Empowering Care Leavers: Rowan Aderyn’s Journey and Advocacy for Change!

In this episode of the Able to Care podcast, host Andy Baker welcomes Rowan Aderyn , an LGBTQ+ role model who has turned personal adversity into advocacy and leadership. Rowan shares her remarkable journey from being a care leaver to becoming a prominent figure in initiatives for equity, diversity, and inclusion. With heartfelt honesty, she recounts the challenges of her upbringing, battles with mental health, and experiences with homelessness. Rowan discusses the importance of recognizing care leavers as a protected characteristic and the profound impact of trauma on care-experienced individuals. She also introduces her charity, Fostered Futures, which aims to provide opportunities and support for care-experienced people. This insightful conversation sheds light on the resilience of care leavers and the vital need for community support and systemic change.

Resources:

Rowans Website and Book: https://rowanaderyn.com/

Fostered Futures: https://fosteredfutures.org/

Royal Foundation's Newport Homeward Initiative to End Homelessness: https://homewards.org.uk/

Key Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction 00:02:10 - Rowan's Early Life and Care Experience 00:05:03 - Challenges Growing Up 00:14:34 - Foster Care and Building Resilience 00:25:45 - Advocacy for Care Leavers 00:30:09 - Overcoming Mental Health Challenges 00:34:41 - The Role of Therapy in Healing 00:46:42 - Founding Fostered Futures 00:50:02 - Final Thoughts and Community Support

Key Messages:

The Importance of Recognizing Care Leavers as a Protected Characteristic:

• Rowan Aderyn emphasises the significance of acknowledging care leavers as a protected characteristic to combat stigma and ensure better support for care-experienced individuals.

The Role of Therapy and Mental Health Support in Healing:

• Rowan shares her personal journey with mental health challenges and highlights the transformative impact of therapy, including EMDR, and the support from specialised units like the Swansea Burns Unit.

Building Confidence and Opportunities Through Community Support:

• Rowan discusses the crucial role of community initiatives, such as her charity Fostered Futures, in providing care-experienced individuals with opportunities to build confidence, develop skills, and achieve personal growth.

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