Dear Friend
Welcome to our final newsletter of 2022 and what a year it has been.
We’ve all been taking some time, now that things have finally started to quieten down, to reflect on our work and achievements of the last 12 months. You can read these in the newsletter below including a piece from our Throughcare and Aftercare Workforce lead who some of you may have met in our forums.
The abiding theme of this year must be reconnection. After two years of mostly online interactions, we were finally able to get back together, in person. From our events at the Scottish Parliament, the launch of our Home and Belonging and Local House Project evaluations, to our National Conference last month, it really has been wonderful to see people properly again and feel the buzz of being in a room full of people wanting to do the very best by, for and with our care leavers.
Our care experienced led projects have also had a busy year and it’s been great to see that they too have been enjoying in-person gatherings although being ever mindful of what works best for the young people they work with. Youth Justice Voices highlights of their year include Inside Out being nominated for a Pioneering Project Award at the Scottish Charity Awards, responding to the Children (Care and Justice Bill) Consultation and Kilbrandon Lecture, working with No Knives Better Lives on the Nae Danger Game and attending numerous conferences to share their visions and work.
Our Care Leavers’ Forum has also had a great year with their meeting with the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon to discuss the Care Leaver Guaranteed Income; shaping the themes for raising at the Cross-Party Group on Care Leavers that Staf has established; and facilitating cross border collaboration and learning with the Care Leavers Association (CLA) and International Foster Care Organisation (IFCO) culminating in the brilliant Building Bridges event.
You can check out our 2022 in 2 mins highlights of the year video to get a visual reminder of what’s been happening (and you might just spot yourself!)
Looking ahead, 2023 looks set to be just as eventful, in a good way. Our campaign on the Guaranteed Income will continue, learning from what’s currently happening in Wales, and speaking with those who have the power to make it a possibility. We are also going to take a closer look at the role and impact of Housing in the lives of Care Leavers which is the main topic of the 2023 Staf Summit. Tickets are already selling quickly, with almost one third sold already, so make sure you book your place as soon as you can.
We will also continue to work with the National House Project who are looking to roll out their work in local authorities across the country. They are holding an event on the 8 Feb in Glasgow for those who want to find out more. If you are interested, please email tanya@thehouseproject.org.
I am also delighted to share we have been successful in our bid for Promise Partnership funding which will have a Supportive Workforce focus. More info about this will follow next year. In addition, the Promise Partnership funding we received last year has enabled us to carry out an internal evaluation of our trauma informed practice, which some of you have fed into. We will be hosting a number of events in the new year around this so keep an eye on your inbox for news on that.
The Learning Channel will also be launched next year, providing a one stop shop for all of the learning from the Life Changes Trust Care Experienced projects. You can find out more about this project here.
As we bring the calendar year to an end, I’d like to take a moment to thank the Staf team, those of you involved in our projects and the Care Leavers who continue to lend us their care experience to shape, inform and co-lead our aims and activities each year to ensure we strive for the best for care-experienced young people. I count myself fortunate to work alongside you all.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank you for your engagement, support and passion for all that you do to ensure the outcomes of care leavers are equal to that of their friends. There’s still a long way to go until that is a reality but I know together we can make such a difference and now that we are able to do this in person again I have every faith great things lie ahead.
Merry Christmas and here’s to a happy, healthy, and impactful 2023. | | | | | |
Youth Just Us - Care and Justice Experienced Steering Group
It’s been a busy year for our amazing young people and staff at Youth Justice Voices.
Inside Out were shortlisted as finalists for the Pioneering Project of the year at the Scottish Charity Awards due to their commitment to improve care-experienced boys and young men’s experience of HMPYOI Polmont alongside SPS and Barnardo’s. Not forgetting a visit from Keith Brown the Cabinet Secretary for Justice. Youth Just Us have been involved in a whole host of things including CLAN Childlaw and Claire Lightowler’s scoping study on how to improve the legal needs and rights of children and young people in conflict with the law. We are excited to continue this partnership in the New Year where we will work to co-produce an animation to disseminate some of the key findings that young people told us.
Youth Just Us and Inside Out also took part in a range of consultations including the Children’s Care and Justice Bill and proposed changes around Bail, Remand and Release. You can read more about our work and some of our talented members blogs here on our website.
None of this would be possible if it wasn’t for the tireless efforts the past and present young people who have been committed to Youth Just Us and Inside Out over the past year; our partners who have supported young people’s participation and engagement and of course our funders the National Lottery and The Promise.
What’s next?
We have big plans ahead for 2023 starting with an exciting creative project kicking off on the 23rd of January with Liminal Studios. We are inviting young people aged 16 - 25 with experience of the care and justice systems to participate in the digital storytelling workshops they will be running in the new year. Using the latest virtual reality technology, participants will be encouraged to become aware of their own power, challenge the labels and write their own story for the future. Pizza will also be provided! And we have a few spaces left for young people to sign up and join. Contact ruth@staf.scot now to book your place
In 2023 we will be continuing our work with Youth Just Us and Inside Out. Find out more about Youth Just Us here but we will also be kicking off an exciting new chapter as we look to establish a brand new Youth Justice Voices steering group for care and justice experienced young people in the North of Scotland. This is an amazing opportunity for young people to not only be a changemaker but to help shape and form this new project. Our next participation practitioners forum will take place on the 26th of January and we are inviting practitioners and organisations predominately based in Aberdeen and the Shires (further a field welcome too) to join us online to hear more about how you can support young people’s participation and engagement. We will then hold a fun and creative information session for young people interested in the project on Thursday the 16th of February 4-7pm in person in Aberdeen (venue to be confirmed). For more info about this exciting new venture you can contact katrina@staf.scot
You can keep up to date with the work of Youth Just Us and Inside Out via our Twitter account @YJVScotland | | | | Care Leavers Forum
Katrina Gallagher, Project Development Worker (Care experienced Community) shares her reflection on the past 12 months.
