Belonging and Connection at Care Experienced Week 2024
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Karate Kid
Our member Cameron took part in the Karate JSK European Championships in Istanbul in August. He managed to bag himself a gold and bronze medal, representing Scotland. Cameron only started doing Karate about two years ago but has found a real passion and talent in the sport. Cameron said opportunity to travel to Istanbul, meet new people from all over Europe. Some people were a bit cheaty and over competitive, but it was all fair play in the end. The next competition is in Ireland and I will absolutely be attending that!
If anyone is thinking about trying Karate I would 100% recommend it, go for it, at least try it out, you could love it like I do!”
Halloween Parties
The guys at Crossreach decided on a Willy Wonka themed Halloween party complete with games and lots of fun. As you can see staff and young people went all out and really looked the part!
CTC Clacks KidZ Group got super crafty for Halloween this year. Check out their monstrous creations!
Devon helped sell sweetie cones at his school during Care Experienced Week to raise money for Who Cares? Scotland. He gave up his lunch time every day for a week to help with this and chatted to other pupils about his own experience. Thank you to Devon and Inveralmond School for your support!
Mosaics for OH!Con
H!CON is an annual comic con held in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. This year we wanted to not just attend but also create something special for the OH!Con exhibition. So, we decided with our Care Experienced Group to craft mosaics themed around comic con. We started with drawing our characters on paper and deciding on our colours. From there we started plastering our designs onto our boards. Creating the mosaics took us 6 weeks in total, meeting every Thursday in our local art centre in Stornoway.
We like coming along to the group on Thursdays. It’s a safe space for us to be who we are and talk about shared experiences. No matter the day we had the group is there to pick us up and make things a little easier.
The staff taught us how to cut tiles and use the plaster to connect them to each other to create our designs. It was great to contribute to such a big event that we
Leadership Through Finding A Community, Empowering And Supporting Others by Millicent Wenlock
(First featured as a blog on the National Leadership Network website - https://nationalleadershipnetwork.co.uk)
Iadmit I never really perceived myself as a leader, or perhaps I never thought I’d get to a stage where I would be considered a leader. In recent years, we’ve seen a remarkable shift in how society approaches support for care experienced individuals to improve their social mobility, advocating for lifelong rights and taking steps to end the care cliff.
Today,
inspiring leaders from within the care experienced community
are stepping up
and
creating innovative solutions to long-standing challenges, with the most ordinary people within the community inspiring me.
Last year, I was unemployed and essentially homeless, facing a very uncertain future as to whether I could finish my degree, let alone commute from Aberdeen to Stirling. I was fortunate to have come across the Unite Foundation I applied to be a community relations specialist for supporting the All of Us
Community Platform in creating a nationwide community of support and empowerment for care-experienced and estranged students and recent graduates. It was more than a job to me, I discovered my leadership style and confidence and finally got the opportunity to explore my care identity and what that meant to me.
For me, my success as a leader has come down to the support I have received from those in my network and community
A few months before my contract ended, I decided I wanted to create a real, lasting impact in the community to support care experienced and estranged young people to fulfil their potential by providing a group specifically to support them through education and employment. This is how I developed the concept for founding the All of Us Employment Group in November 2023 to level the playing field. The group’s holistic approach offers tailored career guidance, networking, skills and CV workshops and a wide range of opportunities. What sets the All of Us Community apart is its foundation in lived experience. This was my first experience of leadership and creating something myself. Seeing my network support by encouraging and sending me opportunities was great. It gave me the confidence to build the group and to seek other opportunities advocating for care experienced people and other marginalised groups, which led to me sitting on the House of Lords Committee for the transition from education to employment for disabled and neurodivergent people and eventually becoming co-chair of The Care Experienced Movement.
For me, my success as a leader has come down to the support I have received from those in my network and community, as they have helped me persevere through the rejections and the challenges I faced. While innovative programs are crucial, the real magic happens through effective communication and strong community networks, which many care-experienced people struggle to access. I like to empower and support those I am with
by creating safe spaces for trauma-informed open dialogue, peer support networks, and open feedback to help with the constant development and evolution as well as crosssector collaboration by encouraging education providers, employers and social workers to work alongside each other to support better young people which is how I got involved in creating the Joined Up Institute with UK Youth. I also think continuous development to improve my leadership and reflection skills is a major factor in my leadership ability as those are key areas that are always evolving for a leader. So, I pursued the mediation certification with the University of St Andrews Mediation Service earlier this summer when I was offered a full scholarship. Another key part of my leadership journey growth has been my role as a trustee at the University of Students’ Union, where I continue to advocate for increased diversity on boards due to only 3% of trustees being under 30 due to the impact I believe it has had on my career path in learning from other board members and being able to understand decision making processes from an entirely new perspective which has helped me reflect and utilise this knowledge in other roles.
As we look to the future, it’s clear that leadership within the care experienced community is flourishing. As a leader within our community, I look not just at creating programs and working alongside organisations; but to change narratives and break down systemic barriers. By embracing these principles, we can continue to build a world where care experienced individuals don’t just survive – they thrive, lead, and inspire the next generation.
