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Young people in care across Northern Ireland will be able to get advice and support on how to cope direct to their mobile phones with an innovative new service from VOYPIC – the Voice of Young People in Care.
VOYPIC streets ahead with new ShareCare text campaign
Known as 'ShareCare', the service allows young people in care to register for a series of free texts for coping with life in the care system by texting ShareCare to 88600.
The ten top tips, which will be sent over a week long period, were developed and written by young people in care. VOYPIC then selected the top ten to become texts.
Launching 'ShareCare', Vivian McConvey, VOYPIC’s Director explains just how vital the service may be for young people:
"Young people in care tell us that they often feel isolated and confused – they are often experiencing a great deal of change, and like all of us, they find new situations and new people hard to cope with.
"However, young people in care have huge potential – they just need some more support to achieve it.
"At VOYPIC we are focussed on listening to young people in care and helping to make their voice heard.
"The text tips are based on the real experiences of young people and tackle quite fundamental, every day situations such as handling arguments, setting goals and dealing with frustration and anger – things we can all identify with but which can be heightened by young people’s experience of the care system."
The 'ShareCare' service will be available for a month from 1st September and is funded by Children and Young Peoples Funding Package.
VOYPIC is a not for profit organisation which works to represent the views and experiences of the 2,500+ 'looked after' young people in Northern Ireland and is committed to helping these young people achieve their potential.
VOYPIC also offers a number of other services such as an Advocacy service and workshops offering information and resources enabling young people to speak out and participate in decisions about their lives.
In March 2007, VOYPIC launched the ‘Do You Care?’ campaign attracting over 100 potential Mentors for Young People In Care. Following a special training programme, mentors are asked to spend time with young people in care, doing everyday things with them such as playing football, talking about school and homework and encouraging them to set and achieve goals for themselves.
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