VOYCE Ōtautahi Community Open Day

  • VOYCE held its first Ōtautahi Community Open Day so that local stakeholders and community organisations could come and korero with us.

On Friday 19 July 2019, VOYCE held its first Ōtautahi Community Open Day so that local stakeholders and community organisations could come and korero with us about our advocacy with care experienced young people in New Zealand.

We had representatives from all five Canterbury Oranga Tamariki sites and staff from their Regional Office. We also had local organisations including Barnardos, He Waka Tapu, Emerge Aotearoa, Stand Children’s Services, Aviva, Volunteering Canterbury, Christchurch Community House, Ara Institute of Canterbury, 180 Degrees Trust, Children in Care Team – Canterbury District Health Board, Community Law Canterbury, and our local Alternative Education Consortium.

The VOYCE Open Day was designed around interactive activity rooms that brought VOYCE’s five pou to life.

Te Pou Tūhono

In our main office area, we invited guests to join in creating a community art piece by colouring a character on the canvas created by artist Lio Fasi, which once completed, will be hung up in the office.

Te Pou Whakamana

Guests were invited to write a word of encouragement, affirmation, positivity, or advice for our tamariki and rangatahi on a large board.

Te Pou Whakatairanga

Here we created a live social media experience – quotes from the young people VOYCE Kaiwhakamana work were all around the room and visitors were provided emoji reaction stickers to respond to the quotes with.

Te Pou Whai Pūkenga

In this room VOYCE provided pieces of paper that asked the questions:

  • How could you be involved?
  • What events would you like to see?
  • Thoughts? Ideas? Comments?

There was a lot of deep conversation held in this room around systemic barriers for rangatahi, the need to show love in our mahi, destigmatising care experienced young people, and what opportunities exist for collaboration within local community groups.

Te Pou Rangatiratanga

This room spoke for itself. Visitors took a seat on bean bags and were able to view a loop of videos that highlighted the amazing leadership that is within our care experienced community. People were moved and inspired by what they heard and saw.

Overall, we had a great day and following on from this event the VOYCE Christchurch office will be naming their rooms after each of our pou to continue to keep them at the forefront of our mahi every day.

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.