At The Fostering Network, we believe that young people should have a voice and be given opportunities to make a difference. In Wales, our advisory board aims to do just this- we want to give young people with experience of foster care a voice and a chance to campaign on the issues that are important to them!
Who
Our youth advisory board in Wales is open to young people aged 14-25 who are in foster care or who have been in foster care.
Why
We believe that young people should have opportunities to use their voice and that the work we do should be focused on their views and experiences. We want all our programmes, policy, and campaigns work to place children and young people at the heart of them. Through our advisory board, young people can help to determine what policy issues we campaign on and speak to Members of the Senedd about and can help shape how our programmes run and what future work should look like.
What we have achieved
Last summer we held a residential which brought young people together to learn about campaigning and start creating a plan for the campaign that the group will work on over the next year. We also did kayaking, a treasure hunt, and lots of crafts and games!
Coming up...
Over the next year, the youth advisory board will meet once a month to work on developing and actioning the campaign. These meetings will be a mix of online and in person meetings.
THRIVE
We produce Thrive, a magazine for all care experienced young people across Wales. Young people play a key role in shaping the magazine, using their creative skills and interests to contribute. In the past, young people have been consulted on the theme of each magazine, highlighted important issues that need to be included in the magazine as well as written articles, and participated in interviews.
Looking ahead, we want to make Thrive even more accessible. To achieve this, we’ll be consulting young people about its future direction.
If you would like to find out more or get involved, please contact
Alexandra Atkins- Fostering Communities Programme Manager