festival. In the words of our members, it was the “best day ever!!!”

Heads of Ayr Park

Members from South and East Ayrshire, Argyll and Bute and Glasgow had some fun in the sun at Heads of Ayr Farm Park.

A fantastic day, feeding animals, playing in the park and making new friends. There were even some members who braved the big slide, not once but twice!

M&D’s Theme Park

A group of members also went on a trip to M&D’s theme park.

Despite the rain, the trip was great for everyone. From the swinging pirate ship to the giant water slide plus all the arcade games, there was something there for everyone to enjoy. A large group of us also watched the pirate diving show, where some pirates did gymnastics, including somersaulting over one of our members.

There were loads of acrobatic dives and one of the divers even jumped from 80ft up!

The Care Cup It was a grey, drizzly morning on the 27th of July but that didn’t stop over 100 Care experienced children and young adults from across Scotland making their way to Glasgow to take part in the 2023 Care Cup. This year we ran 2 leagues, one for 15s and under and another for 16+. Both leagues were highly competitive and saw some amazing talent throughout the day.

18 teams took part in an intense first round in the morning to determine who would take part in the playoffs in the afternoon. The sun even came out as everyone broke for lunch, and players had a well earned break as they gathered their energy for the afternoon’s games.

The quarter-finals in both leagues were hard fought with one goalkeeper getting a bloody nose because he was so determined to make the save. 8 teams made it through to the semifinals, with the rest of the teams now gathered pitch side, cheering them on.

And finally, it was time for the finals,

the 2 teams from the Guardianship Service went head to head in the 16+ final and the Kintyre All Stars faced off against Hillside FC in the 15s and under match. Both games were so close, as every player gave it their all, but when the final whistles blew, we could only be left with 2 winning teams... Hillside FC and Guardians 1!

And the crowds went wild!

The final 20 minutes of the day saw the award ceremony take place, where every player received a medal for taking part and the winning teams received trophies, plus there were some special prizes for excellent sportsmanship, best goal and most improved. Lisa and Mikey were awarded signed Scotland strips from the Women’s and Men’s national teams for their inspirational play! And then as if to signal the end of the day, the rain began again and sent people scurrying to their cars and off to the train station, exhausted but content, already looking forward to doing it all again next year!

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ENTERTAINMENT

THE SUMMER Residentials have always been such an important part of Who Cares? Scotland life.

A chance for members to connect and have fun beyond just a one day event. But then Covid happened and we had to hit pause on all of our in person events. 3 years have passed and we’ve just done our first members' residential – the Summer Meet Up. We were able to take a small group of our 16+ members to Bonaly Scout Centre in Edinburgh at the start of August, and it was like we’d never left!

W

e arrived at Bonaly on Friday afternoon.

The coach ride from Glasgow had been… interesting. There had been lots of diversions down tightly packed suburban streets, which our 50 seater coach had struggled with, but our members were sure to give the driver lots of encouragement, as we held our breath around every bend, they whooped and cheered when we made it. I think the driver really appreciated this support.

Once we had safely got off the bus and dumped our stuff in our rooms, we had a tour of the venue. Members and staff who had been before shared memories of times gone by, and proudly showed the new comers where things were.

The group then took part in some ice breakers to get to know one another. The ice broken, dinner was ordered, and everyone got the chance to chill out and play games as we waited for our chosen take aways to arrive. The group had barely finished their dinner when the first gunging occurred! ‘Gunging’ you ask, ‘what’s that?’. Well, thanks to Director Kenny Murray, there were gunging forfeits to be taken by staff and later, important guests, who had been judged by the group, to have committed some sort of wrongdoing. These poor individuals then had to have a seat on the gunge stool and have a bucket of warm, gloopy, fluorescent green gunge poured over their heads. The first victims were Denny Ford and Jordan Croan, and I’ll be honest, I can’t really remember what

26

they were supposed to have done, but they took their gungings like champs.

Friday night was spent around the campfire, playing paper ball (trying to throw a small ball of paper into the fire… which was a lot harder than it sounds!) with entertainment being provided by the brave and sometimes talented individuals who got up on stage to sing, tell jokes, do push ups, dance, take photos… you get the picture. Then it was time for bed and although it took a while for the gunge mad mob to calm down, eventually after some relaxing, people were ready to sleep.

