we are here is going live!
We Are Here is a FREE workshop programme for young people who are care-experienced that I’ve been putting together as part of my work with the brilliant creative leadership consultancy Curve
The programme was started in 2019 by Lizzie Shupak and Bonnie Linieres to give skills, confidence and creative leadership training to young people from traditionally underrepresented groups who wanted to break into the creative industries. The participants created a great Zine. The brand identity for this year’s programme is the genius of Corrina Mark who came to our attention through the programme and spent some time being mentored by super designer Hazel from CROSSFIRE Agency
After a pause (thanks COVID), the programme is back. And this year we’re focusing on young people who are care-experienced.
💡Teachable moment 💡 care-experienced doesn’t mean experience working in care homes!!! It’s actually the new umbrella term for anyone who has been
✨ fostered under local authority care
✨ adopted
✨ in residential care
✨ in kinship care with a relative or friend
The first and last options on the list happen to apply to me.
I was made a ‘ward of court’ two weeks after my 15th birthday. After 2 temporary emergency placements, I ended up with a couple in Hackney. On the night before my 16th birthday I packed my stuff, left their flat and called my social worker to tell him I’d left their hellhole of a home and was he going to help me.
He did.
And things have turned out alright for me.
But the figures around the life chances for people who have experienced the care system are disproportionately low. And it’s not because of some lack in the individuals. It’s squarely down to a deficient system whose woeful funding and threadbare levels of government support are symptomatic of the misconceptions and bias wider society has around what it means to be ‘in care’.
So this programme is a step towards redressing the balance.
We're now recruiting participants.
If you know anyone this might interest. Or have links to any organisations, groups and communities that support and work with people who are care-experienced, please share this post!!!
✨ DETAILS ✨
• 12 places available
• For 18-25 yo who are care-experienced
• The programme runs Nov 27-Dec 1
• Each participant will get a one-week zone 1-6 travelcard
• Lunch is provided for the 5 days
• Location is Liverpool Street (2 days) and Oxford Circus (3 days)
• Closing date to apply Oct 30
• Course is FREE!!!
• Participants learn about collaboration, creative leadership, finding mentors and building connections, developing resilience, setting goals, using their voice and telling their story
• Cohort will co-create the We Are Here zine
• Link to application form: https://lnkd.in/ewTiu2Sn
National Care Leavers Week starts on Wednesday. The theme is CARE: Celebrate Care Leavers...
