The Secure Start® Podcast
In the same way that a secure base is the springboard for the growth of the child, knowledge of past endeavours and lessons learnt are the springboard for growth in current and future endeavours.
If we do not revisit the lessons of the past we are doomed to relearning them over and over again, with the result that we may never really achieve a greater potential.
In keeping with the idea we are encouraged to be the person we wished we knew when we were starting out, it is my vision for the podcast that it is a place where those who work in child protection and out-of-home care can access what is/was already known, spring-boarding them to even greater insights.
The Secure Start® Podcast
#33 Care Leavers To Care Leaders - with Surja (Udayan Care Alumni)
What happens when belief meets opportunity and doesn’t let go? We sit down with Surja—care‑experienced leader, LIFT alum, and global advocate—to trace a path from a village in Uttar Pradesh to a seat at international tables, and to unpack what real aftercare looks like when lived experience leads. With Dr Kiran Modi offering context on Udayan Care’s model, we explore how mentoring, peer networks, and co‑creation turn care leavers into care leaders.
Across the conversation, we map the mechanics of the LIFT Fellowship: a one‑year journey that blends mentoring, life skills, and project design to strengthen aftercare systems. We talk about failing early and thriving later, about teachers who stayed late and house mentors who stay for life, and about the shift from telling hard stories to proposing practical solutions. When alumni return as coordinators and network builders, advocacy stops being an event and becomes an ecosystem. That’s where policy changes—when people closest to the gaps design the bridge.
We also step into the Global Care Leavers Community. From Africa’s aftercare gaps to language barriers in Latin America, cross‑regional learning sparks better ideas and fairer access to platforms. The network acts as a hub for research, conferences, and leadership development, making sure participation includes pay, preparation, and ongoing support. The biggest lesson? Short‑term fixes rarely change a life. Long‑term mentoring, multi‑year pathways, and true partnership between experience and expertise are what anchor success.
If you care about child protection, aftercare, youth leadership, or how to build systems that don’t let people fall through the cracks, this story will stay with you.
Surja's Bio:
Surja is a care leaver from Uttar Pradeshm who spent nine years in a Udayan Care Childrens home. In 2022, she joined the LIFT (Learning in Fellowship Together) Fellowship, where she raised awareness about care leavers through impactful blog writing, and mobilized care leavers in Uttar Pradesh to form Care Leavers Unite, a growing state network.
Since BICON 2023, Surja has been part of the BICON Reference Group, contributing her ideas and experiences to strengthen global care leaver advocacy. In 2025, she became a member of the BICON Coordination Group, taking an active role in the BICON Committee to help shape future gatherings with her insights and leadership.
Surja is a core member of the National Care Leavers Network since 2023 and an active part of the Global Care Leavers Community, where she has been advocating for care leavers on national and international platforms for over three years.
In 2023, Surja also became the Coordinator for LIFT – the National Care Leavers Fellowship at Udayan Care, where she guides care leaders to design and implement innovative, personalized projects that strengthen care and aftercare systems while bridging gaps in support for young people transitioning out of care. Her work reflects a deep commitment to building strong connections, amplifying care leavers’ voices, and shaping better policies for aftercare across India and beyond.
Links:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheSecureStartPodcast
Podcast Blog Site: https://thesecurestartpodcast.com/
Podcast site: https://thesecurestartpodcast.buzzsprout.com
Secure Start Site: https://securestart.com.au/
Disclaimer:
Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast ow
Hello and welcome to the Secure Star podcast.
Surja:If I have to talk about motivation that has drived me to be in that field, is uh first that someone has believed in me. Then I realized that if they can believe in me, it means I have to put some efforts, do some extra hard work, and I will do it. I'm talking the support. If that is not there, then it is not possible someone like me to be an international platform and speak about caregivers and do advocacy about them. At that level, I have reached out. From sharing only the challenges to now sharing challenges with solutions and recommendations, how we see that being possible. We walk with them and we want to say, I have experience, you have the resources, let's go together. This is my dream that I want to anchor at BBC and talking about caregivers because whenever you feel being a caregiver, you are seen as one of never feel that way because if God has created this way, it means we are unique, we are strong, and we are different and we can do and do uh to make our life best.
