Handmade Birthday Cards for kids in care

  • Care experienced young person Albie, uses their own creativity to make cards for those still in care.

The VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai Tamaki team were so inspired by a visit from Albie last week, where a few people in the office got to witness a young care experienced persons passion for creating and giving back to the care community. Albie hand crafts birthday cards with the hope of creating enough to give one to each care experienced young person on their birthday.

That’s just under 6,000! How cool to see one of our rangatahi acknowledge a gap in the system and try their best for find a caring and heartwarming solution. Albie spoke to VOYCE staff about the different styles of cards they make, ranging from simple but beautifully hand drawn picture cards, to moving mechanical cards, specifically themed cards, and everything in between. The passion Albie holds for using their talents and gifts to give joy and happiness to other kids in care was outstandingly inspiring.

Albie dropped off nearly 100 cards to the VOYCE office, and these have already been split up and sent off to the different VOYCE offices so that kids all around Aotearoa can start receiving birthday cards. Albie spoke with enthusiasm that anyone can create a card, even if they don’t think that they’re very creative, and that all that matters is that people try, and create from their heart.

Letter Legends, Albie’s card making charity, is dedicated to helping people feel loved, cared about, and happy through sending them beautiful handmade cards and has not only started making cards for kids in care, but also has sent cards to elderly people in rest homes.  Albie has been working incredibly hard to make cards for kids in care to be sent out through VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai, which our Kaiwhakamana plan to write personalised messages in these cards for the young people in care, to celebrate their birthday.

So far, Albie has managed to create nearly 100 cards all by themselves, which means we need your support and teamwork to help us reach the 6,000 cards needed in order for each child in care to get a handmade card for their birthday. Here at VOYCE, we love that someone like Albie, who knows how isolating being in care can be sometimes, has chosen to really make a difference in the individual lives of our rangatahi and pepi. Reaching over 6000 kids in care might sound daunting, but if around 130 people made just one card a week, we could get EVERY child in care a card for their birthday!

Promise Three: Learning

Education as a gateway to dreams, rangatahi are supported to achieve aspirations.

Promise One: Care

Every tamaiti receives nurturing, protection, and provision, as any good parent would offer.

Promise Five: Voice

Tamariki and rangatahi are involved in decisions that affect them, and their voices are honoured.

Promise Four: Wellbeing

Timely, accessible, and culturally conscious health and mental health services are available to all taiohi.

Promise Two: Stability

Young people in care experience consistency, safety, and a sense of belonging.

Whānau care is where a child is being raised by someone in their whānau or extended family. Often it means a child living with their grandparents – but could also be another family member like an aunt, uncle or older sibling. Whāngai is the traditional Māori practice of whānau care.