Scotland - Jersey Participation Project
Topic: Corporate parenting, Throughcare and aftercare, Voices of young people
Author:
Simone Smith shares her experience
Scotland - Jersey Participation Project
A group of care experienced young people from Scotland travelled to Jersey in September 2019, as part of the Scotland - Jersey Participation Project, funded by a grant from the Life Changes Trust and organised with CELCIS, Jersey Cares, and Who Cares? Scotland.
The purpose of the project was for care experienced adults to build working relationships with their Jersey peers, to co-produce and promote a participation model for children and young people in care in Jersey.
This peer education gave the group of care experienced people from Scotland the opportunity to reflect upon and develop their skills in influencing policy and practice. They gained experience as leaders and facilitators by informing and working alongside young people in the Channel Islands.
The young people were pioneers for a model of coming together internationally to influence for change in state provided care and returned to their communities with a greater awareness of their own abilities. This increased confidence and skills increases their ability to engage with their local, and wider, community on issues which matter to them.
The programme of learning built upon a visit to Scotland in March 2019 of a group of people from Jersey, which included the Chief Minister, young people with care experience and people representing local charity leads. The purpose of this visit was to learn about the central role of the voice of those with care experience in driving change in legislation, policy and practice, and in challenging stigma.
Reflections from the visit
Here David Grimm and Simone Smith from Scotland, and Sam Mézec, Jersey's first Minister for Children give their accounts of the project.