Colby:Hello and welcome to the Secure Start Podcast. I'm Colby Pierce, and joining me for this episode is an inspirational young care lever and international voice for care experienced people. Before we begin our podcast, I'd just like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands that I come to you from, the Ghana people of the Adelaide Plains, and acknowledge the continuing connection the living Ghana people feel to land, waters, culture, and community. I'd also like to pay my respects to their elders, past, present, and emerging. My guest this episode is Serja. Serja is a care lever from Uttar Pradesh who spent nine years in a Udayan care children's home. In 2022, she joined the Lyft or Learning in Fellowship Together fellowship, where she raised awareness about care leavers through impactful blog writing and mobilised care leavers in Uttar Pradesh to form Care Leavers Unite, a growing state network. Since BICON 2023, Serja has been part of the BICON Reference Group, contributing her ideas and experiences to strengthen global care leaver advocacy. In 2025, she became a member of the BICON Coordination Group, taking an active role in the BICON Committee to help shape future gatherings with her insight and leadership. Sergia is a core member of the National Carelievers Network since 2023 and an active part of the global care leavers community, where she has been advocating for care leavers on national and international platforms for over three years. In 2023, Serja also became the coordinator for Lyft, the National Carelivers Fellowship at Udain Care, where she guides care leavers to design and implement innovative personalised projects that strengthen care and aftercare systems while bridging gaps in support for young people transitioning out of care. Her work reflects a deep commitment to building strong connections, amplifying care leavers' voices, and shaping better policies for aftercare across India and beyond. Welcome, Serja. And welcome also those who are watching this podcast on video will see that we have a third member here, at least for the uh first part of this podcast. Welcome, uh Dr. Kieran Modi. Kieran, we had you on the podcast at episode 10. Um I was just saying a little earlier, this will be episode 33. So we're definitely motoring along uh through them. It only seems like a couple of short months ago that I last saw you and spoke to you, Kieran. Um, but here we are. And um we're here to speak with with Surgia, um, someone whose life you know very well. Um I've read a bit of a bio that she supplied me, but I was just wondering what you would say about Sergia.
Kiran:First of all, I must convey my gratitude to you, Kolby, for making us international figures. And I know many people all over the world who are interested in children and youth in care would be listening to us because it gives another perspective. So I'm really grateful. And uh, what do I speak about, Surja? What do you say about your own child? You know, so somewhere um my humility also stops me from going overboard, but one can't go overboard with Surja because whatever you say is in reality, and I marvel at her resilience. You know, she stayed with us in our children's home for nine years. Before that, she was in a village, and where she was the eldest, no, she wasn't the eldest, but she had other brothers and sisters, but villainally she had to take on the responsibility of others also. And when the village and elders after her uh very sad, but both the parents passed away one by one, and the village and the the own immediate relatives were unable to do anything much for them. The village elders also did not uh contribute in their development. Surja took it upon herself and they left the village and they landed up in Delhi with all the brothers and sisters, all on her own esteem. I don't think she would have told you all this. And I'm sorry, Surja, if I'm making you uh recreate your past, but I know that you always believed that unless we talk about what we have gone through, how would people understand? So then she came to us and imagine all through she had studied in a Hindi medium school and uh in Udayankia, at least at that time, we believed that children must go to private schools, and uh, in India, most of the private schools are in English medium. It was a big struggle for her, but she never gave up, and she tried to continually pull herself up, and finally, she did astoundingly good results in her board exams. She was not getting admission in college despite getting such high marks because of certain reasons, because she had to go for an orphan quota, and there was no such papers available for which she had to do the running around. She did, you know, all on her young shoulders. She did everything, and finally she beat the system and got herself admitted in one of the most prestigious colleges, and that's where she studied, and uh she loved, you know, to talk about care, she loved to talk about aftercare, and she was looking at others, other children who are coming out of the system, and she was aghast that why can't things be made better for them? And as a society, we owe it to them, and it's not only them and us, it's also us. So that's the kind of challenge Surja took up on her own shoulders. That I also need to talk about our stories, I need to talk to other caregivers, and together we must raise our voice. So we are really, really grateful to Surja for understanding the depth of the cause, for taking it up upon her young shoulders.
