Calling all Artists from Care!

Media partners in the Spotlight: Child Welfare (SCW) collaborative journalism project are interested in commissioning art/photos from youth with lived experience in “care.”

To support these connections, SCW is creating a directory of artists from “care.” Anyone who has lived through government “care” (e.g. foster care, youth agreements, etc.) can join the directory. For more information on the directory or to join, see the SCW’s Artists from Care Directory Form, located here.

Also, in case you missed it, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (CAFC) recently launched a Youth and Lived-Expert Business Directory. If you are a young person with lived experience of the child welfare system and running your own business, you can also promote this on our directory! To submit your business for inclusion, see CAFC’s Youth and Lived Expert-Led Business Directory Form, located here.

Share Your Input! Canada’s Second State of Youth Report

The Government of Canada is now seeking input from youth living in Canada between the ages of 16 and 29 for inclusion in the second State of Youth Report, to be published in 2025. The State of Youth Reports helps the Canadian government understand the challenges youth face, from finding jobs to accessing mental health support, and outline steps to create better opportunities for the future.

Join in: how to participate

Are you a youth between the ages of 16 and 29 living in Canada?

The second State of Youth Report will be released in 2025. By reflecting the diverse experiences and concerns of youth, the second State of Youth Report will play a vital role in building a more inclusive, equitable and supportive Canada for all young people.

Your voice matters – by completing the engagement tool, you are ensuring that the second State of Youth reflects the diverse experiences and concerns of youth. The engagement period is now open until March 16, 2025.

If you want to learn more about the engagement tool, or if you are unable to access or complete it electronically, please send an email to jeunesse-youth@pch.gc.ca.

Visit the web page now: Have your say!

Make a Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada 2025-26 Scholarship Application Today!

Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada post-secondary scholarships award young people $5,000 for each academic year until they finish their program (to a maximum of 7 years from their program start) through a once yearly competitive application for 300 awards. The deadline to apply is Monday, February 3rd, 2025.

If you are starting or continuing in full time studies in the 2025-26 academic year, and aren’t already receiving a CAFC Scholarship ($5,000 a year)*, apply here for the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada Scholarship today!

Visit our website for the link to the online application form, full eligibility information and answers to the most asked questions, or contact the Foundation’s PSE team at grants@cafdn.org.

Scholarship applications are open to youth with both financial need and the potential to succeed in their program of study. To be eligible, a student must be:

  • Be attending a post-secondary institution full-time or on a reduced schedule due to an academic accommodation, for a full school year starting in September 2025 or January 2026
  • Have been or will be in the temporary or permanent care of the Ministry or Department responsible for child protection services up until your age of majority birthday or had been in permanent care of the Ministry or Department responsible for child protection services for at least 12 months
  • Are under the age of 30 if you have or are currently receiving Foundation supports, or,
  • Are over the age of 30 and currently receiving a Foundation bursary ($2000) or have not received a CAFC Scholarship or Bursary before
  • Not currently receiving a CAFC Scholarship*

*Current 2024-25 CAFC Scholarship recipients do not need to make a new scholarship application.

If you aren’t sure if you are currently receiving a CAFC Scholarship or bursary or have any questions about the application form, process, or eligibility, we can help!

Email grants@cafdn.org with your questions and visit our website for more information and the application link.

Current and Former Youth in Extended Care Eligible for Annual Bursaries at Trent University

Students who have been or are in extended society care and demonstrate financial need are eligible to receive $3,000 in bursary funding during each academic year ($1,500 in each of the fall and winter terms).

How to Apply 

Eligible students are required to complete the UG Bursary Application at the beginning of each term. The application will be available on the Finances page of the myTrent Student Portal. 

To be eligible, students must be: 

  • In receipt of Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) funding, Government Student aid from another Canadian province, Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP), or First Nations Band Funding  
  • Canadian citizens, permanent residents or protected persons as defined by Citizenship and Immigration Canada   
  • Enrolled in an undergraduate program at Trent University and enrolled in at least 60% of a full course load (or 40% for students with permanent disability status)  
  • A current or former youth in extended society care

Willsy’s Extended Society Care Fund  

The Willsy’s Extended Society Care Fund, created through the generosity of Elizabeth Wills-Edwards ’08, provides an annual bursary of up to $4,000 for students who lived under Extended Society Care.

