10 minute read
CAITLIN RAISES MONEY FOR VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME
NEWS & EVENTS Caitlin Raises Money for Volunteering Opportunity of a Lifetime
Caitlin Goss, 17, from Tain took on the 1345m climb to the peak of the UK’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, on Saturday 10th September to fundraise for a lifechanging volunteering trip to Zimbabwe.
Advertisement
Due to travel in July 2023 with Worldwide Vets, Caitlin is raising a total of £6,500, and so far through bake sales, quiz nights, football scratch cards and a fun day she has raised around £2,500.
Caitlin said: “This trip will be a
chance for me to see the world and experience different cultures. It will be a chance for me to step outside the life I know.”
The volunteering opportunity will see Caitlin stay on an African game reserve for a month, where she will be learning about horse and stable management, conservation work, rehabilitation, removing snares, boundary patrols, and caring for orphaned African elephants.
Caitlin’s love of horses started around the same time she went into residential care at age 14. Speaking of her love for horses, she said: “They’re calming and emotionally intelligent. They gave me comfort and space away from people when I needed it most. I’m so excited about the idea of getting to spend more time with them.”
Caitlin first saw the Worldwide Vets volunteering opportunity on Facebook but didn’t think it was possible for someone with care experience to go. But after speaking to staff in her unit she realised she had their support. Believing her dream could come true, she has been fundraising alongside Elaine Glen, a staff member at the children’s home she stays in who’ll be accompanying her on this trip.
Louise Hunter, CEO at Who Cares? Scotland, said: “As one of our members, we are incredibly impressed by Caitlin’s drive and determination to take part in this amazing opportunity. We think it’s so important for Care Experienced individuals to have access to these once in a lifetime adventures. Caitlin’s commitment to fundraising to ensure she can go on this trip is admirable, and we hope people are able to donate and give her the extra help that she needs.”
We’re also wishing Caitlin all the luck on her fundraising journey and can’t wait to catch up with her after this lifechanging trip. You’ll find
Caitlin’s fundraising page here at https://gofund.me/80ce2ec8.
NEWS & EVENTS Student Society to Lift the Lid on Care Records
Hi everyone!
My name is Sam. I’m Care Experienced and estranged, and I’ve been a member of Who Cares? Scotland for a wee while now. I’m a Business student at the University of Strathclyde, and I’m President of the Care Experienced and Estranged Students society there.
The society is a club that brings together Care Experienced and estranged students. We hold events such as nights out, fun events like going kayaking or getting together at Christmas and Easter. We also participate in things like Care Experienced Week, Estranged Students Solidarity Week, and more. We provide a safe space chatroom that has really helped us all, especially in tough times like during exams or at Christmas. I got involved with the society as I wanted to meet other likeminded Care Experienced people at university. Sometimes it can feel a bit isolating and as if we don’t belong, but the society definitely changed that for me. The society has been amazing to bring together the community and brought out a lot of confidence and leadership skills in me.
Being President of the society has also led to me becoming involved in other Care Experienced related opportunities as well. I’ve delivered training to other student unions, and I’ve been a consultant in pieces of research aiming to improve care. I recently attended a panel discussion about the difference in care now compared to 30 years ago, where Care Experienced poet and activist Lemn Sissay spoke. He talked about accessing his records, a process I went through in 2018. It struck me how the issues he mentioned years ago were things that I felt too when I accessed my files.
I had decided to access mine as I was at a point in my life where I felt ready to receive answers about what happened to me. When I received my records, it was a scary and at times a really frustrating process. I was left with more questions than answers.
Since that discussion panel, I’ve had the idea for a while to create a free workshop for Care Experienced people, giving advice on how to access your files and what to expect during the process. I posted on social media about the idea and had an incredible response from different organisations and people who’d like to make this happen. I would love for other Care Experienced people to be able to discuss what it was like for them, and for everyone to access the same support and help that we deserve. I’m currently still planning the workshop but would like to hear from any Care Experienced person who’d be open to sharing their experiences for the workshop - whether it would be presented in person or as a written statement is up to you.
If you’d like to share how you found the process of accessing your records, you can send me an email at samanthaupton@outlook.com or find me on Twitter @samuptonn. You can also visit the Care Experienced & Estranged Students Society on Instagram @strathcares.
You can find out more about the Care Experienced and Estranged Students society, including how to join, here:
When I received my records, it was a scary and at times a really frustrating process I would love for other Care Experienced people to be able to discuss what it was like for them
NEWSFLASH
Who Cares? Scotland’s Members’ Newsletter
Every month 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 or access to the internet. That’s why we are including a roundup of important headlines from the
Meet our new Director!
