Here at the Welsh Youth Parliament , we’re proud to work with fantastic organisations who work with young people from all backgrounds across Wales. During its second term, the Welsh Youth Parliament will work with 18 partner organisations, and we’ll be featuring them here on our website and our social media channels over the next few months.
This week, we’re getting to know Voices From Care Cymru (VFCC) - a renowned Wales based Children and Young People’s Charity, which exists to improve the lives of care experienced children and young people. The Charity is an independent voice for the care community through a range of projects, campaigning and the well-established events celebrating care experience such as #CareDay and #ProudToBeMe.
Voices From Care Cymru (VFCC)
VFCC is a leading independent Welsh children and young people’s charity working with some of the most vulnerable young people and families in Wales.
They may be experiencing difficulties in accessing appropriate services in health, education or social care and require independent advocacy. Their wellbeing service supports care experienced young people who need support to amplify their voices on issues that are important to them, and affect them directly.
VFCC is delighted to be working as a Partner Organisation with WYP again, and to have an opportunity for the young people that they support to be heard with the return of 2 members following elections in November.
“I represent Voices From Care. One of my most important considerations in children and young people in care. This is important as I myself am in foster care and I want to help less privileged people who are also within the system”, Chloe Giles (Previous Welsh Youth Parliament Member).
Most recently, VFCC launched their 1,000 voices campaign, which calls upon the First Minister of Wales to make a commitment to listening to a thousand care experienced children and young people by 2024. The aim of the campaign is to see a care system built on stability, aspirations and relationships.
Alongside such campaigns, the Charity provides multiple opportunities for young people to come together across Wales, to voice their opinions on the issues that are most important to them and meet care experienced young people alike. From a national advisory group, local forums, peer mentoring scheme and a CASCADE Voices group run with Cardiff University to advise researchers on health and social care topics, the Charity was recently chosen by Micheal Sheen and Anna Lundberg to receive over £16,000 as part of the ‘Whtie Curl Campaign’ fund.
The national Charity takes part in the annual #CareDay event which aims to flip the stigma that is faced by children and young people who have experience of the care system. Celebrations in Wales are led by VFCC whose purpose is to improve the lives of young people by being an independent voice.
(Care Day is a joint initiative between children’s charities across the whole of the UK under the 5 Nations 1 Voice Alliance. Who Cares? Scotland, Become in England, VOYPIC in Northern Ireland, EPIC in Ireland and Voices from Care Cymru in Wales.)
If you would like to find out more about VFCC you can visit their website.