A CHRISTMAS
Lying in bed at night listening intently for any signs of reindeer on the roof. The tapping of the rain, an annoying distraction as I try to block out all known sounds to ensure I don’t miss anything new. No noise from downstairs for some time. Gran must be asleep, likely on the couch because I didn’t hear her go to bed. Time to sneak out of my bedroom to see what I can see. Tiptoeing down the first few stairs, avoiding the corner step that is known for its creaking noise. I stop half-way to stare ahead through the window at the end of the landing. It’s the ornamental candle holder with the silhouette of Santa’s sleigh gliding over the moon, that’s what triggers this memory. Every year I place it on my windowsill and recall all the years I crouched tightly on that staircase, a blanket wrapped around my shoulders to shield me from the draught, waiting, watching out the window for Santa Clause. I was a lucky child. Santa Clause always came to my house.
Potatoes, my nemesis each year I host dinner. The endless pealing of potatoes and the reminder of all the times we would compete, to see who could eat the most. It was 14 one year. 14 roast potatoes down the hatchet. Instant regret, not worth the accolade. The board games always led to arguments, but I continue to search for a new one to play. To rekindle that feeling of connection, of raw and genuine interactions that are underpinned by a feeling of safety and belonging. Oh, how I wish that feeling could have lasted forever. Oh, how lucky I am to have ever felt that way. It’s the smell of the decorations, older than me, as I collect the boxes from the attic, still wrapped in the same newspaper they always were. Lasting the test of time, despite their delicacy. That smell, fusty but festive,
it takes me back to my childhood living room like a bolt. Sitting crosslegged on the floor, hot chocolate in hand as my Gran and I bicker over where to place the baubles on the tree. Big ones at the bottom, always. It’s the tree. It used to leave us gifts of its own, appearing after our Christmas dinner with a note saying, ‘For you, from the Tree.’ A special tradition I will carry forward. It’s the traditions. The milk and carrot for Santa and Rudolph, the chocolate orange in the stocking, and the handwritten ‘thank you’ note Gran would make me send to Lapland as soon as the post office was open. Always important to say thank you. I am so thankful for all the wonderful Christmases I enjoyed as a child growing up in Kinship Care.
It’s the thought of my Mum, newly introduced to her twenties and doing her everything to make her child’s Christmas as special as can be. It’s the fact that I will never remember a Christmas with my Mum, even knowing the effort and love she would have put into each one we shared together. It’s the dark cloud of grief and loneliness that comes alive when the nights get shorter and darker. The sadness, flickering along with the Christmas lights, leaving a heavy feeling in my chest that can’t be explained so must be held inside. It is the constant reminder of the ‘normal family’ that illuminates all feelings of difference. Amplifying insecurities. A forced reminder of all that will never be. It is the longing, for all the things that will never be. It’s asking Santa for a ‘Mum’ and ‘Dad’ even though you know that will never be. It’s the shame that comes with wanting more than I have. It’s the terrifying realisation that my Gran is old, so she won’t share every Christmas with me. It’s being scared to share my fears, in case somehow saying them out-loud will make them
true. It’s how alone it can make you feel, not sharing your fears.
It’s the gentle sound of Christmas Carols creeping into the Intensive Care Ward on Christmas Eve. Thank you to the Salvation Army for playing so beautifully for so long in a cold, deserted hospital hallway as we said our goodbyes to my beloved Gran who raised me from the age of three. It was almost midnight, almost Christmas day. It’s the realisation that Christmas will never be the same again. To whom do I belong? It’s the isolation and despair that came in waves for years to come. Especially at Christmas. It’s those that propped me up, just enough to catch my breath. The ones who never let me come fully undone. You know who you are. I love you.
STORY By Carmel Jacob
It’s the love you have for someone, so deep, and then you don’t know where to put it. It’s the hate you have for a world that can push you to your limits, and beyond. It’s knowing that you must cope, but not having the energy. It’s really needing things to feel better, but recognising that for a little while yet, they probably won’t. It’s the years of fertility issues and the countless prayers to be a Mummy. To be someone’s Santa Clause. It’s all the times I took a swig of wine at Christmas and said, ‘hopefully next Christmas I will be pregnant.’ It’s the year I couldn’t do it, and the decorations stayed in the attic. We hid away in a cabin in the middle of nowhere as my darling cousin, the most gorgeous of humans inside and out, had her first baby on Christmas Eve, of all days. It’s how happy I was for her and how sad I was for myself, in equal measures. It’s how selfish I felt for being sad in her special moment. It’s how much I wanted to be there for her but couldn’t. It was too painful; I was too weak. It’s the promise that soon after Christmas, IVF will start. It’s the determination, ‘next Christmas I might be pregnant.’ It’s the ‘might’, I am losing hope.
It’s the Christmas we went out for dinner for the first time in my life. I ate in a restaurant on Christmas Day. I couldn’t be bothered cooking. But that Christmas I got to say, ‘I won’t be having a wine, I’m six months pregnant.’
It’s planning for my daughters first Christmas. Call me Santa Clause. It’s the thought of building my own family traditions. What will she get from the Tree? It’s the excitement of making my baby girl smile. It’s the privilege of shaping her Christmas stories. It’s wishing my Gran could meet her. It is the complex myriads of life events that comprise my Christmas stories. There is no one version that does justice to the intricacies of life nor to
the influence of Christmas. A delicate weave of heartache and joy, isolation and connection, fear and hope, longing and belonging. I am one of the lucky ones.