We are delighted to announce that, after a long and thorough recruitment process, Kenny Murray is our new Director of Engagement and Influence. Some of you may know Kenny as a campaigner for Care Experienced people. He will use his knowledge and skills to promote positive change for all Care Experienced people in his new role.
Recruiting New Board Members
Throughout August, we were recruiting new Care Experienced and non-Care Experienced members to join our Board of Directors. To reflect the diversity of those we support we particularly welcomed applications from groups who are currently underrepresented on our Board, including people from black or ethnic minority backgrounds, people with a disability or people who identify as LGBTQIA+. Applications closed on 21st August, and as always you will get to have the final say on candidates at our Members’ Assembly being held in Glasgow on Sunday 23rd October before the Love Rally. Make sure you visit our website and register so you can have your say.
last couple of months and sharing them again, here in SpeakOut, so you don’t miss out!
If you haven’t been receiving NewsFlash but have a working email address, just email membership@ whocaresscotland.org and we’ll update your details.
Digital Wellbeing Report Launched
We released our Digital Wellbeing Report with findings from the Digital Wellbeing Group’s Survey. This includes information and stats on digital safety, digital rights and relationships. You can find the report in the Reports & Research section of our website. These findings will be used to create useful resources to be widely shared, including posters and a podcast. We will continue to consult with Care Experienced people to ensure your voice is at the heart of what we create.
Care Experienced Parents Report Published
We also published our new report ‘Believe in Us’: Care Experienced Parents Findings from our Annual Participation Programme. We spoke to nearly 50 Care Experienced parents about their experiences of professional supports across their parenting journeys. From the impact of discrimination to the lack of places to connect with other parents, we identified a mixed response of positive and challenging experiences. Together, with parents and our National Representative Body, we have created 11 recommendations for change. You’ll find a link to the report on the homepage of our website.
NEWS & EVENTS Language and Letters
An Update from SCRA
SpeakOut caught up with Who Cares? Scotland member, Collette Gallagher for a fresh update on SCRA’s work upholding The Promise.
Hi Collette, remind us about who you are and your role in SCRA?
My role in the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) is Keeping the Promise Operation Change Lead, which means I’m responsible for making sure the changes that The Promise asks us to make will happen. I’ve been a Care Experienced member of Who Cares? Scotland since 2015 and have experience of Children’s Hearings which I believe helps me in this role and ensures I’m committed to making change happen for young people.
Since our last update, what have you been working on?
My main project is looking at how we can change the language used in the hearings system. I’m working together with a group set up by the Children’s Hearing Improvement Partnership which includes people who work in education, social work, Children’s Hearings Scotland and Our Hearings, Our Voice.
It’s important that this work will be led by people with experience of hearings. The intention is to create a list of words and phrases which should be ‘put in the bin’ and no longer used in our hearings system. I’ve also been working on a communication toolkit. This was suggested to us by a group of young people to help give their views in hearings. The idea is that there will be a toolkit in a hearing room which will have different ways to help people participate in their hearing. Some ideas include stop/go cards, emoji cards, puppets, small whiteboards, and using an etch-a-sketch but I would love to hear if anyone else has suggestions!
What made you decide to look into language?
Young people and their families told us through The Promise that some of the words used in the care system can be stigmatising, they add to a sense of being different. Sometimes people use certain words to describe a young person’s life like ‘contact’ or ‘respite’ because they don’t know a better word to use. Even though I had experienced care and hearings as a young person when I became a Children’s Reporter, I started to use some of these words too. I didn’t stop to think about their meaning or how they might make people feel. The idea behind the language project is that we help people to think more carefully about language and give them alternative words to use.
Are there any other improvements at SCRA?
We’re also reviewing our letters which are sent out to young people and their families. We want the information that people receive to be easy to understand and we know this can be better. This won’t be something that happens quickly, but we are committed to these improvements. We’re also going to be looking at how we arrange hearings. We want to ensure that we give young people and families choice about how they participate in their hearings based on what suits them best.
How can members of Who Cares? Scotland get involved?
We would be delighted to speak with any members who want to find out more or how they could get involved!
You can let us know, or share your views at keepingthepromise@ scra.gov.uk or email me personally at collette.gallagher@scra.gov.
uk. If anyone who uses BSL wants to contact me they can use
contactscotland-BSL to call me on
0131 244 8665.
