Care Experienced Week 2023 takes place from 22 to 29 October. It is a week to celebrate the care experienced community and provide opportunities for members to reconnect with Who Cares? Scotland and each other.
Who Cares? Scotland are a national membership organisation for care experienced people. They will launch a new campaign calling for lifelong support for care experienced people at this weekend’s Love Rally in George Square.
Eireann is a care experienced young person and Transition Fund recipient. She is a passionate advocate for care experienced, disabled people and young people’s rights.
Eireann is Who Cares? Scotland’s youngest Trustee, and also works full-time for a trade union in Glasgow. She will be taking part in the Who Cares? Scotland Love Rally and Annual General Meeting on Sunday.
Eireann was one of the speakers at a celebration event to mark the fifth anniversary of ILF Scotland’s Transition Fund held at Glasgow Science Centre last November. She applied to the Transition Fund to support her transition, and access financial support to help develop and enhance her passion for hillwalking and rock climbing, and support her on a wider healing, wellbeing and recovery journey.
“I hope that I can use this week to inspire and empower people to champion care experienced people in their lives, communities, workplaces, and beyond.
“I am lucky to have many people that I connect with through my job who are also key supporters and advocates in my life, and this includes many of my colleagues. I see workplaces as a crucial part of our pillars of support, especially as we transition.
“I hope to reconnect with care experienced people I know, meet new people, and build awareness of care experienced people in Scotland.”
“This year’s theme of Lifelong Rights is deeply important to me. When I turned 25 not so long ago, I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t have a security blanket, and that many of my rights and supports as a care experienced person would disappear.
“My care identity and my journey doesn’t stop because my age number has changed. I believe, strongly, that we should be entitled to lifelong rights, and all corporate parents have a duty to do so. Most people who are not care experienced don’t stop being loved or supported by their parents – why should we?
“We will all face challenges, tricky times, and also good times in our lives – and our ‘parents’ should be there with us our whole lives. Love, equality, respect and our rights as care experienced people should know no age boundaries.”
“I am the youngest Trustee with Who Cares? Scotland, and it is an honour. I didn’t really know much about boards, or anything like that – I just wanted to help make a difference.
“It was really important to me that care experienced people are represented. It is an exciting time, and there is so much going on. Our partnership with John Lewis last Christmas was really special.
“This year has flown in, and I am so looking forward to the next one.”
“I am the youngest Trustee with Who Cares? Scotland, and it is an honour. I didn’t really know much about boards, or anything like that – I just wanted to help make a difference.
“It was really important to me that care experienced people are represented. It is an exciting time, and there is so much going on. Our partnership with John Lewis last Christmas was really special.
“This year has flown in, and I am so looking forward to the next one.”
“I think the Transition Fund in Scotland is amazing, and I am grateful that I was able to apply and benefit from the fund. I felt that the process and fund was so accessible and that the whole process was dignifying and that I was well supported.
“Care experienced people often face significant challenges, inequalities, and many of us do not have the privilege of parents or supporters who will fund things for us that help us just to have fun and be young – not to pay a bill, or eat, or get to work – but just to have fun, grow, and try something new.
“I would urge any care experienced person to apply. Thank you to ILF Scotland for being a champion of care experienced people in Scotland, and supporting my own journey too. I know, and hope, that many other care experienced young people can benefit from this wonderful fund.”
Read more about how the Transition Fund helped take Eireann to new heights.
The Who Cares? Scotland Love Rally takes place on Sunday 29 October, from 1pm until 3pm.
The march begins at the Doulton Fountain on Glasgow Green and makes its way to George Square.
There will be live music from a marching band, performers, and speeches from inspirational care experienced campaigners.