It’s Christmas. The word itself holds power. It triggers so much. From the moment we say goodbye to the Pumpkins it’s everywhere. In the shops, on TV, radio, it’s in the air. Christmas is everywhere. It attacks all your senses. It’s a force from which you cannot retreat. Trust me, I’ve tried. It’s unavoidable. For me, it conjures up magical memories that build me up and memories that could break me. For many who grew up in Care, the latter is the only truth. Without family by your side, getting through the most emotive season of all can feel like an insurmountable task. Accentuated often by the harsh memories of Christmases past. Christmas can feel like a marathon for someone who is Care Experienced. What a wonderful world it would be if all children growing up in Care, experienced Christmas as it should be. A truly magical time of year full of love, kindness and tasty treats. Big family round a big table, battling over Christmas Crackers and sharing laughs over cheesy Christmas jokes. ‘What do you call Santa Clause when he doesn’t move? Santa Pause’. What wonderful Christmas stories this would generate in abundance. This is not our world. Many children in Care are not making memories they will want to hold onto, to reflect on fondly with their own children in years to come as they share cookies by the fire.
We cannot re-write the stories of Christmases gone by, but for Care Experienced People in Scotland we are determined to write new stories. The WhoCares? Scotland Care Family Christmas provides a sense of safety and belonging for many Care Experienced People. People who would otherwise be on their
own on Christmas Day. The power of connection is indescribable. The Care Family Christmas gives Care Experienced people something to look forward to at a time that can be so bleak and unforgiving. The impact of this is immeasurable.
‘I have found a family to spend Christmas day with and it was more magical than I could ever put into words.” (WhoCares? Scotland Member).
I have many Christmas Stories and most of them are wonderful. I have experienced the magic of Christmas and for that I am eternally grateful. I wish that all Care Experienced People could have positive Christmas Stories. I care deeply about this and I want to do something about it.
This December I am swimming 26 miles to reflect the emotional marathon that is Christmas for so many members of my Care Family. 42 kilometres. 42000 meters. Completed between December 1st and December 31st. I am taking on this physical and mental challenge to raise money for the Who Cares? Scotland Care Family Christmas. I am determined to support Care Experienced People to be together on Christmas Day and to create positive stories this Christmas. Stories that they will want to cherish forever. All money raised will go directly to Who Cares? Scotland to contribute to the Care Family Christmas. I would greatly appreciate all donations. Please visit my JustGiving Page - https:// www.justgiving.com/page/ carmel-jacob-1731186758426
Meet our Christmas Consultant
Hi I’m Tony and I am one of four Christmas Consultants for this year’s Care Family Christmas Dinner being held in Glasgow on Christmas Day.
This year will be my 8th Christmas Dinner and my 3rd year in a row as a consultant to help create the best day possible and I am really excited to be working with the other consultants - Charlie, Harvey and Kiki to achieve this.
My role as a Christmas Consultant is to work with the staff team and the other consultants on all things Christmas day. This includes the activities that will be on offer, providing feedback on plans and suggesting my own ideas for Christmas day to make sure that every person who attends the Care Family Christmas Dinner has the most magical day.
I chose to sign up as a consultant again for 2024 because Christmas was a time of year I really struggled with especially with the loss of my mum, who was my own Queen of Christmas, and my own experience of Christmas in the Care system was filled with sadness, picking my present out of an Argos catalogue and not seeing my family. Knowing that I play a small part in creating a special day filled with food, gifts, laughter and love for others, fills me with so much happiness. Every year I cry, not because I am sad, but because people who otherwise may have spent Christmas Day alone now have somewhere they belong.
That is my favourite part about Christmas day, seeing so many people come together, including those who wouldn’t traditionally celebrate Christmas, making new friends and memories.
So what will Christmas Day look like? People will start arriving from 12pm and be welcomed by the amazing staff and volunteers. Then we start with a warming hot chocolate before walking through a winter wonderland to an area filled with fun activities like board games, video games and arts + crafts. I’m really excited that for the first time we will have karaoke, although the songs do not have to be Christmas themed! Then the dinner will be served before Sata arrives with his elves to give out gifts.
All those years ago when I attended my first Dinner, I was a shy, nervous person who didn’t know what to expect.
Now I’ve seen the Dinner grow and so many people grow more confident. I always remember that the reason for these dinners is that no one should spend Christmas alone, and while our journeys are different, we all deserve to celebrate and I cannot wait to welcome you all to the next Care Family Christmas with a smile and a hug.
Behind the Scenes
– Countdown to Christmas!
Christmas is a special time at Who Cares? Scotland, and it is also a very busy one! Not only do we have our Care Family Christmas Dinner to plan for, but we also send out a parcels to each one of our members.
This is a huge job – writing out thousands of cards, packing thousands of parcels, arranging for the Royal Mail to collect over100 sacks of parcels to be sent to Care Experienced people all over Scotland.
This is why we have teams of volunteers coming into the office from November onwards to ensure we can get all this done on time. Once the parcels are sent, our volunteer helper elves move on to wrapping gifts for Care Family Christmas Dinner guests. Last year, we had over 100 present bags to prepare, each one with a selection of gifts including confectionery, pamper sets, winter warmers and much more.
We are very grateful to the staff from companies based in Glasgow who come along to our national office to help out. Last year, we had a large group of volunteers from Grant Thorton accountants. This year, we have volunteers from both SQA and international accounting firm PwC. We encourage volunteers to wear Christmas jumpers, stick on the Christmas hits and supply mince pies and chocolates to keep everyone going.
Volunteering is not the only way companies support us at Christmas. They also do ‘donation drives’ for usasking staff to purchase and donate a gift which will go to a Care Experienced person on Christmas Day. This year, we are grateful to SQA, PwC, ACCA Global and SWG3 for collecting gifts on our behalf.
