Some young people who have been working with the Children's Rights Service have developed a support group which they have named RAW, this stands for RIGHTS AND WRONGS. This group of young people have undertaken 'TOTAL RESPECT' training, which is all about communication and developing confidence. They help to present the training, support other young people, take part in interviews and carry out presentations. They also have a lot of fun.
If you have any problems which you would like to talk through with a young person rather than an adult you can contact a RAW member through the children's rights service. Also if you would like to undertake the training and become part of the support group please contact your Children's Participation Officer.
A special awards evening was organised by Bedfordshire County Council's Children’s Service’s 140 looked after children who were nominated for an Achievement Award this year. More than 50 of those nominated attended the ceremony held at the Civic Theatre on Friday 26th of October. The theme of this years awards was ‘Boogie Nights’, the theme was chosen by the young people who were part of the group that organised the event. There were some spectacular 70’s costumes.
The awards evening celebrates the success of young people in care. Awards are given for a variety of reasons ranging from academic success to bravery in hospital.
County Councillor David Reedman, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "These awards really help to raise awareness of the achievements of young people in care. All the children at the ceremony have made massive achievements over the last twelve months and this recognition will provide a fantastic boost for their self esteem."
Young people from the RAW (Rights and Wrongs) group have played a vital role in the organisation of the ceremony and they hosted the event. Members of RAW are mostly young people who have spent time in care. They regularly meet with social services managers to help shape the service they receive.
The Urban Funki Munkis a local dance troupe opened the ceremony with a special dance routine based round the ‘Boogie Nights’ theme. Either side of the awards there were special speeches from Malcolm Newsam, Director of Children's Services, and Cllr Gillian Howard, who is responsible for children in care. To conclude the ceremony a number of young people, staff and the county councillors enjoyed a 70’s themed disco.
County Councillor David Reedman stated: "What can we say about the dancing? We wouldn't have won a competition would we (although we did we beat the youngsters on the stage when we did the slide cha cha !!). After the awards it felt like a party. The awards ceremonies are always a lot of fun. The young people involved work incredibly hard to plan the event and I am sure this year's event was the best yet. After the awards it felt like a party, I think that the change of venue enhanced the evening “.
Finally from County Councillor Gillian Howard: “I wouldn’t call it dancing, in fact I thought David and Peter were in pain most of the time. What a laugh though. I know it brought a smile to a lot of faces and that is what it’s all about”.
Young people are at the heart of a unique training programme that focuses on communication, respect and confidence building. The aim is to give young people a greater say in the services they get and a better understanding of their views and wishes.
The training has brought together young people and staff in workshops over 2 days. The emphasis is on listening and understanding each other and practical exercises in body language, listening skills and jargon busting proved a real winner. During training, young people suggested ways care reviews could be less boring, meetings less intimidating and social workers more approachable. The young people are now becoming trainers and will be passing on the skills they've learned to other adults and young people. So the programme is set to grow and grow.
"There has been a lot of learning for everyone taking part in the training. It promotes positive behaviour, is thought provoking, energetic and most importantly fun. Both adults and young people were amazed at how much more confident we felt afterwards about working together."
And what do the young people themselves think? Here are just some of their comments:
"I learned a lot"
"Gained confidence in communicating"
"Enjoyed busting social work jargon"
"Really enjoyed warm up exercises – especially boogie-woogie"
"Went home on a high"
"Care – we are living it – adults are
making it!"
As a result of the training programme, young people were recently on the selection panel to recruit two key members of the Children's Services team and were able to interview the candidates themselves, they will be involved in further interviews during the Autumn. The young people are working on developing a training video which is to be used for future workshops, they have also been involved with presentations at staff conferences and in re-writing leaflets for young people accessing social services provision.
This is just part of the work going on to involve children and young people who receive services from us in helping us meet their needs.
The Children's Rights Service work jointly with John Handscombe and his colleagues at Wooden Hill who are commissioned to carry out Total Respect Training. If you would like to find out more about the training Wooden Hill offer, please contact John Hanscombe on 07742 670143 or visit their website by clicking here.
If you are responsible for planning and providing services for looked after children or young people and would like to take part in the training, contact Sharon Buckley, on (01234) 276768.
Whatever the reason, you can talk to the Children's Participation Officer and she can give you advice and support.
If you have a problem or a worry
and you don't feel able to contact her yourself ask a friend or an adult whom you trust to make contact for you.
For further information please contact: Sharon Buckley
Children’s Participation Officer
01234 276768
sharon.buckley@bedscc.gov.uk
RAW now
have their own website! RAW4US Visit by clicking on the logo
Wooden Hill are starting a new Peer mentoring project called “Ear to the Ground”
Are you interested in becoming a peer mentor?
This would involve training in specialist area and sharing your knowledge with other young people
in the county.
If you are aged 14-19 and think you have the ability
to do well in a role like this and would like to be involved in this exciting new project then get in contact with us ASAP on 01234 353335 or by e-mail: cally@woodenhilluk.co.uk
The RAW group won a trip to Slovakia as part of the YOPPEE awards in 2006. Here, Adam Scholes, a RAW member gives us his account of the trip...
When I first got to our Hotel in Slovakia I could not believe how big the complex was!!!
