Young Commissioners Scheme
Children’s social care Commissioning Team is recruiting young people who have been in care or in care aged 13-18 years as young commissioners as active agents and change makers in the development of service for children looked after.
We want to engage young people who have experience and first -hand knowledge of care pathway and utilise their input in reshaping and re-designing services (placements/accommodation) for children in care. The young commissioners will receive training and be accredited on the scheme.
Young commissioners commit to a minimum of one commissioning activity a month and are in the role for six months. The young people are based in Children’s Social care commissioning team and work closely with commissioners and contract monitoring officer to support the commissioning process, support the Quality assurance process of children’s homes, un-regulated accommodation and IFAs (placements) for children looked after.
The young people are recruited from the cohort of children in care engaged in the Children in Care Council (CICC). We have successfully recruited one young person, Miriam Okotie Tomas. Miriam is a care leaver and a student. She is based within the commissioning team and available on Fridays 9am-1pm every week.
If you wish to meet the young commissioners, please, contact Christianah George, Commissioner at Christianah.george@newham.gov.uk
Miriam’s personal story
‘My name is Miriam Okotie Tomas and I am a striving young care leaver, who is working for Newham as a Youth Commissioner. A bit about myself, I am currently a university student at King’s College London, studying Global Health and Social Medicine (Bsc). I am also working as a Europe Directorate in the Home Office. I know you may be a bit impressed by this, but despite being a care leaver and facing some adversities in care, Newham has taken part in shaping me into the amazing woman I am becoming. I have been given so many opportunities to represent young people in events such as the Children in Care Council (CiCC), Newham’s youth council and so many events Newham has created. Newham will forever have a soft space in my heart.
The reason I have chosen this role as a Youth Commissioner is to be the voice of young people. As a care leaver, I have had experience in living in an unpleasant accommodation and I want to change that for young people. Any housing for young people should have the basic necessities of WIFI, not living in cramped box rooms, etc. I want to represent the requirements and concerns of young people towards housing. Therefore, I have taken this role because not every young person’s voice is heard or listened to and I want to change that.'
'I hope being a youth gives me experience in working in the Newham council and learning various skills I did not have before. I hope to have a great impact in changing people’s lives.’
Become a Young Commissioner
We are looking to recruit young people who have experience of being in care as Young Commissioners.
Your role will be to help those in care have a voice in service design, service development, delivery and evaluation. You will represent young people’s voices to senior decision makers and influence change for the better.
Our aim – to give you the opportunity to participate in service development, reviews and monitoring and new skills.
You need to be:
- Be in Care or have experience of being in care
- Come from, or live in Newham
- Aged 13 plus.
And….
- Want to make things better for children in care!
- Be open to learn new skills
- Be committed to a minimum of one commissioning activity a month. This is flexible depending on their availability
- The role will be for six months.
You will get:
- References on successful completion of the programme
- Remuneration for your time.
- To participate in an accreditation programme.
- To work closely with commissioners to support the commissioning process.
Interested?
Email: Christianah.george@newham.gov.uk with your name, age, contact details
Or contact Rachel.Omisope@newham.gov.uk/ Newham’s Children in Care Council.
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