Katrina Murray, who leads PwC Scotland’s fundraising efforts in Glasgow, said: “Our Winter Giving campaigns are a huge part of how we engage with local communities and good causes, and our Glasgow office team is delighted to be supporting ‘Who Cares? Scotland. The festive period can be difficult for so many people for various reasons, and our staff are keen to do what they can to help make even a small difference to the people
Who Cares? Scotland offer support to.”
As corporate parents, SQA have supported Who Cares? Scotland in many ways, including sponsoring our recent Gala for Love event and printing our member designed Christmas card for free. This year, their staff will also be volunteering and collecting gifts for us. They sent a Christmas message for our members; ‘We are delighted to be a part of Who Cares? Scotland’s Christmas campaign.
We want every Care Experienced person to feel loved, supported and celebrated every day and especially during the festive season.
To every member of the Care Experienced community, we hope your Christmas is as special as you.’
After the presents are wrapped and ready to go, our volunteers help us decorate our Christmas Dinner venue to ensure it is covered in sparkle for the Big Day. On Christmas Day itself, our volunteer drivers give our guests lifts to the venue, and home again after. This is such a special contribution as it means somebody who otherwise would be on their own for Christmas is able to come together with others in connection and belonging.
Volunteers are integral to the delivery of our Care Family Christmas – we simply couldn’t do it without them.
We welcome volunteers from companies at Christmas and throughout the year. If you are interested, please contact our Fundraising and Partnerships Manager Lucy Christopher; lchristopher@whocaresscotland.org
SHINE2024 TIME TO
On Saturday 19th of October, 190 Care Experienced members, friends, staff and volunteers gathered at the C7 Conference Centre for our sixth annual Time to Shine festival. Members came from all over Scotland in ‘TV character’ themed costumes, with the Simpsons Family, the Peaky Blinders and Scooby Doo all joining the party!
After lots of happy hellos people explored the venue. In one room, inflatables provided hours of fun, including a mini bouncy castle for wee ones and a surfing simulator which was very tricky to master.
Next door, the music was loud and everyone was dancing – our DJ played crowd favourites and a spontaneous karaoke session started! Lynsey and Jemma were our stage hosts for the day, leading games and getting everyone involved in the fun. There was also face painting, glitter tattoos and a photobooth here to make sure everyone shone and felt their best.
For those wanting a slightly quieter atmosphere, there were plenty of options too. A cinema room provided films and popcorn, while the Mini Zoo room was very popular. Our animal attendees included a chicken, lizards, a rabbit and a tarantula, and members had the chance to hold some animals and learn more about them.
To keep everyone full of energy for dancing, street food stalls were set up outside, serving nachos, burgers, hotdogs and curries, and at least one person had a delicious nacho-curry fusion! After several hours of fun, the party ended with awards for best costume and a big singalong and dance. Festivalgoers and staff went home with smiles (and face paint) on their faces. We can’t wait to do it again next year!
“Amazing event every year! We love Time to Shine”
“Had a lot of fun for my first time here”
“Really good fun for all the family”
St Peter’s Primary School is a Community that Cares!
Did you know Who Cares?
Scotland work in schools?!
Over the last few years, we have been in every school in Renfrewshire delivering our Communities that Care project, which aims to ensure Care Experienced children and young people feel safe, included and respected in their school.
We want every child in Scotland to be supported by everyone in their community, and to feel like they belong. We help teachers, wider school staff and pupils to understand care experience and learn how to best support their Care Experienced young people. We even train teachers on how to deliver lessons about care experience to their own pupils –making care part of the curriculum, encouraging people to talk about and normalise it!
One primary school in Renfrewshire, St Peter’s Primary School, have taken this project a stage further and held their own mini–Love Rally, which our Buddy the Bear also attended! The entire school held their Communities that Care lessons just before Care Experienced week in October and as
part of the lessons children created their own posters. Buddy then visited the school, and each class marched around their playground showing support for their care experienced peers. Mrs Maclean (Principal Teacher) said:
“Saint Peter’s Primary School has worked hard to create a positive shift in language and ensure that our care experienced children feel that they have a voice and play a part in the whole school and wider community. We were one of the pilot schools for Communities that Care and helped to shape some of the lessons in the resource. Every class from our nursery to primary 7 focus on Communities that Care lessons during October, November, and February. A noticeable shift in children’s attitudes is clear with children having more respect and understanding for one another. Children enjoyed learning about cartoon/movie characters who are care experienced which resulted in a mini topic in the classroom”.
We are so proud of all the work St. Peter’s Primary have done to support our Communities that Care project
and their Care Experienced children - we can’t wait to see more schools in Renfrewshire bringing their lessons to life just like St. Peter’s!
Belonging
By Alastair McIver
It only took me 37 years, but I have spoken out!
My experience of being in care, multiple times between 1988 and 1994, is something I had never spoken of publicly. I had been a silent member of Who Cares? Scotland for a few years. When I got an email asking for care-experienced speakers to speak at this year’s Love Rally, something inside me went “YES!” It was time to tell my story.
My care-experienced story could fill a book. I had five minutes. So what should I leave out? There were important details of what, where, when, how and why which I didn’t think my story could be complete without. I was going to have to do without most of them. As I replayed events I hadn’t thought of in years, I realised that those details were important to me; not necessarily to anyone hearing my story for the first time. I could make the point I wanted to make without them.
But what was the point I wanted to make? The theme was “Belonging”, which fit my story very well. As a child, I belonged to a loving family. Humour and playfulness created a great sense of belonging. I was taken away from that, more than once, to places where I did not belong. Including a boarding school in England!