T

he next morning the group were greeted with breakfast rolls from the Kitchen Team, ready to get them energised for the day’s activities ahead.

The ‘bowl of compliments’ was introduced; this was an opportunity for the group to write messages to each other which would be read out over meal times.

These were so lovely to listen to as staff and young people left each other messages of encouragement and appreciation, which really set the tone for this weekend, which was one of love and support.

ENTERTAINMENT

U P !

T E E M

Some of the group went off site for a morning of 10 pin bowling, whilst those who stayed behind enjoyed walks in the nearby woods or card games and drawing.

Once everyone was back on site the Activities Team led an Auld Yins versus Young Yins game of rounders, it was a tight game with interesting calls from both sides, we called it a draw!

It was then time for the highlight of the programme, the long awaited return of the Colour Run! For those of you who don’t know, the Colour Run started at our old Summer Camps and is an obstacle course you have to complete whilst being pelted with colourful powder paint, but this time there was added gunge and a very special guest. The First Minister, Humza Yousaf joined us at Bonaly to run the Colour Run with our members and then take a gunging alongside Who Cares? Scotland Chief Exec, Louise Hunter! Lots of fun was had by everyone!

Then after many many showers, it was time for a BBQ! The FM stayed to chat to members and give an after dinner speech where he acknowledged The Promise was not being kept but that he was committed to doing something about this to make sure the Care Experienced community weren’t

let down any further. He left us all chanting “No gunging!

No party!” – the anthem of the weekend!

We spent the last night of the Summer Meet Up back around the campfire. This time we were lead in a group sing-a-long by member Alicia Santana and her guitar. We sang Ed Sheeran, Tracy Chapman, Oasis and The Proclaimers at the tops of our voices and ended the night with a conga around the fire.

S

unday saw members take part in the Summer of Participation survey, designed to capture the opinions of our members on key issues like leaving care, lifelong rights, stigma and advocacy. We then shared our reflections on the weekend before saying our goodbyes, with lots of hugs and smiles.

Here’s what our members had to say about the weekend: “Good chance to chat with staff I had not met yet. The events were fun and the food was on point. Thanks for inviting me and letting me chill and play games with other people” “Spending time with my care family. Meeting new staff and young people. Good activities. Colour run.

Campfire/ talent show. The laughter. Good scran.”

“I found the Bonaly camp very fun and supporting each other, thank you to all the staff and young people for making the camp with so much banter and understanding each other. Thank you I have really enjoyed myself”

After the success of the Summer Meet Up, we want next year to be even bigger and better, and available to more of our members, so make sure you stay tuned to our socials for all the information you need to be part of next year’s Summer Meet Up! 27

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BOOK REVIEW:

C

are Experienced author, Emma Norry has just released a new fantasy novel titled Fablehouse aimed at children and young people aged 8 and over.

Susie from the SpeakOut editorial team has given it a read and shares her thoughts.

Fablehouse is based on a real place - Holnicote House, a Somerset orphanage for the ‘brown babies’ of white women and Black American GIs in the 1950s. It follows a group of Care Experienced children on a magical adventure.

The story follows our brave protagonist, Heather, who arrives in Fablehouse after her mother experiences mental health issues. At first, Heather doesn’t want to fit in or make friends because she fears being moved again. It’s difficult for her to call anywhere “home” when she expects to be whisked away at any

minute. All this changes when she has an altercation with some “village” children and three Fablehouse kids come to her rescue. They become inseparable and call themselves “the roamers”.

Friendship is the key theme that holds this story together, as each member of “the roamers” brings a unique power that when combined makes them an unstoppable team.

Their bond and loyalty are tested when strange things begin to happen, and a portal is opened into a dark and magical land. They must work together to save Fablehouse and stop the evil forces at work.

Other themes that are explored include stigma, racism, and identity.

Each of these themes are explored delicately and with sensitivity. We gain an insight into the inter-sectional issues faced by Care Experienced people of colour, as we see the

characters stigmatised not only for being Care Experienced but also for the colour of their skin. We discover that some of the evil that seeps into the human world has unknowingly been invited in by Fablehouse’s headmistress Miss Isolde when she tries to shield her young wards from outsiders. From this, we learn the importance of accepting people as they are and celebrating individuality.