After we arrived and settled in we had our first meal and then we all went off to explore the facilities at the Aqua Centre. The group split into two, both groups found different facilities. We found the Olympic size pool, which was massive; there was a coloured pool which was split into 4 smaller areas - all with jacuzzi’s!!! There was an outside swimming pool with slides, the water was really warm and was heated from underground springs. We were swimming outside in the cold and dark!!! There was even a swimming pool with a bar where we enjoyed fruit cocktails!!!
At 9 o’clock each evening there was a laser light show in the coloured pool - it was spectacular!!! It was done with lights, smoke and water droplets which made amazing shapes, including animals and people and amazing patterns. You would have to be there to understand just how wonderful it was!!!! It was a great experience.
I spent loads of time in the jacuzzi and steam rooms. There were eight different types of steam room including an ice room that was freezing! I even went in the ice tub and this was an amazing experience, I felt really good for having done tit!!! Apparently it gets rid of lactic acids!!!
My trip to Aqua City was pretty impressive. It was much better than I first thought it would be. I thought that it would just be swimming and probably boring but how wrong was I?
I also enjoyed the shopping, as things were quite cheap there. I bought three tops, a pair of jeans, two belts as well as two hats in the mountains!!! 18th October 2007
More than one hundred children and young people were the height of fashion at County Hall this Friday (27 October). They attended a special awards evening organised by Bedfordshire County Council’s Looked After Children’s Service.
The awards evening celebrated the success of young people in care. Awards were given for a variety of reasons ranging from academic success to bravery in hospital. This year they have chosen the world of fashion as the theme for
the ceremony.
County Councillor David Reedman, Cabinet member for children and young people, said: “These awards really help to raise awareness of the achievements of young people in care. All the children at the ceremony have made massive achievements over the last twelve months and this recognition will provide a fantastic boost for
their self esteem.”
Young people from the RAW (Rights and Wrongs) group played a vital role in the organisation of the ceremony and hosted the event. Members of RAW are all children who have spent time in care. They regularly meet with social services managers to help shape the service they receive.
A dance troupe opened the ceremony with a special performance of Madonna’s Vogue. And between awards an MC from RAW gave a run down on the outfits shown off by the young
people attending.
County Councillor David Reedman added: “This awards ceremony is always a lot of fun. The young people involved work incredibly hard to plan the event and I am sure this year’s event will be
the best yet.”
Firefighters from Biggleswade and Kempston joined an event aimed at youngsters organised by the Rights and Wrongs (RAW) group.
Station Commander Chris Adams of Biggleswade Station congratulated the firefighters on entering into the spirit of the event - including sitting in the stocks to get soaked with wet sponges.
"We like to show we are game for a laugh - although we were there to get some serious messages across to young people about fire and road safety. We don't want to be meeting them again when they are trapped in a crashed car. We hope they will think carefully about road safety when they are old enough to drive", said GC Adams.
Crew Commander Paul Webb from Biggleswade explained how the Specialist Rescue Unit equips firefighters to save lives in fires and road traffic accidents. Meanwhile colleagues allowed youngsters to sit in a fire engine driving seat.
Activities included a band, circus skills display, disco & karaoke, wheelchair basketball and stands by agencies like NACRO, the National Youth Advocacy Service, the Youth Service and RAW's own 16 plus team...and of course FunkeeMunkee!
You’ve heard about the Taxi Token project?
Well, this is one better! Organised by the same people, the Transport Token scheme allows young people from across Mid Beds to have free or cheaper transport to get to projects, clubs, events or activities. It has been extended from taxi’s, to include Stagecoach East buses, Thameslink trains and WAGN trains, as well as including 9 different taxi companies from across Bedfordshire.
If you would like to go to a project or group, but have problems getting there, get the group to give us a call, and we can sort out Transport Tokens, which they can then give to you for free! For more details, please contact: 08458 495 008
A Children's Participation Officer is employed to ensure that children and young people who are looked after by Bedfordshire Social Services know their rights and are fairly treated.
The Children's Participation Officer has lots of information to help you. She can offer advice over the telephone, she can visit you and she can arrange for you to see an advocate. An advocate is an independent person who will represent your views.
The Children's Participation Officer can support and advice you at meetings and help you to make a complaint if necessary.
You can contact the Children's Rights Service at County Hall in Bedford on 01234 276768. Always leave a message and the Children's Participation Officer will call you back as soon as she is able to. You can e-mail her at: sharon.buckley@bedscc.gov.uk
What can the Bedfordshire Children's Rights Service do for you?
- It can explain what your rights are - Make sure that people who are responsible for you listen to what you have to say - Support you in having your wishes and views heard and taken seriously - Help you to make a complaint if you are not happy with how things are - Put you in touch with other young people who are being looked after - Encourage you to talk about your experiences of being looked after and look at how things may be improved. Why do young people contact the Children's Participation Officer?
- There are many reasons young people feel that they need support, these are some of them:
- If they feel that decisions are being made without them having their say
- If they feel that they are not being treated fairly
- If they are being bullied in any way
- If they feel that they would like to see more of their social worker or would like to change their social worker
- If they are not happy where they live
- Having to wait a long time for a permanent home
- If they have no school to go to.
The very successful RAW SUMMER EVENT was on the 27th July and was an excellent event.
Click here for a run down of the
days events by Aaron Scholes.
Last year over 100 young people looked after by Bedfordshire Social Services received awards.
We are hoping there will be more awards given this year!
