Latest news, events and policy updates from Staf |
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Dear Friend,
Happy Care Day! To celebrate Care Day 2021 we have been reflecting on the incredible amount of work the care experienced young people that we collaborate with and support have achieved, despite huge barriers. Our team have consistently engaged and supported our groups to participate and influence the work of the projects. You can find out more here or why not watch our latest video demonstrating what can be accomplished when relationships are put front and centre. We are also marking Care Day by releasing our latest podcast. In this episode I talk with our Chair and CEO of Aberlour about poverty. We discuss the impact the pandemic has had on families, financially and emotionally, and then delve deeper into how care experienced young people have been affected and suggest the idea of a Universal Basic Income as a real game changer for those leaving care. On the 5th February we, along with the rest of the care community, marked the first anniversary of The Promise and reflected on the Promise keeping its commitment to the composition of the newly announced Oversight Board. I am thrilled with the composition of the Oversight Board, a welcome mix of sector and care experienced individuals who will hold the Government to account and ensure the promises aren’t broken. The Staf Summit, now less than 4 weeks away, will also play its part in ensuring organisations #KeepThePromise. We’re delighted to announce that Maree Todd, Minister for Children and Young People, will be joining us to share her views alongside Thomas Carlton Project Support Manager at The Promise Team. If you are a senior leader with responsibility for Corporate Parenting or directly provide care and support to young people with care experience then join us to help move from Promise to Action. I look forward to seeing you there. Best wishes,
Jo Derrick
Staf CEO
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Staf Projects
Youth Justice Voices This month we have an update from our Youth Participation Consultant, Kevin Lafferty:
This month the Youth Justice Voices members have been looking back at their achievements throughout the project. Inspired, they now look to the future and are planning a path to best achieve the outcomes they want in the next year.
They will take control of a drive-in recruitment of new members to the group by enhancing the presence on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, showcasing their achievements and goals on these.
They have also expressed an interest in peer training suggesting that they could get together with other care & justice experienced young people via zoom to share their learning out with the project. Some participants have been able to use the work done within such as game design with NKBL to develop skills in areas like creating webinar’s and CV workshops. Also discussed was the development of their skills in writing blogs & essays, creative writing already being the strong point of some members.
As well as this the group have taken a look at the budget for the project and will do their own research to see where this best can be spent to acquire some tools for achieving these goals. This is the 3rd year of the project and the enthusiasm in the group for care and justice experienced young people to have their voices heard and valued is as strong as it was in the 1st. Watch this space!
Want to get involved in the action?
Youth Just Us provides opportunities to meet other care and justice experienced young people, take part in a range of fun and creative activities, and influence change across Scotland. The group is open to all young people aged 16-25 with care and justice experience. If you are interested in getting involved, contact ruth@staf.scot.
Project Return
Project Return have had another exciting and busy month.
The Pets in Care advisory group will be meeting for the first time this month to start designing a resource that will act as a framework for young people to support themselves to look after pets. This will also allow workers and organisations to support and enable young people to have and look after pets.
If your interested in seeing a time- line of the Pets in Care work please look at this fun and creative padlet: https://padlet.com/jenny154/zy322ijfwnbwelzl
The Catalysts are looking to host a national Big Breakfast morning on the 21st April. The day will mark the importance of relationships by encouraging organisations and individuals to host their own community breakfast with creative resources available from ourselves. Over the next month, more information will be released about the day and how organisations can take part - so watch our social media channels!
Project Return is a Staf project, led by members of The Catalysts steering group, focused on changing how the care system understands and supports trauma. If you’d like more information on this work or perhaps you have experience of care and would like to join The Catalysts and their creative work then get in touch with Jenny at jenny@staf.scot.
The REAL Toolkit
It's been an exciting time for the REAL Toolkit lately!
An advisory group was formed last month and has met for the first time, where they took part in a wreath-making session to get to know one another. This group will guide the direction of the toolkit over the coming months.
There have also been several information sessions about the project, what it aims to achieve and how you can get involved. If Relationships, Empathy and Love is something you think we need more of in our practice, get in touch! (Contact details below).
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Staf Policy and Practice
Response to The Promise Oversight Board
The Promise's Oversight Board is a veritable who's who of care professionals alongside care experienced people whose voices are pivotal to ensuring The Promise is delivered. We are delighted to see such a strong team in place to ensure that Scotland is held to account and the promises are kept.