The day came. I felt as ready as I was going to get. As a storyteller, I felt better equipped to deliver my talk orally
Fitting in is the way we are pressured to change ourselves to become “acceptable”, but belonging is something we all deserve and something we can offer each other
than read it out. I always get very flustered when I read something aloud in front of a crowd.
I was, however, extremely nervous. I forgot bits of what I had meant to say. I had to double back on my story to pick up important points I had missed.
I spoke lovingly of my dad, who became a single parent and found this hard to cope with. He died in 2020, and I was conscious of the need to approach his part of the story sensitively. Being elsewhere, he would have no chance to contradict me. He was a good man and a good dad, who was treated very badly by the system that ought to have supported him. I was taken away from him quite unnecessarily, and I will never stop being angry about that.
I spoke of the difference between fitting in and belonging. Fitting in is the way we are pressured to change ourselves to become “acceptable”, but belonging is something we all deserve and something we can offer each other – acceptance.
I spoke of my resistance to fitting in, of my selfdiagnosed neurospices, and of a love of Star Trek which, in the darkest times of my youth, got me through. At that point, I got a number of spontaneous Vulcan salutes from the crowd, which put me at ease!
I felt held in a little bubble of acceptance and good will, and I met with people who had similar experiences. That afternoon, I definitely belonged!
The Minister for The Promise Marches in the LOVE RALLY
Natalie Don-Innes was appointed Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise in March 2023.
Since then, she has made it her personal mission to drive forward the progress that needs to be made across Scotland to keep The Promise to the care experienced community by 2030.
Natalie recently spoke in Parliament about her personal experiences growing up and how it has helped shape her as a politician. Here, Natalie talks about her time as Minister and her determination to make a real and lasting difference to the lives of children, young people and adults with care experience.
“I know that I am in a very privileged position as a Scottish Government Minister. I also know that this privilege comes with great responsibility not to let our care community down and to listen to you when you feel that we are not getting things right.
“When someone from the care experienced community is brave enough to share their story with me, I feel very strongly that I want them to know that I am listening to them.
“While I know that every single experience is unique, I hope that by sharing some of my own story that it shows that I am truly sincere when I talk about my commitment to keeping The Promise.
“I know and understand that many of you feel that change is not happening quickly enough, but I want to reassure you that we are working hard towards changes which I believe will have a positive impact by removing stigma and barriers, providing appropriate support when and where it is needed, and doing all of this with genuine love.
“In September, the Scottish Government published an update to our Promise Implementation Plan providing a comprehensive review of the actions and commitments we have undertaken to keep The Promise. If you have the time to take
When someone from the care experienced community is brave enough to share their story with me, I feel very strongly that I want them to know that I am listening to them.
a look, I hope that this will provide further reassurance. Being able to demonstrate this progress is so important as we approach the half way point to keeping The Promise.
“And please don’t underestimate the power and value of your views and experience. It is only by listening and acting upon these views that we will ensure that the changes proposed will work. This year, we are running a number of consultations which will inform the next steps on key areas and, where
appropriate, the content of The Promise Bill which will introduce the legislative changes that are required to keep The Promise.
“There are two consultations running at the moment and I would encourage you to have your say. They are: Developing a universal definition of ‘care experience’ and the Future of foster care consultation.
“In October I joined many of you at the Love Rally in Glasgow where I was truly moved by the joy and unity of everyone there. It is an absolute honour for me to be on this journey with you and I look forward with genuine hope that, together, we can make lasting change.”
ENEWSFLASH
Who Cares? Scotland’s Members’ Newsletter
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
Volunteering at Time To Shine
Two famous individuals offered their support to Who Cares? Scotland at the recent Time to Shine festival. Attendees were met by Marge Simpson and Fox Mulder – better known as volunteers Claire Rankin and Jemma Kerr!
Claire’s turn as Marge Simpson was the latest example of the amazing commitment she gives to the organisation. Volunteering at the National Helpline desk and the Thursday Drop In Group, Claire is a well known and much loved figure to WC?S staff and members.
“I loved Time to Shine,” said Claire. “I got to see faces I hadn’t seen in a while which was really nice. I also loved being a Simpson for the day! It was an idea suggested to me by members and I went with it.”
How did she manage to recreate Marge’s signature tower of blue hair?
“To be honest, I just stuck a LOT of pom poms on a bonnet,” laughed Claire. “It turned out great!”
Keeping an eye on any potential supernatural occurrences was former staff member, Jemma Kerr. Complete with ear piece and FBI credentials, she was a convincing Mulder – so much so she attracted the attention of a little green follower who stayed close by her for the duration of the event.
Claire and Jemma might be WC?S veterans but making her volunteering debut was Danielle Reid, a psychology graduate who has joined as participation support volunteer in South Lanarkshire. Keen to get started, Danielle supported the arts and crafts area at Time to Shine and made an immediate impact with her outgoing nature and friendly approach. Welcome aboard, Danielle!
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.
Who Cares? Scotland MSYP Michael, attended the 82nd sitting of the Scottish Youth Parliament which took place in the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.
Michael participated in debates around access to further and higher education, apprenticeships and changes to the curriculum.
SYP have agreed their campaigns for the next 2 years around protecting youth work services, mental health support and ending gender based violence. If you want to speak to Michael about any of these topics or you’d like him to take anything else to the Scottish Youth Parliament, you can reach him at michael.archibald.msyp@sypmail. org.uk.