Preference will be given, but not limited to, mature students who are at least 24 years of age and there is no restriction on the students’ academic year or field of study.

An application will be available on the Finances page of the myTrent Student Portal beginning in June each year. The annual deadline to apply is July 31.

Learn more about Willsy’s Extended Society Care Fund.

Support for Students who have been or are in extended society care

Transitioning to University can be made easier with the right support. We have resources that are specifically designed to help you reach your full potential, while providing you with the foundation, guidance and support you need.

Learn more about Support for Students who have been or are in extended society care.

Apply for a free 2-day Trades training!

Are you 18+ with lived experience in the child welfare system? Discover your passion for Ontario’s skilled trades!

The Trades Ready Youth 2-Day Workshop entails:

  • Construction Industry Certifications
  • Hands-on training for entry-level Electrical apprentice skills (Wiring, VR, etc.)
  • Mentorship sessions
  • Networking opportunities

Coffee, light snacks and lunch will be provided. Hard hat and work boots included.

Date and Time: Feb. 4 and 5, 2025, 8 am – 4 pm

Address: IBEW Local 804 5158 Fountain St N, Breslau, ON

Register now at: Give the Trades a TRY! | Child Welfare PAC.

Consultation opportunity for Indigenous youth from Care!

The Indigenous Youth Advisory Council at ANCFSAO has a new series called the “Youth Led, Youth Friendly Document Series”. This Series aims to broaden the network and understanding for children and youth in care and how they engage with the system.

As part of the series, they want to engage with youth across the province for the following dates (all meetings will be 4:30-6:30 PM to accommodate school/work schedules): 

  • December 18th, 2024
  • January 8th, 2025
  • January 15th, 2025
  • January 16th, 2025.

These engagements will include fun ice breakers along with interactive activities and questions to get a sense of what the youth wish was more youth friendly about the system, their learning styles. Each youth who engages will be provided with honorarium for attending and engaging.

ANCFSAO aims to create deliverables based on this consultation phase (podcasts, infographics, short animated videos, pictures, etc.) to help youth find additional routes to understanding the navigation of their journey in child welfare. 

After this they will be re-engaging with the youth groups so they can provide feedback on the deliverables and if they think these truly are youth led and youth friendly. Once they have amended from the feedback they will begin rolling this out online and through their networks by holding sessions to introduce and teach their new sets of tools to Child Wellbeing and CAS agencies across Ontario.

Eligibility

Indigenous youth between the ages of 14-24 across Ontario who have been involved with a CAS or Child Well being agency and want to share their stories and provide feedback to help the next 7 generations. 

They are accepting up to 18 youth per engagement, once you have received the invitation to the meeting it means your registration has been accepted. If they have reached the limit they will reach out to inform you or reschedule you for another date. 

Sign up

Please follow the link Here to sign up! Please forward to any youth you think would be interested.

Nia:wen and we really look forward to seeing you there!

If you have any questions reach out to prevention@ancfsao.ca 

Voices Scholarship Program 2024 – 2025

The Voices Scholarship Program consists of five awards: The Voices Bursary, the Marie Christian Award, the Reaching for the Stars Scholarship, the Honouring Our Youth Scholarship, and the Kiwiytin Scholarship:

The Voices Bursary is made possible through the fundraising efforts of Voices members and staff, and donations from the public.  Administered by The Winnipeg Foundation, this award of $1000 is given to a youth in or from care from any community in Manitoba, in recognition and celebration of how far you’ve come, and where you’re headed.

The Marie Christian Award (also known as the Lemonade Award) is a $1000 award is given to youth in or from care who embody leadership qualities including integrity, compassion, kindness, and bold audacity. Additional consideration will be given to youth who exhibit a positive attitude and determination to take sour circumstances and create delicious opportunities.

The Reaching for the Stars Scholarship, valued at $500, will be awarded to one female recipient in or from care in Manitoba who is attending post-secondary education, to help that young woman reach for the stars and obtain her highest aspirations.  The scholarship is sponsored by Chapter H of the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The Honouring Our Youth Scholarship, valued at $1000, is sponsored by the Child and Youth Care Workers Association of Manitoba (CYCWAM), a non-profit, volunteer association of child and youth care workers in the province of Manitoba.