I would recommend this book to anyone aged 8+ that has an interest in history, fantasy, or adventure. The novel gave me real “Stranger Things” vibes, though it is set in England in the 1950s so some of the language used is quite old-fashioned and this made me chuckle a little bit! My main takeaway from the book was the importance of finding “your people”, the people that will accept you for your uniqueness, your flaws, and everything that makes you you.

If you’d like to read more about the author and how she came up with the story Emma Norry has written a blog page which can be found on our website: www.whocaresscotland.org/blog/a-moment-in-care/ She has written candidly about her own experience growing up in care and how this affected her sense of self.

If you’d like to read the book, we have several copies available through our Book Club. Email comms@whocaresscotland.org to request your very own copy. We’d love to hear what you think of the book too!

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ENTERTAINMENT SECTION

Women’s World Cup 2023

Damien Mack

T

his summer sees the return of the Women’s World Cup, hosted by 2 nations, Australia and New Zealand, for the first time ever. The first match kicked off on 20th July in Sydney and is a massive event as women’s football is more popular than ever before. Attendance at matches in the Women’s Super League has risen by over 200% following the England Lionesses win at the Euro 2020 Championships. It is also the largest Women’s World Cup ever, with the tournament consisting of 32 teams, matching the men’s competition. Previously, 24 teams took part.

As the winners of the previous World Cup, the USA were looking to become the first team ever to win the tournament three times in a row. But Sweden beat the USA 5-4 on penalties to knock the two-time defending champions out after the teams were locked at 0-0 at the

end of extra time. Unfortunately, Scotland were unable to qualify for the tournament, but the British Isles are still represented by England, who after their Euro 2020 win were billed as one of the favourites for the competition.

We are now down to the quarter final stages, with Spain playing Sweden and England versus Australia. Like any sport predicting results is not that simple, and there have been quite a few upsets already. England and Spain are consistently top performers, but that doesn’t mean you can write off Sweden and Australia. Sweden have long been at the top of the Women’s football game and have challenged for honours on a consistent basis, whilst Australia have one of the best players in the world right now in Sam Kerr, who has been voted the player of the season two years running for a Chelsea team who have won the Women’s Super League four years on the bounce, plus they could benefit from the home crowd advantage.

ovic

Zecira Mus

Sam Kerr

My prediction: Alexis Putellas

I think it will be Spain and England in the final and using my rational brain, I say England will beat Spain. By the time you get this magazine, the game will have been played and the winners announced, so you’ll be able to tell instantly whether or not my prediction has been on the money.

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IN IT TO WIN IT… O

5 ! £2 R A HE IN C W OU V

SECTION ENTERTAINMENT

nce you have completed the IN IT TO WIN IT page please return it to us by Thursday 30th November 2023 to be in with a chance to win a £25 voucher of your choice. You can do this by giving the page to your WC?S APW, emailing a photo of your entry to membership@whocaresscotland.org or DMing us it on social media. You can also post it to 40 Wellington St, Glasgow, G2 6HJ. Good luck!

UNSCRAMBLE ME SUMMER QUIZ EMMRSU

Circle your answers below.

1. What was the official UK number 1 song during the summer of 2022?

A. “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush B. “As It Was” by Harry Styles C. “About Damn Time” by Lizzo D. “Summer” by Calvin Harris

ABCEH ABBEEQRU DEFINRS ADNS

2. When was the first beach ball invented?

A. 1910 B. 1920 C. 1928 D. 1938

FINISH THE LYRICS

3. Which ice cream flavour is the most popular?

A. Chocolate B. Vanilla C. Strawberry D. Mint Choc Chip

When I met you in the I got a pocket, got a pocketful of Tastes like strawberries on a summer

4. How tall was the tallest ice cream cone?

A. 4 ft B. 1 ft C. 9 ft D. 10 ft

Summer Loving had me a I can still recall our

summer 5. How much water is in a watermelon?

A: 99% B: 92% C: 80% D: 85%

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HH LAST ISSUES WINNERS: PAULA (17) AND ELLE (20) HHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HH

Name: Age: 30

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J U ST FOR FUN…

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MINDFULNESS COLOURING

Enjoy this calming creative way to relax and take time for yourself.

SPOT THE STARFISH

In this picture there are 10 starfish hidden in plain sight, can you find them all?

31

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