Mask drama at national care experienced event

Five Rivers Participation and Fostering teams are delighted to announce another success for the Youth Council and their performance art installation The Masks We Wear – a film all about the importance of disclosure. The film, masks and poem that forms the soundtrack have all been selected for exhibition at the first Care Experienced Conference at Liverpool Hope University on 26 April.

Two members of the Youth Council and their fostering support workers will travel to Liverpool to attend the day conference where they will meet others with care experience and have the chance to take part in discussions about the issues and opportunities in today’s world. The Masks We Wear will be exhibited as part of the event’s Creative Showcase for work by care experienced people. It’s a coup for The Masks We Wear to receive attention at this inaugural event, showcasing Five Rivers’ participation work.

Sell out conference

The response to the conference has been phenomenal with all the tickets sold out in March. The idea for the gathering came from Ian Dickson, a retired social worker with care experience. He says,  

“I see the conference for care experienced people of all ages as a massive step in gaining a voice for care experienced people in determining the care that they receive during and after care as equal partners with the professionals who make the decisions.”  

Conference to feature in our podcast

Ian Dickson is also involved as an interviewee in another Five Rivers participation project – our podcast, Care to Listen? , Series 2 of which will be launched to coincide with the conference.