We have four new board members!
Angela Crawley, Ellen Starkey, Rebecca Munro and Scott Ross join our team of Board Members with a wide variety of experience.
We can’t wait to see the impact and change they help make on Who Cares? Scotland’s board.
82nd Sitting of Scottish Youth Parliament
Empowered Voices Programme: Round One is Complete!
Last year, we brought back our training programme to empower Care Experienced people to use their voices for change. Our first round of participants have now completed the programme. Find out what Emma Marshall had to say about it here.
The Empowered Voices Programme was my first ever opportunity to speak up and share my care experience. Before this programme, I had always viewed my care experience as something negative, that I had to hide and be ashamed of. I had only ever seen a negative representation of care experience through the media and had no connection to the care community as a Care Experienced young person and that was something I wanted to change. With that, I leaped at the opportunity to sign up for the EVP programme and expand my learning. These sessions enriched my learning and provided me with so
much valuable knowledge about the policies and history behind care experience, a lot of which I did not know.
This is knowledge that I will take with me as a Social Worker in training, and Support Worker in a residential care setting. We learned about effective campaigning, speech writing and working with the media. There was time to reflect and listen to each other’s journeys in care, as well as our own. Something that will stick with me forever and has moved me in so many ways.
The opportunities I have received being on this programme has been an incredible experience. In December last year, I had the privilege of meeting the then First Minister, Humza Yousaf, at Bute House and attending a mini cabinet meeting with my fellow members. At the same event, I got to Meet Natalie Don, the Minister of Children, Young people and Keeping the Promise.
During the last weekend, I got to meet tiktoker ‘Aprilmaybejune’ who gave us a workshop on content creation, and how to navigate TikTok. I also got to meet Ewan Petrie! Political Respondent for STV. He gave us a workshop on working with the media and being interviewed with the cameras. We even got to shoot our own little interviews about pineapple on pizza!
I feel so privileged to have met so many amazing individuals, who have touched my heart, and have become family. I also want to take the opportunity to say a massive thank you to all the staff at Who Cares? Scotland. Without them this would not be possible!
A Summer to
As part of the Harvard Summer School Programme, four of our members —Skye, Kyle, Ibrasheel, and Abbie — spent a summer away from the Scottish clouds, living and learning at the world-renowned Harvard University.
Now that they are back, we caught up with them to hear all about their unforgettable trip away!
What was it like studying at Harvard University?
Kyle- My experience at Harvard was life-changing to say the least. Harvard itself is prestigious and is THE Ivy League University that you see in all the movies, it was surreal to be there. The friends I made will last a lifetime and the taste of university life at such an excellent place was exciting, unbelievable and amazing all at the same time. I loved every second of it.
common and what was different. It was a real reminder of how vast and varied the world is yet how connected we all are.
Abbie-From the moment I arrived at Harvard, I was surrounded by people from all over the world. It was amazing to interact with students from so many different cultures. We would swap slang, chat about our backgrounds, and laugh at the little things we found in
What was the most memorable moment of your trip?
Skye- The city of Boston for me was beautiful and I’ll remember it forever. I loved exploring it—visiting museums, rose gardens, the beach on the 4th of July, and, in my last week, adventuring to the historic town of Salem to learn about the rich history of the witch trials.
Kyle- One of my proudest moments was getting a perfect score on a lab assignment. A perfect 40/40 on a difficult assignment is just unfathomable to me. If you told 13-year-old me that in three years he would be sitting in Harvard and doing well with a university level biology
Ibrasheel- Being surrounded by passionate people— both students and professors—sparked something inside me. The courses I took challenged me, but in the best possible way. I was able to explore subjects that I never thought I would have the chance to study, from electromagnetism to Japanese. And the best part was that I didn’t feel any different from the other students. We were all there for the same reason: to learn and grow.
course, he would have never believed you in a million years!
Abbie- I couldn’t choose just one. Some of my fondest memories are surprisingly simple—sitting in the dining hall with friends, laughing over meals, or making runs to Target. These moments, seemingly mundane, are the ones that made my trip so memorable. It was an incredible experience, one that I would wholeheartedly recommend to any young person, especially those with a care background like mine.
Some of my fondest memories are surprisingly simple—sitting in the dining hall with friends, laughing over meals, or making runs to Target. These moments, seemingly mundane, are the ones that made my trip so memorable.
Remember
What was the most valuable lesson you learnt?
fact, my experiences in foster care have given me resilience and determination, and a lot of strength.
Ibrasheel- I learnt that I have a voice, and it matters. Through discussions and group work, I found that my perspective, shaped by my time in foster care, was valued. People listened to me, and that was empowering. Hearing other people’s stories made me realise that while my background is unique, it doesn’t define me or limit my future. In
What’s next? Has Harvard helped you plan for your future?
Skye- I now have a clearer vision of what I want to do in the future.
Before this summer, I wanted to study psychology, and Harvard has really solidified this decision of studying both Psychology and Counselling. It has helped prepare me for university as there’s a high workload and it’s all your own responsibility to keep on top of all the work!
Abbie- For me, the idea of being in a foreign country without my family was daunting. The unfamiliarity of everything like the streets, the accents, and the customs was intimidating. But I reminded myself that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a chance to grow in ways I never could have imagined. And it was. I went there with the intention of becoming more independent and being able to take care of myself, and I would say I succeeded.
