Expanding participation opportunities to include more diverse voices

Recently some of our team members joined a webinar, hosted by Coram Voice, all about expanding participation opportunities to include more diverse voices.

The event focused on ways to promote participation, from increasing access to opportunities, to implementing targeted engagement methods in order to drive strategic participation. All of this is hugely important to us as we want the young people we support to feel heard and recognised when regarding subjects that matter to them.

A lot of our work and discussions revolved around ensuring we implemented practices that allow the young people we work with to share their voices in the long term and ensure that each child, with their unique life experiences, feels meaningfully engaged. 

Providing a safe environment for our young people to speak out is a primary focus for us and this webinar contributed to allowing us to achieve this. 

Speaking to our Deputy Manager, Aimee, she told us what she thought about the event: 

“I found it interesting and insightful learning about ‘A National Voice’ and the ambassadors they have. It was lovely to hear from people who have been in care, and what their experience of being in care was.”

Our team at Acedia Care want to promote participation within the home by introducing a ‘participation champion’ whilst also working with Mind of My Own.

We also have an independent advocacy service whereby they will visit the home weekly to meet with the young people we’re supporting to ensure their views, wishes and feelings are heard and, where appropriate, acted on.