Care About Care? Closing Circle

Our third annual Care About Care? event was held at Gosforth Civic Theatre on 29th October 2021. This year’s event featured an immersive performance from Troupe, our group for young people with experience of the care system, and brilliant performances and contributions from other artists and organisations. We had an Open Space discussion where everyone had the opportunity to talk about ideas and issues that they were thinking about on the day and we rounded these discussions off with a closing circle – an opportunity for everyone to share their thoughts with all the performers, staff and attendees. We were invited to share two things:

R: A reflection or thought from today

P: A pledge to action, the thing you’re going to do or take forward from today

The notes below capture the reflections and pledges that people made. Our Curious Caravan story collectors also shared some thoughts around the stories they had heard today too. We are really grateful to everyone who came and contributed and excited to be able to share these comments.

Open Space Closing Circle Comments

R: There should be a wider understanding generally of the care system, prior to today I had no understanding around it. There needs to be more information available generally about the system and how it works.

R: I thought it was brilliant, I really enjoyed it.

P: To keep communicating more with people

R: The power of creativity.

P: To keep providing and pushing for opportunities for young people to have their voices heard.

R: I really loved the diversity of performances and that it was immersive

P: To take the recording of the podcast and put it up on Leap’s social media and YouTube.

R: the confidence and uniqueness from the young people. Very impressed, it’s nice to see you standing up there!

P: To continue to support as a worker.

R: It’s been a really good day and I’ve enjoyed hearing stories and sharing stories.

P: To do my social work degree and do the best I can!

R: I struggle with socialising but this has been a good way to ask questions of people and build relationships.

R: This is my first care about care and I’m balled over by the knowledge and wisdom in the room. Society benefits!

P: To come again next year!

R: I realised how much I took for granted as someone without experience of the care system.

P: Continuing to educate myself and think about what barriers there might be to engagement from young people in my other roles. And come again!

R: It’s been eye opening to hear from people with experience talk about things you aren’t aware of. For example, how hectic life can be and barriers to the arts in general. I’m thinking about how we as grown-ups can be better and make spaces more accessible. I’ve enjoyed hearing about troupe and how it’s a community/family.

P: I will be taking all of this and feeding back and continuing to educate myself.

R: I think it’s something really special having all these people in the room to have these discussions. It doesn’t happen as often as it should or is needed.

P: There’s a real need for communication between local authorities because they can learn from each other so I’m going to push for this with my connections in other local authority care systems.

R: Trust. I see a lot of people performing and they have trust in themselves. Sign of success! 

P: To give more time and be more thoughtful

R: I feel quite emotional and feel privileged to be part of the lives of the people who’ve performed today. There’s so much talent!

P: To think about how I can nurture talent we’ve seen today and be aware of young people’s milestones (e.g. big birthdays) and support those moments.

R: I loved the theme and diverse set of performances, so much talent and variety.

P: Through the work I do to think about creating the safe space for young people to express their talents and how that can be reflected in the creative sector.

R: It’s nice to be in a physical space and see live theatre. There’s an emotional reaction when you’re in a space together.

P: To be more considered in my use of language.

R: I really enjoyed it, this was my first time. Hearing stories first hand is better than googling! Really emotive.

P: To make sure people’s voices are heard and represented

R: I’ve had a complete blast! I enjoyed Dj-ing with K and J. It was really fun working with Mariam. I’ve got a wide variety of things I can do thanks to Curious Monkey. I enjoyed hopping to different conversations.

P: I’m going to put more effort into Curious Monkey and be here more. I want to help and be involved in these things!

R: Breaking the hierarchy. I really loved Leap and the experienced, informed voice in the room.

P: To continue the breaking of hierarchy in my own work.

R: Grateful. I want to acknowledge everyone involved in making today happen as being totally amazing. The amount of time troupe and others have put in – I’m really impressed and grateful!

P: To make sure that we as Curious Monkey take away all this knowledge and generosity and share it and make future stuff even better.

R: I really enjoyed today, it was an experience and a half! I’ve never done an immersive performance before, it was great. I enjoyed being a bumblebee and walking round and feeling like I have a connection with everyone in some way. The response that people had towards the performance and us as young people was nice, to feel like people care about our opinions.

P: To take feedback from the performance and work on my skills and get involved in more productions with and outside of Curious Monkey.

R: The story was really realistic and touching. A lot of people would appreciate the prom experience. I know that anyone can get involved. Even just me listening. I know how much work went into making the show. Taking the effort to come and listen and watch, people coming shows they care about making the system better. It’s really positive.

R: I really enjoyed being able to share the story with everyone. We wrote this play in 3 days and gave Poppy lots of stress. It’s been really good to give it to everyone and get everyone involved. This is my first Care About Care? and it’s been great to see everyone here.

P: To share more about my story, it’s amazing how many people it affected and helped.

R: I really noticed a theme around relationships today.

P: I can influence practice in Durham and take away to the team reflections about young people maintaining relationships over their journey.

R: I really enjoyed performing today cause it was my first time ever performing in front of an audience and it was nerve racking! I had a feeling I was going to mess up but was surprised I didn’t and would gladly do it again.

P: To take what I’ve learnt today to college cause I do performing arts so I can take stuff back to lessons to make me better. I’m taking this as work experience.

R: It was also my first performance in front of an audience. I’m taking away that I’m more confident than I thought I am.

R: I’m going to take away my DJ skills and costume if I can.

P: To run away with the costume to my happy place and ride a horse.

R: I’m really blown away by the talent of young people. There’s a habit of putting on young people’s events and not thinking it will be professional but what we’ve seen today shows young people can raise the bar. I’ve been in the shadows having a cry cause it’s so moving. So proud and hope you all do more in the future!

P: There are some members of the group who would really benefit from taking drama forward outside of Curious Monkey so I want to help the young people who want to take that further. There are lots of people today who haven’t come, it’s a difficult time to get people to events, but we want to make sure 2022 we work with care councils and get them involved in a steering committee from an earlier stage in the planning. Get councils to have a stake in event.

R: From this morning I liked doing the music and trying to blend the music in and bringing it out with the filters and swapping them over. I liked all the acts and the performances they’ve done. I liked it when we were all dancing at the end. Loved Don’s dancing.

R: The whole thing went really well obviously cause I was part of the show. I enjoyed watching everyone dance and sing, this is my first party since covid so nice to have everyone that’s care-experienced and professionals in the room having a good time. It’s been a really good day. Everybody worked as a team and it was really good.

R: it’s been a really good day. Everyone’s talent is incredible. I enjoyed watching from start to finish. The 360 films are amazing. Everyone’s confidence really shone through.

R: I feel massively inspired by you all. And relieved!

P: I share all of the things that came out from today. I will send out all the pledges and the notes so we don’t forget about it when we walk out the door today. Let’s remember this moment and the things that we’re feeling inspired to do. 

Thoughts from the Curious Caravan: 

Do we ever fully arrive at being an adult? Everyone has days where they want to just be whoever they want to be.

A common theme that came up was a place in-between – transitioning from childhood to adulthood. There was a story about someone as a teenager living alone but the school insisted they were picked up by someone over 18. 

Stories about changing relationships.

Everything comes full circle and it can be okay.