What is VOYCE?
VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai stands for Voices of Young and Care Experienced – Listen to Me.
VOYCE works with pēpi (babies), tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people) who are in care, or have been in care.
Being in care means you live with someone who isn’t your mum or dad. You might live with other family members, caregivers, or in a group home or residence.
If you’re in care, we can help you to understand what’s happening in your life and make sure the adults listen to you.
We also run events (we call them tūhono), where you can meet other kids who are in care!
What's a Kaiwhakamana?
A Kaiwhakamana is an advocate – someone who has got your back. They help you have a say and make sense of what’s going on. They make sure the adults listen to you and understand how you feel.
Kaiwhakamana can help you to have your voice heard on lots of things, like spending time with your siblings, getting pocket money, contacting your social worker, going to hui and figuring things out when you leave care.
If you want to spend time with your kaiwhakamana, you get to decide where you hang out and what you talk about. You’re the boss!
We have heaps of fun projects and cool events happening all the time. You don’t have to wait until there’s a problem to get involved.
Get in touch or reach out to your Kaiwhakamana!
Here’s an example of what a conversation on our 0800 number could sound like:
