Young people's Voice

This page is an opportunity to share messages and thoughts that others may value about what you have learnt as a care experienced person, from your time in care to your experiences leaving care…

 I wish I had...      If I had known...       If they had told me... 

Allow your voice to be heard and submit your message below.

Submit your message here     

Keep the faith

Keep the faith. One day, you'll be the decision-maker with the gavel in your hands. You possess a unique strength that few have experienced or will ever understand. You are survivors, destined to overcome the challenges that life has thrown your way. Believe in yourself as survivors. Embrace your strengths and talents. You have the power to shape a remarkable future. Keep the faith, and write your own story.

Name: Joel Fields
Occupation: Operations Executive at Beam

The journey

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations

Name: Daz
Occupation: CLNM Rep

Voice

Being a part of CLNM is a voice that care leavers can express to help new care leavers.

Name: Nathan
Occupation: CLNM Rep

Success

Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.

Name: Young Person
Occupation: CLNM Rep

Trust in yourself

You don't always need to understand your journey in life, you just need to trust that you are going in the right direction.

Name: Ruby
Occupation: CLNM Rep

Believe in yourself

Believe you can and your half way there.

Name: Katie
Occupation: CLNM Rep

Never stop believing

No matter how hard days get, never stop trying. Never stop believing. Never give up. Your day will come, keep your head up and don't look behind. Storms are followed by rainbow.

Name: Sophie
Occupation: CLNM Rep

Success

Success is a feeling of contribution as a service to others in our society.

Name: CLNM
Occupation: CLNM

Wise Words

"People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care"

Name: Bernardo Pezo
Occupation: Participation Worker

Dont push people away

Dont push people away who only have your best interests at heart. The National House Project have my best interests at heart and they could have yours.

Name: Josh Oxley
Occupation: Student

Talk to people

NEVER HOLD YOUR EMOTIONS IN. TALK TO PEOPLE BECAUSE IT HELPS.

Name: Josh oxley
Occupation: Student

A brighter future

Being in care has improved my mental health so much. Its opened so many doors for me and life looks brighter. Being part of the Care Leavers National Movement has allowed me to make new friends and talk about my experiences.

Name: Josh Oxley
Occupation: Student

National lockdown

These last 9 months being a care leaver in house project with covid-19 has been very difficult, it has made myself feel very self isolated and very depressed. I felt alone and terrified my feelings were all over the place. My physical well being was negative due to always sleeping as I just wanted to sleep my days away, this made massive impacted with my emotional well being as I was always crying, felt alone even though I had support from the national house project and Stokes house project, luckily the national made sure I was eating and sleeping, one of the workers Rosie spent time out of her own time to make sure I was okay, this made me release I wasn't alone and I had support no matter what.

Name: Chloe

Confidence has grown

Since having my own house my confidence has grown so much. Its because i'm making my own decisions and learning from them.

Name: Jade
Occupation: House Project Young Person

Importance of the internet

access to the internet is portent because if I don't have the internet my mental health will drop and if it drops I will not be here and use it for mainly YouTube this fact in myself for myself is the best way to live for me right now internet quality is so important to me and most young people I know no and don't.

Name: Byron O'Toole
Occupation: A founding member of the house project

The Digital Poverty Campaign is so important

Without the internet I can't get access to YouTube and If I don't have YouTube I can't distract myself which means my mental health spirals and I get down and depressed and don't want to be here. I don't want to feel like that so I need the internet....

Name: Byron
Occupation: Care Leavers National Movement

I wish I hadn't

When I was 10 I sat through my 6 month review whilst people talked about me and made decisions about my life....one of the worst experiences of my life. I now know I didn't have to sit in that meeting...

Name: Rosie

Speaking out.

Since I’ve started the National Movement I’ve been able to open up about my mental health to my worker Rosie. Rosie has also been brilliant in helping me to get my issues sorted. For example I’ve had issues in my flat and they’re getting sorted quicker.

Name: Chloe
Occupation: Stoke

Variations

I've learned a lot about the care system during my stay in care and after but something that stood out a lot was that just as some families are richer or poorer than others, some care placements are better than others. private placements can be very different to local authority placements which is kind of surprising considering they have the same standards which they need to meet and procedures to follow.

Name: Elisabeth Cairney
Occupation: student

Seeing things clearer!

I wish someone had told me that not all children go to the opticians every 6 months for a check up, just those in care…..It wasn’t until I was 23, when the receptionist at the opticians told me it wasn’t necessary to keep getting my eyes checked!!!!!

Believe in your idea's

During my custody sentence june 2016 - september 2017 I spent most of my time on the Platinum + tier, this is the highest behaviour tier. I got given a brand new ps3 super slim for being on the highest tier for 6 month's straight from the prison. I kept complaining about how it was outdated it was compared to the one i had at home. I gave the prison a great idea and they rejected it multiple times. After month's of talking about my idea, they finally accepted it. They started to allow any video game console into the prison through visits. So when your family member comes to visit you, they are allowed to bring 1 ps4 or xbox from home on visiting day. The console then gets pat tested & they put a invisible number on it. The number can only been seen using special u.v lighting. After this, you get given your console and you can use it whenever you want when you finish class at like 3.30 pm. It sounds crazy to allow teenagers who have committed all kind of crimes, to be allowed there games console from home into a prison. Even people who had been given 14 year sentences for murder, were getting there family to bring them their playstation 4 from home. I had the ps3 super slim and i got my dad to bring me my ps4 pro from home. so i had two playstation's in my cell & i would rent out 1 of them. I don't know if they still allow this to happen. The reason i'm telling you this story is because i know that if i don't give up on a great idea, it can eventually work!

Name: Anonymous

I would recommend House Project to everyone

The House Project has been an amazing experience for me as I have come so far in the last 7 months of working with the House Project. All 3 of my house project workers are great to go to if I ever need help with my house or have any worries. Whilst being in the House Project I have noticed how focussed I can actually be and wanting to be- this makes me happy. The modules that we do really help your house keeping and communication skills. Some are about phoning doctors or banks and some are about how to fix things in your home, i.e taps, fridge, washing machine, gas electricity. I would recommend the House Project to anyone who would be willing to do what I’ve done and do the things needed on the House Project to get your own home. They should give House Project a go because they will have a great time and it will be an experience for them

Name: Connor

I wish I didn't

I wish I didn't overlook things instead of researching and finding out what they were

I wish I had known

Things do get better, you can do anything if you put your mind to it

Occupation: CLNM

I wish someone had told me

Be happy and don't be scared to try new things

Occupation: CLNM

I wish someone had told me

Always have a go even if your scared, you never know if you will get another chance

I wish someone had said

There's no need to stress about every turn and bend in the road

Occupation: CLNM

I wish i had known

Don't let people treat you less than you are, otherwise, you will become less than you are

Occupation: CLNM