This year CREATE Foundation turns 20 and is celebrating with a number of birthday parties across Australia.
Earlier this month, Guardian Penny Wright attended the festivities in Adelaide, which included a lunch provided by the Rapid Relief Team, along with face painting and balloon twisting.
‘It was great to attend CREATE’s 20th birthday at beautiful old Brocas House in Woodville and celebrate their crucial role in the lives of many children and young people in care,’ Penny said.
‘Young people often tell me CREATE is there for them and how connected, supported and genuinely respected they feel,’ she said.
CREATE is the national body representing the voices of children and young people with a care experience. They offer programs, services and support across Australia for children and young people in foster care, kinship care and residential care.
CREATE can also be a strong and stable influence and connection for young people in care when everything else is changing at 18.
Sonja Brown is one of the young people whose life has been influenced as a result of CREATE.
‘I first had contact with CREATE when I was about 13. But I really got involved with them at 16. I went to every camp and helped plan some of them,’ she said.
‘They were the first people I contacted when I was kicked out at 18. They referred me to some youth housing services. When I told them the other services wouldn’t help me because I had a pet they still tried to help me find emergency housing,’ she said.
Sonja Brown has gone on to become a Young Consultant through CREATE’s Speak Up training, working to help other children and young people in care.
Our Office would like to say a big happy birthday to CREATE, and congratulations on the support you have given to the children and young people in care over the last 20 years. We echo what young people tell us: You really are awesome!!
