A CHARITY that works with young people living in care has staged a celebratory talent showcase.
Voice Of Young People In Care (Yoypic) promotes the rights of children and care leavers, changing lives and improving futures by offering support and advice.
Its This Is Me event marked international care day 2020.
Since Christmas, groups of young people from Belfast, Bangor, Ballymena, Lurgan and Derry worked with professional artists to prepare.
Talents showcased included singing, dance, drumming and circus skills.
"Care day is an excellent initiative that allows the incredible young people we work with, and indeed all care experienced young people, to take centre stage and inform the world about what that care is really about," said Voypic chief executive Alicia Toal.
"It challenges everyone to take some time to rethink what they think they know about how children are cared for in Northern Ireland. Young people we work with have told us that many people don't have a very positive image of care and children in care. Some think that children in care cause trouble or don't do well at school. We need to challenge those myths.
"On care day, we show the world that this isn't true. On care day, we celebrate the talents, achievements and identity of the many young people in care who inspire us all."