The 2025 Harvard Summer School applications have closed, but there’s still time to think ahead to the 2026 round (opening September 2025). This is an incredible opportunity to grow, learn, and build connections that will last a lifetime. And who knows? The next time you hear the name “Harvard,” it might just be you packing your bags for a summer you’ll never forget!
I realise that this experience wasn’t just about spending a summer at a prestigious university. It was about proving to myself that I am capable of achieving incredible things, no matter where I come from. I can’t wait to see what’s next for me.
The experience has given me something I didn’t expect—confidence. Confidence in my abilities, my potential, and my future.
Have you heard of Conversion Practices?
(Trigger Warning: This article mentions abuse and sexual assault)
There has recently been significant media coverage of conversion practices and potential legislation to ban them. Banning conversion practices is only one step towards ending them, however, which also requires non-legislative measures, support structures, and, most importantly, for young people and professionals who work with them to recognise conversion practices when they are happening.
What are conversion practices?
Conversion practices try to change or suppress a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation. They are based on a belief that it is better to be heterosexual and/or cisgender (not transgender), and that people who aren’t are somehow flawed, wrong, or ‘broken’.
Conversion practices can come in a wide variety of forms: some are more formal and can look like ‘talking therapies’, while others might include exorcisms at church or coercion at home. At their most extreme, they can involve violence and corrective rape.
Conversion practices cause long-term harm such as difficulty trusting people or forming relationships, isolation, lack of self-acceptance, poor mental health, low self-esteem, self-harm and suicidality. They both emerge from and reinforce negative societal attitudes about LGBTQ+ people.
How to recognise conversion practices
Conversion practices are abuse, and the training that professionals who work with children and young people have in recognising abuse can be helpful here. It is important to note that many people, especially young people, will not have the vocabulary to describe what is happening to them. There are stereotyped ideas of what constitutes conversion practices or ‘conversion therapy’ that can make it hard for victims to put a name to what they are experiencing.
Conversion practices in the home can be the hardest to recognise, both because it is not as ‘formal’ as other forms and because people experiencing it, particularly
young people, can find it hard to speak out about their own families. Some examples of what this can look like include trying to change or suppress someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity by using threats or coercion to: strictly control their appearance to ensure they conform to rigid and desired gender stereotypes; humiliate someone on the basis of their identity; or prevent someone from identifying as LGBTQ+.
It is just as important to recognise what conversion practices are not. While we hope to one day live in a world where all LGBTQ+ young people are accepted and supported, parents, communities, and family members who are not accepting of LGBTQ+ identities are not necessarily engaging in conversion practices. General expressions of disapproval of LGBTQ+ identities, expressions of religious belief, preaching from religious texts, and individual expressions of shock, surprise, or lack of support are not conversion practices. The key element to distinguishing conversion practices is that they usually take place over time, they have an element of coercion, and they target a specific individual or group of individuals.
Where to Get Support
If you are experiencing conversion practices, or have experienced them in the past, support is available. People 16 and over can contact LGBT Health & Wellbeing’s helpline www.lgbthealth.org.uk/services-support/https:// conversion-practices/, while under 16s can contact LGBT Youth Scotland lgbtyouth.org.uk/get-support/live-chat/https:// LGBT Health & Wellbeing have produced a guide to supporting people affected by conversion practices https://www.lgbthealth. org.uk/resource/conversion-practices-guide/
Martin’s Poetry
WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES
Walk a mile in my shoes just for a while
Through roads that stretch for miles without a smile
Feel the weight of what I carry day by day
The fears I hide the words I never say
Step into a house that’s not quite home
Where love feels distant and I feel alone
Where every move is watched each choice is small
And trust is something rare if felt at all
Walk with me through halls that echo wide
Where whispers follow and I can’t hide.
See how I brace for promises unkept For walls I’ve built from tears I’ve wept
Feel the sting of labels, names they choose
They see the story, but not my truths
“Just a case,” they say, “a broken heart,” But they don’t know my strength my hidden parts
So if you walk a mile in these shoes you’ll see I’m not a problem I’m simply me. With dreams and hopes though bruised by pain I’m more than struggles more than rain
If you can walk that mile and understand
You’d see I’m searching for a hand
To guide, to care, to truly know
That even in darkness I can grow
So walk with me not just beside
See where I’ve fallen but also my pride. In every step, there’s more to choose
If you could only walk a mile in my shoes
THE PROMISE IN SOUTH AYRSHIRE: A NEW LANGUAGE OF CARE
In South Ayrshire, where the tides meet land, A shift began, a guiding hand,
A promise made, a hope set free, To change the world for people like me.
No longer words that made us small,
But ones that lifted, held us all,
The way you spoke, the way you cared, Was something new, a love declared.
No more “case” or “issue” cold, But stories tenderly retold—
Where once was “troubled,” now you say, “A young heart finding its own way.”
The language changed, the air grew light,
Each word a beacon in the night.
No more “at risk,” no more “in need,”
But “growing strong” was planted seed.
You saw our strength, not just our pain, In every struggle, every strain.
And with your words, you built a bridge,
To lead us from the narrow ridge.
For when you speak with gentle grace, It shows a child they have a place.
It tells us that we truly matter—
Not broken souls, but hearts that shatter.
“Misbehaving” became “misunderstood,” “Struggling” turned to “trying as they should.”
“Damaged” became “resilient, strong,” “Lost” was “searching to belong.”
You say we’re capable, that we can grow, You ask us what we need to know,
You listen close, you change the frame— No more are we a “source of shame.”
The words you use now hold such power, To help us bloom in every hour. No longer judged by labels cold, But valued, cherished, brave and bold.
