Your Voice
We’re always working on ways to make sure that the voice of young people in care is heard loud and clear. As well as running participation forums, surveys and consultations we also design campaigns and social action projects in partnership with young people. Here’s a flavour of some of our current projects.
The VOYPIC Youth Leadership Programme, Leading Change, is a regional project open to care-experienced young people, aged 14 years old and over, from across Northern Ireland.
Taking part in the programme, young people will get specially designed leadership training, leading to a qualification accredited by OCN. The programme aims to develops young people’s leadership skills, improving their self-awareness, confidence, and self-esteem.
The way we talk about someone and what they’re experiencing can shape how they see themselves. Young people tell us that the language used to talk about care and children in care can make them feel uncomfortable and different. So we’re setting out to change that, with better ways to talk about – and to – children in care.
Young people have been working hard on an exciting new multimedia resource aimed at those working in education to raise awareness of issues impacting care experienced young people.
The young people drafted the scripts for the video shorts, played lead roles in the classroom scenes, and worked with a multi-media company on the final edit. This is a great opportunity for teachers to see and hear directly from young people about the challenges and barriers they face every day in their education.
Be sure to check out our social media for updates!
Across Northern Ireland, there are thousands of young people who have experienced life in care. Over the next few years, we will be building a network to bring these people together, to learn from their experience and to make sure their voice is heard by those who make decisions about care in Northern Ireland.
To make sure we’re doing it right, we want to hear from you about what our new scheme should look like. So please send your views to info@voypic.org
Care Day is a global celebration of children and young people with experience of being in care. The very first Care Day took place in 2016 across Ireland and the UK. Today Care Day takes place throughout the world every year on the third Friday of February.
