Conference Poster: Who Cares Scotland? Highlands

The text of this poster reads:

How care experienced people are helping change the experiences of care on Shetland!

#ShetlandCrew

In 2016 Who Cares? Scotland set up a group for Care Experienced young leaders on Shetland.

The group were passionate about changing the experience of care on Shetland and beyond.

At that time care experienced young people were seen as an issue, classed as problematic people, causing issues in communities, schools, work settings and systems.

- #SHETLANDCREW member

Home and becoming

In 2018 we received funding for a 3 year arts based research project with the #SHETLANDCREW and other Care Experienced young people.

This was run in partnership with Who Cares? Scotland and the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Artists helped get our words out there to others and the people who see it then understand some of the challenges we face as Care Experienced people.

- #SHETLANDCREW member

Festivals of Care

Between 2019 and 2023 we ran four Festivals of Care. These provided an opportunity to share our artwork with the wider community through film screenings, exhibitions, book launches and workshops.

We brought professionals together with Care Experienced young people to learn and explore alongside each other.

Since the Festivals of Care more people in all organisations and systems seem to be more open to listening. We can’t stress enough how important that is.

Verbatim Theatre

Care Experienced young people were paired with a Corporate Parent. Each chose an object that represented home and belonging to them. Stories were shared, recorded and then swapped. Participants told each others stories to live audiences, as though they were their own.

We know a part of them now instead of them knowing all of us. It’s 50:50. They really got involved not just coming to a meeting saying a few words and leaving. They dedicated time to it.

-#SHETLANDCREW member

Our Shetland Meids

The #SHETLANDCREW worked alongside their Corporate Parents and Who Cares? Scotland to transform the corporate parenting board. Corporate Parents became “Meids”, a Shetland dialect word meaning prominent landmarks which when lined up enable fisherfolk to establish and maintain their position at sea. They help you know where you are and find where you want to be.

Quotes from #SHETLANDCREW:

The Meids have changed!

They have not changed we have changed them!

Yes but they have made that choice to change!

50:50 Split

The #SHETLANDCREW and the Meids board are committed to working together in a shared 50:50 way. Care Experienced young people identify areas for change and working groups are set up with relevant professionals to make progress and report back to the Meids.

It has always felt like Care Experienced kids vs professionals. Now we just seem a whole. We don’t have this battle now we see them as folks we do work with and that’s better for all Care Experienced young people. Less of a battle against each other and more of a fight alongside each other.

- #SHETLANDCREW member