And so I stand with thanks today,
To every member who found the way, To honour The Promise, let it be A beacon for people, for all to see.
The Promise lives in what you’ve done, In every heart, in everyone.
Through kindness, trust, and words of grace, You’ve given us a safer place.
Thank You Sarah!
Chloe Lloyd, Emma Mitchell and Jamie-Lee Barrie
On Wednesday 6th November we went out for a meal with Sarah. Sarah has been our advocacy worker in East Dunbartonshire for two and a half years and we wanted to celebrate everything that we have achieved and enjoyed together over this time.
That would include advocacy support to help make things better for us at different times which is important. Sarah also helped us to come along to other events that WC?S put on – like the Carelidh, Summer Camp, Time to Shine and the Love Rally. If Sarah hadn’t come along to our Champs group, told us about these events and supported us to attend on the day, we doubt that we would’ve been at them!
Emma has said that “one of the highlights from camp is standing with Jamie-Lee on the Mezzanine first floor level, waving and smiling at people below. We would wish everyone a ‘good night’ at the end of each day and be back there in time to do the same, and greet everyone with a new wave and smile to say ‘good morning’ the next day.”
To mark all of this we went to a well-known pizza restaurant on Argyle Street in Glasgow. We were looked after well by our host for the night, who had us all laughing as he came up to the table armed with food and asked, ‘who’s the weirdo that’s wanting mushrooms on theirs?’
The pizzas were magic – we would recommend the margherita, the pepperoni and Nduja…and of course the mushroom!
And what better way to top off the meal than with a delicious dessert!? The brownie, ice-cream and the apple crumble cookie-dough were all amazing!
We then surprised Sarah by all having a card and a gift for her to say thanks after everything she has given to helping us since we’ve been lucky enough to know each other.
...it
was great to be able to share some time together on this night – it let us show Sarah how important she is to us.
Emma has said, “it was great to be able to share some time together on this night – it let us show Sarah how important she is to us – and we were able to mark this while Sarah was still our Who Cares? Worker. Although we all know that we will see each other again at future Who Cares? Events.”
Sarah will be an amazing foster carer and although we will all miss her dearly – we know it’s a brilliant thing that she is doing, and we wish her every success in the future.
In Review: GLASGOW BOYS
We’re always on the lookout for books about Care Experienced characters or written by Care Experienced authors that we can share with our members. Melissa, from our Policy and Public Affairs team, spotted a new release, The Glasgow Boys, and was keen to get stuck in to see what the book had to offer.
While perusing the shelves of my local Waterstones my partner brought me a book and said ‘You’re going to want to read this.’. I flipped to the back and immediately my attention was grabbed with the headline ‘Two boys can’t remember the last time they had a hug.’ Reading further, I was introduced to two Care Experienced characters, Finlay and Banjo. That night, I started reading their story.
Since finishing the book, I’m unsure how I feel about it. The book alternates the story with each paragraph being from the perspective of Finlay or Banjo. You’re given an insight into their lives, and each paragraph at the beginning of the book alludes to something that happened in the past that connects the characters.
Bit by bit, you follow the struggles each character is facing in their current lives while still dealing with what happened in their past. Despite the author not being Care Experienced herself, she consulted with John Radoux, a passionate Care Experienced campaigner, so I was pleasantly surprised with how well the book dealt with portraying two complex Care Experienced people.
However, there were some aspects I didn’t find realistic. In particular, Finlay’s poor financial circumstances as a student are hammered home with constant references to him ‘penny counting’ or living off noodles. Whilst it is true that going into further education can be financially challenging, lots of work has been done to address this for Care Experienced students.
Finlay would have been entitled to financial support. This would have included the Care Experienced student bursary, a student loan from SAAS and social work help with rent or free accommodation. He also
had a scholarship and income from his job and would have been entitled to the bursary for doing Nursing. I appreciate that being a Care Experienced student does come with financial challenges but it is unhelpful for Care Experienced people to read Finlay’s story and think that’s what it is like when there is support out there.
Overall, I think the story is quite nice and has a happy ending for both the characters. It deals with multiple issues such as the stigma experienced by Care Experienced people well. But I’ve got mixed feelings on if I would recommend it or not. So, if you’re thinking about picking up a copy, I’d encourage you to do so and you can make your own judgements.
This Year’s Card Competitions Christmas Wishes
Our annual Birthday and Christmas Card Design competitions were a huge success this year, with an overwhelming number of incredible entries! We were truly impressed by the creativity, talent, and festive spirit each submission showcased. It was no easy task selecting the winners, as every design
brought something unique and special to the table. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took part and congratulations to the winners! We look forward to seeing even more amazing entries next year!
Wynter
Winner - Toby 3 and a half
Sophie 13
Seasaidh 12
Sarah, 15
Rose 14
Peyton
Lokesh 12
Liam 12
Roslyn
Haris
Fabiana
Devon
& Birthday Cheers & Cheers
Winner - Kinley, 11
Katie-Ann
Daisy-May
Brody
Troy
Robyn
Madison
Madison
Rebecca
Csenge
nce you have completed the IN IT TO WIN IT page please return it to us by Thursday 7th March 2024 to be in with a chance of winning a £25 voucher of your choice. You can do this by giving the page to your Who Care? Scotland 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!
JUST FOR FUN…
Relax and colour in the Grinch
and Max this Christmas!
“Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more!”
— Dr Seuss
Karen Monkman APW Orkney 07849 087 753
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