Care-experienced young people across Argyll and Bute are being invited to have their say, influence change and help shape a brighter future with the launch of the new Argyll and Bute Champs Board.
Launching during Care Experienced Week, 26 October to 1 November, the Champs Board will create a dedicated space for care-experienced young people to come together, share their views, get involved in projects and events, and influence decisions about the services and support that matter to them.
Care-experienced young people (12+ years) can sign up to the Champs Board here –
https://forms.office.com/e/6nhft6kxVR
Crucially, the Champs Board will strengthen the voice of young people within Argyll and Bute’s Corporate Parenting Board, ensuring their lived experiences and ideas are heard by the people responsible for making decisions and improving services.
The Corporate Parenting Board brings together elected members, council leaders and senior managers alongside representatives from children and families/social work, education, health, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, housing, employability and skills, third-sector and community organisations, and care-experienced young people.
Together, they look at what is working well, what needs to change and what can be done differently to make sure care-experienced children and young people have the opportunities, support and relationships they deserve.
The Board considers a wide range of issues affecting young people, including The Promise, education and employment, health and wellbeing, housing and financial support, relationships, and how services support care-experienced young people.
The Champs Board will add directly to this work by giving young people another route to share what matters to them. Young people do not have to attend formal Corporate Parenting Board meetings to make their voices heard. Their experiences and ideas can be gathered through the Champs Board and other participation opportunities and brought into the Board’s discussions, helping turn young people's feedback into meaningful action.
Councillor Kieron Green, Argyll and Bute Council’s Policy Lead for Education, said:
“Our care-experienced young people know better than anyone what works for them, what could be better and where change can make a real difference.
“The Champs Board will give young people a stronger platform to share those experiences and ideas and, importantly, help make sure their voices influence the decisions that affect their lives. I would encourage care-experienced young people across Argyll and Bute to get involved and help us build services around what matters to them.”
Councillor Douglas McFadzean, Chair of the Corporate Parenting Board, said:
“Good corporate parenting starts with listening to young people. The Champs Board will strengthen that connection by making sure care-experienced young people have meaningful opportunities to tell us what is working, what needs to change and what they want to see happen next.
“Their voices are at the heart of our Corporate Parenting Board, and the new Champs Board will help us listen, act and report back on the difference their views are making. We want young people to know that their experiences matter and that they can help shape positive change across Argyll and Bute.”
The launch takes place during Care Experienced Week, an opportunity to celebrate the voices, achievements and contributions of people with care experience and highlight the importance of listening to lived experience.
Care-experienced young people across Argyll and Bute are encouraged to join the Champs Board and help shape what happens next. Whether they want to share their views, suggest improvements, get involved in projects and events, or simply make sure young people's experiences are heard, there are different ways to take part.
