Hello! 

I’m Ally – the Young Voices Participation Officer with the Teapot Trust. I joined the team in August 2023, and I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce the role and tell you a wee bit about our plans (and hopefully get you excited about them too!)

As the Young Voices Participation Officer I will be making sure that children and young people are involved in making the Teapot Trust the best it can be. The Teapot Trust is a charity centred around supporting children and young people with chronic conditions, and we recognise that no one knows about their experiences and needs better than they do. We are soon to launch our Young Voices group – a small group of young people who have been supported by the Teapot Trust, who will meet regularly and focus on improving Teapot Trust services. We are going into this with open minds, ready to be guided by children and young people as to what the priorities for change and development in the Teapot Trust are.  

As well as the positives for the Teapot Trust (and the children, young people, and families we go on to support) there are lots of benefits for those getting involved. Many of the benefits attributed to participation are particularly relevant to children and young people with chronic conditions, such as building confidence, social connection, and developing new skills. Young Voices' work will allow children and young people to continue their relationship with the Teapot Trust, something we have been told would be really valuable. We want everyone to have the opportunity of an ongoing relationship and so we will also be launching our Young Ambassadors community. This will be a flexible opportunity for folk to be involved in the Teapot Trust on a project-by-project basis – everything from social media and writing blogs, to being part of the planning and running of Teapot Trust events.  

The opportunity for the Teapot Trust’s growth to be informed by children and young people's experiences and expertise and the positives of participation for children and young people makes it a no brainer for us! The brilliant UK Youth are on the same page with us about the importance of participation and we are really thankful for their support and funding through Thriving Minds which has allowed all this to happen.  

We are excited to see the ways the Teapot Trust changes and grows when working in equal partnership with the brilliantly creative children and young people we support. If you have any ideas, projects, want to get involved in Young Voices or Young Ambassadors, or just want a chat about participation at the Teapot Trust then please get in touch with me at [email protected] and we can have a cuppa. 😊  

Find out more about me here Ally Lloyd, Young Voices Participation Officer