The Kiwiytin Scholarship, is valued at $2000. This award is given to students in or from care who have a clear sense of their Kiwiytin (their North Star) and are taking steps in the right direction towards achieving their dreams.

https://voices.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024-2025-Voices-Scholarship-Application.pdf

Remember to save your copy to your device before filling it in. If you would prefer a paper copy be mailed to you, send us an email at ask@voices.mb.ca.  Application deadline: September 23rd, 2024.

Network Retreat for Youth from and in care in Manitoba

Youth in and from care, ages 14 to 24, are invited to join VOICES for a weekend of learning, sharing, and making friends.  At the Retreat, you will learn more about yourself, your connections to community, and ways to use your experiences to be empowered. You can also climb things, jump off things, swim, go for walks by the lake, and play weird games.

The theme for this retreat is “Living Expert. Sacred Story.” We are the expert of our own lives, and we hold within us our sacred stories. We can choose to share our stories to help us heal, and to help inform and educate others. During the retreat, you will learn and practice the art of sharing your stories in safe ways.

The BOLD Show: Based on the success of VOICES’s talent show last fall, participants are once again invited to share their gifts and talents and reveal their identity at the BOLD Show on Saturday night. Sing, dance, yodel, recite your poetry, show us your art, twist your legs into a pretzel, throw webs from your wrists.

The Fall 2024 retreat will be held October 11th to 13th, 2024.  Download and save your registration package to your device before filling it out.  Once complete, return by email to ask@voices.mb.ca or drop off at 3rd floor, 61 Juno Street (BGC Winnipeg head office) by Monday, September 23rd, 2024.

https://voices.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/Participant-Registration-Forms-Fall-2024.pdf

https://voices.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/Adult-Support-Registration-Form-Fall-2024.pdf

ICCRP Research Opportunity for Individuals with Lived Experience in Care

You have been invited to participate in a research study being run by the International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership (ICCRP) if you have lived experience in the child welfare system. The study aims to explore intergenerational relationships, lived experiences of former children and youth who aged out of the Ontario child welfare system, and child welfare policy and practices.

The research question is: “How Do Intergenerational Relationships among People with Lived Experiences in the Ontario Child Welfare System Influence Child Welfare Policies and Practices?”

ICCRP is seeking 50 participants; to participate, you need to be:
● a resident of Canada;
● have lived experiences in the Child Welfare System of Ontario; and
● part of one of these age cohorts
○ 18-29 years of age
○ 30-39 years of age
○ 40-49 years of age
○ 50-59 years of age
○ 60+ years of age.

Participants are still eligible to participate in the research study if they are 18 years or older; and/or if they are still receiving financial support from child protection agencies.

If you do not meet these requirements, but you know someone who may meet these criteria and interested in taking part in this study, please forward this invitation to any potentially interested individual(s).

If you meet these requirements, we invite you to participate in a semi-structured virtual interview that will be no more than 60 minutes long. Your participation will involve:

o communicating with me and other research assistant via email about your availability for the interview;
o disclosing personal information to demonstrate your eligibility (e.g. your age, if you are a resident of Canada or not, lived experience in the Child Welfare system of Ontario); and
o attend a one-hour virtual (audio)/phone interview with me and another research team member and answer the study questions.

If you are interested in volunteering in this study, you will receive another email at least two weeks before the interview date with information about the ICCRP in it, and a consent form that includes brief information about the research study. You will have time to let us know if you have any questions. If you agree to participate by signing and returning the consent form, we will forward the interview questions along with a list of mental health and emotional support resources.

Your participation is completely voluntary. No financial compensation will be provided, but will provide an opportunity to engage in other ICCRP activities if you consent us to contact you in future. Please know that there is no requirement to participate in this study. You may know our lead co-investigator or other research team members due to their extensive experiences in the child welfare system in Ontario. If you choose not to
participate, it will not impact your relationship with either of the primary investigators, Jane Kovarikova or Tara Collins, or other research assistant, or Toronto Metropolitan University.

If you participate, your identity will not be shared with others outside of the research team. You have the right to withdraw voluntarily from participation or parts of participation at any time without providing any reasons.

The research is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the Ontario Research Fund-Research Excellence (ORF-RE) and has been reviewed and approved by the Toronto Metropolitan University Research Ethics Board Reference ID 2023-057.

If you are interested in more information about the study or would like to volunteer, please email Jessielynncross@torontomu.ca or you can choose to contact Tara Collins by email tara.collins@torontomu.ca or call 416-979-5000, ext. 554563.