Over the last year, the care leavers forum have done work around finance including setting the priority topics for the Cross Party Group work plan and engaging with the First Minister for a pilot of a guaranteed income for care leavers.
The forum also partnered up with Care leavers Association and IFCO for a building bridges project – brining Scottish and English care leavers together with stakeholders and corporate parents to discuss the key themes identified by them. The event was very well received and the CLF will be looking to engage more with other care leavers and stakeholders from across Scotland in the new year.
Get in touch with katrina@staf.scot if you'd like to get involved and influence change for care leavers! | | | | The Real Toolkit
Over the last year our advisory group focused on making changes around language and terminology in the real toolkit guides – we did this after feedback received from people with care experience and members of the workforce. One of the biggest changes we made was to change the young peoples page to people with care experience to reflect the wider care experienced community and we updated guides to reflect this.
In the new year we are hoping to be able to have physical copies of The Real Toolkit to be used by people who engage with care experienced people. We will also be hoping to engage more corporate parents and practitioners and people with lived experience to improve the resource and maximise its use. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to The Real Toolkit, gave feedback or used the website.
You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with our progress. | | | | National Leadership Network (NLN) which Staf are lead hosts of alongside our partners at CYCJ, Columba 1400, Resilience Learning Partnership and Who Cares? Scotland.
Gary Brown, NLN Development Co-ordinator, shares his thoughts on the past year
2022 has been an important year for the National Leadership Network and we would like to thank every individual, group, project, and organisation that we have linked with over the last 12 months. Some of our favourite moments of the year have been: Working with 4 young people on the National Leadership Network Interim Oversight Board who amongst many things led on the Steering Group recruitment process. Working with another 4 young people who led on the promotion around the Steering Group recruitment as well as leading on the recent ‘Exploring Possibilities’ event. Hosting the ‘Exploring Possibilities’ event which featured 10 presenters and was attended by 40 people. Watch out for similar events in 2023. Linking in with over 70 people through applications for the Steering Group roles. Sign posting many leadership opportunities and experiences to over 100 people on our email distribution list. Starting the NLN Roadshows in East Ren and Aberdeen. In 2023 we will aim to link with groups of people with care experience where they are to talk about leadership opportunities where they are based. NLN staff featuring on two national podcasts. Delivering presentations and having information stalls on the National Leadership Network in various contexts over Scotland. Sharing 6 blogs on the theme of leadership and 1 from a member of the Interim Oversight Board. We also shared 2 vlogs by another 2 young people we have been working with. NLN staff being part of the Celcis Participation Network Steering Group and the Collective Leadership Scotland Steering Group. Having lots of fun at our first two virtual quizzes. Building and developing working relationships with so many individuals, groups, and projects in and out of the care experience community. Taking part in trauma training with friends at the Resilience Learning Partnership. Working with our Life Changes Trust legacy partners from the Learning Channel, Tek Cares and Care and Creativity – sharing resources, learning, and supporting each other. Working with our host’s comms teams on all matters relevant to NLN comms. Developing pieces of work which are currently unfinished which include a first version of a NLN website, NLN hoodies, individual grants, a learning resource being done in partnership with CELCIS and much more. Working with our hosts – CYCJ, Columba 1400, Resilience Learning partnership (RLP), Staf, and Who Cares? Scotland developing the processes we need to have in place to fund projects and support the evolution and growth of this 5-year project
We look forward to working with all our friends, hosts, partners and allies in 2023 and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
For more information on the National Leadership Network please contact ypceleadership@thenln.org
| | | | A message from Chris Walsh, Throughcare and Aftercare Workforce Lead
I would say that’s it’s been a privilege meeting the workforce from the length and breadth of the country throughout the year and listening to the journey they have been on through Covid and beyond. Its striking how committed the workforce are to delivering a service to the young people they work with and the difference this has made to peoples lives. The workforce really have went above and beyond during this time and it has been a honour to bear witness to this. I think that some of the main issues that have surfaced throughout the year are: Having a national minimum payment for carers which would include Supported Lodgings Providers as well as those providing Continuing Care, set by the Scottish Government is desperately needed Covid has had a severe effect on young peoples mental health and on the morale of the workforce who are have worked non stop throughout the pandemic and beyond Refreshed statutory guidance on Continuing Care, simplifying and being more explicit on the process and expectations of this legislation would help Ongoing refresher training for the workforce on Continuing Care is needed for Local Authorities. Knowledge is often lacking with staff turnover and generic teams covering a multitude of roles, including Throughcare and Aftercare, but without the specialist knowledge Increased funding is required from the Scottish Government for Local Authorities to continue to provide Continuing Care to all eligible young people The workforce have innovated and adapted their working practices through Covid to continue to deliver a service to those that needed it the most
If you'd like to get in touch you can contact me at chris@staf.scot |
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