The Staf Summit is just one of our ways of ensuring we play our part to move from promise to action.
Universal Credit Update We were delighted to see that a cross party of MPs has joined our call to retain the £20 Universal Credit increase which is due to be removed in April. Many thanks to our members who supported our letter to the DWP. You can read more about this here.
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Talking Poverty with Jo Derrick and SallyAnn Kelly 'As a country we need to step up to the plate and offer unconditional guarantees for our young people in a way we have never done before.'
SallyAnn Kelly, Staf Chair and CEO of Aberlour discusses poverty, the pandemic and the idea of a Universal Basic Income for care leavers with Staf CEO, Jo Derrick. |
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Staf Events
Staf runs a range of events including focus groups, forums, webinars and conferences for you to connect and learn with colleagues and peers. |
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Staf Summit 2021: From Promise to Action
Tuesday 17th March, Online
This year's Summit is focusing on The Promise and how to facilitate this into real change via contributions from experts, those already achieving successes and hearing directly from young people. We also want to support Corporate Parents fulfil their part of The Promise. We can't wait to hear from Maree Todd (Minister for Children and Youne People), Thomas Carlton (The Promise) Louise Hunter (Who Cares Scotland CEO), Tam Baillie (Char of A Way Home Coalition), Children's Hearings Scotland, Kenny McGhee (CELCIS), Adam Bennet (Project Change), Mhairi Reid (Life Changes Trust), Linda McLennan (Highland Council) and our very own Real Toolkit.
We hope you can join us.
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Participation Practitioners' Forum
Thursday 25th February, 10am - 11.30am (Microsoft Teams)
At this month's forum we will be joined by members of Youth Just Us who are keen to share their insights and top tips about participation work during lockdown.
We're always keen to see new attendees so if you or someone you know is a participation workers supporting young people with care and justice experience or looking to improve participation then this is the place to come!
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Supported Lodgings, Supported Carers Focus Group
Tuesday 2nd March, 10am - 11.30am (Microsoft Teams)
The Supported Lodgings, Supported Carers focus group provides a supportive forum to share good practice, local and national developments, and discuss issues around Care Inspectorate inspections.
This group is aimed at members and corporate parents who provide supported lodgings or supported carer services for care-experienced young people.
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Care Leavers Into Employment Focus Group
Wednesday 10th March, 10.30am - 12.30pm (Microsoft Teams)
Our Care Leavers into Employment focus group tackles the issues faced by young people in both accessing and sustaining employment. This group brings together workers from across the public and third sector to discuss and dissect current practice issues.
Over the past year, the group has discussed the impact of COVID-19 on care leavers; the Scottish Government's new Job Start Payment; and the Young Person's Guarantee. At every meeting there is an opportunity for attendees to network with peers and discuss best practice.
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Local Authority Members Forum
Wednesday 24th March, 10.30am - 12.30pm (Microsoft Teams)
This event has been created exclusively for local authority managers to give you space to discuss the issues that matter to you, given your unique statutory responsibility in delivering service for care leavers.
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Brew and a Blether - Carers Catch Up Wednesday 31st March, 10.30am - 12.30pm (Microsoft Teams)
This free informal event has been created exclusively for foster carers, particularly those supporting young people in Continuing Care placements, and supported carers for care leavers. This is an opportunity for you to meet with your peers, discuss the challenges you face and best practice in providing support to the young people in your care.
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What #WeLove this month...
💜 The deadline for organisations looking to #KeepThe Promise is fast approaching. You have until 1st March to apply for up to £50,000 facilitated by The Corra Foundation which can be used to instigate system and cultural change to benefit care experienced young people.
💜 Huge congratulations to Dave Alfred Grimm, a student and poet with care experience who had his poem for front line workers published on the Piccadilly Underground. Amazing achievement and such beautiful words. You can read it on Dave's Twitter account.
💜 Happy 1st birthday to Project Change! We can't wait to hear all about their achievements to date at the Staf Summit. |
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| Want to find out more about Staf events, projects, membership and training opportunities? |
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We would love to hear from you. Get in contact via email on info@staf.scot or through our social media channels linked below. |
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