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Speak Up training

Speak Up (SUP) is a free, three-level youth empowerment program for young people with a care experience who want to level up and use their voice to change the care system!

Speak Up participants learn about the care system and develop advocacy, leadership and public speaking skills. Upon completion of the training, they become CREATE  Young Consultants who use their stories and experiences to represent CREATE and advocate with us at local, state or national events and forums.

This training can help young people to effectively contribute to discussions with decision-makers, train workers and help to change the system for other children and young people in care.

Speak Up is fun, free and includes meals and snacks. We often hold our Speak Up training at a cool location or do something to celebrate after like dinner and ice cream! Check out some photos below from our recent trainings.

Who is Speak Up for?

  • Young people with an out-of-home care experience
  • Aged 14 to 25
  • And who want to become a CREATE Young Consultant AKA a youth advocate to help us change the care system!

Speak Up can empower young people to

  • Develop advocacy, leadership and public speaking skills
  • Gain new insights and understanding into their care experience and the care system
  • Become a part of the CREATE team as a Young Consultant.

How CREATE’s Speak Up (SUP) training works

SUP trainings are broken up into three levels and training can be delivered over three days or less if the State team runs an accelerated training. The training is available all over Australia and is run by the local CREATE team in your State or Territory so you can contact them directly to find out about the next training.

Young people will focus on building skills like self-confidence and team work. We also learn about what advocacy means and how to use strength-based communication.

After the completion of level one, young people will have gained foundational communication and speaking skills that help them to become confident youth advocates. At this point, they can become a Young Consultant and then continue to work on their advocacy skills through Levels 2 and 3.

Young people will build on the communication and leadership skills developed in level 1. We also talk about personal boundaries as well as rights and responsibilities.

This is the final level of Speak Up training and focuses on advancing skills to be able to participate in national work on behalf of CREATE Foundation. In level 3 we work through how to effectively represent other children and young people at a high level. We also discuss the role the media has and learn skills to be able to engage positively with the media. We also build on leadership skills to then be able to facilitate discussions.

 

Why complete CREATE’s Speak Up training?

As a CREATE Young Consultant, you’ll unlock new opportunities with CREATE. Including the chance to attend our national conference, Voices in Action, speak to the media about your experience (like Young Consultants Haeden and James speaking on the radio below) and be eligible for committee and board memberships where you can contribute to change in the care system.

What people say about Speak Up training

The Speak Up Program gave me the skills and confidence that I needed to be able to speak in front of people. I’m looking forward to completing level three so that I’ll be able to help out where I can to make the care system better

Young Consultant, QLD

Seeing young people use their voice and being listened to and the power this has on them still astounds me – to have a young person in your home who feels voiceless and to witness the change Speak Up can have on these young people.

John, Foster Carer

Find out more about CREATE’s Speak Up training

SUP Brochure
Download our SUP brochure and watch the video below to learn more
Sound good? If you want to get involved and learn how to effectively communicate and help us change the care system, we’d love to have you on board. To find a SUP workshop near you, take a look below!

Upcoming SUP trainings and events

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This website was built in consultation with children and young people with a care experience. Thank you to all the young people involved in providing feedback and sharing your insights throughout this process.

CREATE acknowledges the Traditional Owners of lands across Australia. We pay respects to Traditional Owners and Elders, past and present. We celebrate culture and community and we celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

CREATE Foundation

National Office – Sydney
Suite 6.01, Level 6, 80 George St
PARRAMATTA NSW 2150

Phone: (02) 9267 1999

Email: create@create.org.au

ABN 69 088 075 058