New care experienced café at Refugee Festival Scotland
Who Cares? Scotland has announced it will host the first Care 4 Culture Café at this year’s Refugee Festival Scotland.
The event will be a celebration of cultural diversity, bringing together young people from around the world with a shared experience of being in care. The event will unite young people through a range of activities, stalls, food and music celebrating cultural diversity.
Care 4 Culture Café is the creation of Shilla Zwizwai (pictured), who is a care experienced Ambassador at Who Cares? Scotland. Shilla was born and raised in Zimbabwe, but moved to Scotland aged 13. From seeking asylum and indefinite leave to remain, to her journey through Scotland’s care system, Shilla’s experiences have strongly shaped her sense of identity.
She said: “As a care experienced young person, my identity is one thing which I have always struggled with. Like most immigrants I struggled with fitting in and faced a number of challenges while seeking asylum and applying for an indefinite leave to remain in the country. The unfortunate truth is that there are many other care experienced young people who are still facing the same challenges on top of the day to day challenges which come with being care experienced.”
Since becoming an Ambassador for Who Cares? Scotland, Shilla has visited a number of organisations set up to support young people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, but realised that there was no specific support network for care experienced young people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
“As a result of this lack of support, I came up with the idea of hosting a young people’s culture night as a way of reaching out to these care experienced young people.”
Speaking on the importance of the event, Duncan Dunlop, Chief Executive of Who Cares? Scotland said: “The Care 4 Culture Care will unite care experienced young people to celebrate both their shared, and unique sense of identity. Young people attending the Cafe will have the opportunity to take part in a range of exciting activities including a talent show, arts & crafts activities and a buffet. Attendees will also be able to learn more about each other’s cultures, explore their experiences of care and learn more about and the work of Who Cares? Scotland as part of the Care 4 Culture Café program.”
Whether you are a care experienced young person or part of an organisation that supports young people from BME or care experienced backgrounds – you or your organisation can get involved, Here are some of the ways to support:
- Help prepare food for the buffet
- Help set up stalls and prepare the hall
- Suggest fun activities
- Help raise funds
If you would like to help raise funds for the Care 4 Culture Café, why not get in touch with here: [email protected]. Alternatively, if you would like to donate to the Care 4 Culture Café, please visit the Who Cares? Scotland JustGiving page.
Ticket Information
To reserve tickets for the Care 4 Culture Café, please complete click this link and complete the registration form. You can also reserve tickets by calling our National Office on 0141 226 4441.
The Care 4 Culture Café will be held at Garnethill Multicultural Centre in Glasgow on June 21 & 22.
Care 4 Culture Café is part of Refugee Festival Scotland 2015. The festival is coordinated by the Scottish Refugee Council – celebrating 30 years of supporting refugees in Scotland. To find out more about the festival, please visit www.refugeefestivalscotland.co.uk
