Honouring Our Children & Youth in Care Week June 2 to 8, 2025
June 05, 2025 News Release
Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) Territory. The Our Children Our Way Society recognizes and honours Indigenous children and youth during the 14th Annual BC Child and Youth in Care Week. We hold our hands up to all the communities, service providers, partners, and Nations who care for, walk with and celebrate our incredible, diverse young leaders of today and tomorrow.
“We honour and celebrate Indigenous children in care, recognizing their uniqueness, histories, and strengths. This week is a time for all of us to stand together in support of children, ensuring they grow up with sense of self and connection to their identity, and the love of a nurturing community. Let us make space for their voices to be heard and commit to creating a brighter future for every Indigenous child in care,” said Joni Conlon, Executive Director of the Our Children Our Way Society Secretariat.
In 2011, youth in and from care advocated for this special week so their brothers and sisters could grow up feeling celebrated for their strengths and accomplishments.
Many youth from and in care work hard to inspire other Indigenous children and youth in care and let them know they are not alone. INVINCIBLE: Our Voices from Care is an arts-based storytelling research project designed and written by the Youth Council at Surrounded by Cedar Child and Family Services.
The amazing team from INVINCIBLE: Our Voices from Care opened the Our Children Our Way: A Forum for Indigenous Child and Family Well-being in on October 28, 2024. INVINCIBLE is part of Kinship Rising, an arts based Indigenous research project on Indigenous youth wellbeing and resurgence. The INVINCIBLE crew presented their stories and artwork, and shared their research process. Watch the opening on the Our Children Our Way YouTube Channel here.
Their work draws on childhood memories, cultural stories, and first-hand journals of their experiences and emotions in the foster care system. The project name, INVINCIBLE reflects the fact that they have survived the child welfare system and have many gifts and strengths to share.
Young people in and from care want to continue to raise awareness about the barriers they face and fight the stigma that comes with being a “foster kid.” In celebrating this week, we hope British Columbians take the opportunity to celebrate and support our incredible young people every week of the year.
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For further comment, please contact the Our Children Our Way Society:
Joni Conlon, Executive Director, Our Children Our Way Secretariat – [email protected] – 604 803 7371