· Theme: View / share experiences on employment opportunities, mental health support for care leavers, update on hub, lifelong links and revisit bright spots.
Minutes:
Speakerbox gave a presentation to the committee covering several areas:
· Education and employment. Targets and areas of focus for the young people.
· Fundraising. The successful T-shirt design project which has helped to bring out qualities of creativity and confidence for the young people while raising significant amount of funds. From the point of creating the design and seeing the T-shirt purchased.
· Music. Other creative opportunities have involved music creation and understanding the different components required of this process hearing directly from the young people; how this has contributed towards developing their confidence and a sense of accomplishment at the end of the process. Some of the young people talked about initially feeling ‘shy’ and that this exercise helped them overcome this and ‘shine through’, providing also a means of expression. The committee were provided with sample lyrics and listened to a video showing the playing of music put together as a result of the workshop.
· Innovation project. An opportunity is provided every week to discuss prominent issues with the service. It provides an insight into different aspects and behind the scenes working of the service. It was noted that they had received £15,000 of grant funding towards this project.
Moving forward. Identified a number of aims:
· Rule of 3. Aim to turn into objectives
· More creative opportunities and match funding
· Need for computer room/facilities.
Discussion/points raised.
· Congratulations from the committee members and officers for all the outstanding achievements from Speakerbox
· Joy Hopkinson (head of safeguarding & community services, legal) outlined a main event taking place on 19 March 2025 involving the legal profession, and local family justice board as a means of engagement. She said she had been in contact with the Speakerbox who were planning to have a stall at this event and will be representing the voice of the child.