No images? Click here Youth Forward: Winter Edition Welcome back to Youth Forward, your quarterly newsletter from CLAPA! What you'll find in this edition:
We hope you enjoy this issue of Youth Forward! Make sure to follow our Children & Young People's Facebook page for more stories and the latest event updates. Christmas SpectacularJoin Lucy, Nikos and Will from CLAPA's Children and Young People's Council (CYPC), this Sunday 13th December at 4pm on Zoom for an afternoon of Christmas-themed fun and games! The CYPC have planned this event to make sure other young people feel comfortable and welcome. They'll be creating a friendly and fun environment, and the games have been chosen to help break the ice and give everyone the chance to get to know each other a little better. CLAPA staff and trained volunteers will be on the Zoom call to help facilitate and support, but otherwise this event will be led by Lucy, Nikos and Will. We hope to see you there! ‘This is a race that I have always dreamed of doing…I am so proud to come 4th. I know that I could have won the race but I wasn't disappointed as I know that I was up against the best runners in the country.’ You can read Poppy's amazing story by clicking on the link below! Dealing With Negativity Last month, from Monday 16th to Friday 20th November, we marked Anti-Bullying Week. We shared a video of Claudia, one of our previous Children and Young People's Council members, speaking about how she has dealt with negativity and bullying. Click on the button below to watch! Our Children and Young People's Officer, Claire, says: 'As Claudia says in her video, you're not alone and there are people who can support you. If you are finding things difficult, you can head to our website to watch other video clips from young people born with a cleft and you could also take a look at these Changing Faces resources, aimed at young people with a visible difference. There are self help guides about bullying, looking or feeling different and how to build your confidence. Don't forget that your cleft team are there to help too.' Meet Lucy 'Hi, I'm Lucy, I’m 17 years old and I have recently joined the Children and Young People's Council (CYPC). As soon as I joined, I immediately felt as if I was part of the group, everyone there is so welcoming and makes you feel like you can be yourself. Most meetings we discuss what we have been up to, important CLAPA events that are upcoming and we also play games! Playing games together really helped me get to know the members of the CYPC. It feels nice to have a group of individuals that are like me and know what it feels like to have a cleft. It makes me feel supported and that I can help others like me!' Thank you, Lucy! If you'd like to find out more about our Children and Young People's Council and what they do, head to our website. CLAPA's Jumpathon Last week was our big, festive Jumpathon! Members of the CLAPA Community, from CLAPA staff and trustees to volunteers and members of our Children and Young People's Council, got involved. Here are some of their brilliant photos! Marcus Charlotte Steph We organised our Jumpathon to raise awareness about cleft lip and palate and we also wanted to spread some festive joy too. If you took part, thank you! We hope you had fun! Your #DailySmile As we look to gather more lovely photos and stories to share as part of our #DailySmile social media series, we'd especially love to hear from young people - including you! Here's Erin's #DailySmile (pictured right): 'Hi, I am Erin aged 14. I was born with a bilateral cleft lip. I love being in my PJs watching movies. I also enjoy beach walks and my dogs!' Could you help show other young people in the CLAPA Community that they aren't alone? Get in touch if you'd like to share your photo and story (we'll just need a parent/carer's permission to share your photo if you're under 18)! Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this newsletter and made it possible. If you would like to share your hobbies, creations, advice, art, tips or stories with other young people, we'd love to hear from you! Contact youngpeople@clapa.com to get in touch. As this is our Winter edition and we are very soon approaching Christmas time, we'll leave you with this very cheesy festive joke: Question: What kind of Christmas music do elves like? Answer: “Wrap” music! Enjoy the holidays, stay safe, and have a wonderful Christmas! Keeping Your Data SafeWe’ll use the information you’ve provided when signing up to send you the most relevant content, and you can update this data (and your preferences) at any time. Read our Privacy Policy to find out more about how we collect, store, and use your information. You can also get in touch at any time at info@clapa.com or call 020 7833 4883 if you have any questions or concerns. |