Hi everyone!

The Champions Board started last year with the aim to create a platform for care experienced young people and key people within the council to become champions for change.  This means they will work together to explore issues facing care experienced young people and work on ways to improve the services that are there to support us. Part of that is creating this website as a resource for our young people to use; our young people worked together to decide on the content and design to make it as good for our care experienced young people as possible.

Initially we did a lot of events and activities to get young people involved and began creating a core group of young people and adult champions. Team building activities like a pizza making day allowed young people and adults to start getting to know each other and build relationships.

Our young people met several times to look at what the first theme they wanted to take forward was and decided on Mental Health.  This included research, consulting with young people and looking at how to take this forward with the Board.  The group decided to do a drama piece and case study to show the adults their views and experiences of mental health issues and services.  This was showcased at our first champions board meeting in October.

Since then we have continued to move forward with this theme and are looking at ways to make services more accessible and raise awareness amongst practitioners about the affects of mental health issues on care experience young people.  The next theme our group decided to explore is issues with housing. We are moving forward with a consultation and will continue work around this theme.

Sorry, it doesn't look like we have any upcoming meetings. Give us a call if you would like more info.

Amanda Reynolds (Champions Board Coordinator)

Lindsay Cook (Who Cares? Scotland)