Colby:Yes, and you I can and I'm sure those who are watching and even those who are listening can clearly hear how hear and see how proud you are of Sergia. And um and and this what what stands out for me about um what you said there, Kieran, and what what's what um Kieran said about you, Serja, is that from a very from a young age that you just you talk responsibility for for others and for yourself, but but particularly for for others. And um that's I just I wonder where that comes from. Where where do you think it comes from, Serja? That um that drive to support other people.
Surja:And thank you so much, Colby, for giving this opportunity. And I see this opportunity not from the uh uh side and point of view, vulnerability, but also from if I have given that strong support, how others can be given. So if motive if I have to talk about motivation that has drived me to be in that field, uh is uh first that someone has believed in me, and I had to share, especially the uh mentoring support in then care that I got. I and I have seen so many uh care institutions organizations who are giving all the support, but how's this? I see mentoring support is very unique, somewhere even having all the support. Uh child not able to love or believe in themselves. So uh I remember I did lots of mistakes uh in the CCIs, but uh I knew there was someone will say it's okay if you have done this mistake, but you need to understand and realize that next time how you uh do not make such mistakes but try to understand and uh do better in life. So uh before coming in CCI, uh the motivation is from one of my neighbors. So when I used to see them, their children used to go home, their mother used to love. So I also and their children used to talk very confidently. I used to feel like uh because they are going in school, that's why they have that confidence, that's why they are very vocal and able to come to us and they are even overshadow us also. So from there I took bold response uh the step that I have to run away and I have to uh find a place in Delhi where I can get education. So seeing those children, my neighbor's children. So that's why I ran away. And there I connected with a uh lady, and she was herself a teacher. So I believed in teacher. I thought teacher would understand. If I'll tell I want to study, and when I went to a children's court, I told them uh that I want to study. So in wherever you will put, I just want to study, and I want my brother's sibling also to study. So that's how I lend up to Udayan care. And in childhood, I was told that Udyan care is the best children's home for education. So when they were putting me in Udankare, and when I connected, I saw so many children there uh wearing good uniforms, going in the private schools. So that motivation arose in me that if they can go to very good schools and uh they can talk in English, I also want to go to that school where I'm confidently speaking English. So initially I was weak in English, so I was put in government school, but I uh did my best, and the best part was also wherever I used to like, I was given a tutor who used to teach, and they were also the volunteers who used to come work on my English, and I gave exam to two, three schools, and finally I got admission in 12th standard. And navigating that phase was also not easy, but there also I got one mentor, and she supported me like her own child, the school teacher herself. There were also lots of challenges. I didn't used to understand the terminology in English, but I knew the meaning in Hindi, local language. So there she used to give me extra time, she used to especially sit with me, and then I then I realized that if they can believe in me, it means I have to put some efforts, do some extra hard work, and I will do it. So when children used to sleep at home then that during night, I used to then study, and I'm I'm very uh secretive person, I don't share much with people. So I always think it's better rather than speaking, it's it's better. I need to work hard to prove that I can also uh do. And if these people are believing in me, I have to show them that you have believed in me, that's why I'm able to do. So uh in 11th standard, it was very struggle phase. I used to fail in all the subjects because of English, but in 12th standard, even I didn't believe that I passed with very good grades, more than 90%. And I checked my result, not one, two, three, but five times. This is my result, and that was the uh thing again. That motivation came from there that if I can do this much, it means I have that potential and capability, and I can do. And all my mentors, social worker, they encouraged me that I have a good grade, so I should apply in a very good university. So I applied in Delhi universities, in some other private universities also. But at that time, I also understood if I will go to a private university, they will charge so much of money. If I have this much of amount percentage, why should I not go where there is only a minimal fee? But they need a more percentage, so that's why I applied in Delhi universities. But there also I applied in some specific categories for that documentation was then not there. But every time all the mentors used to say me that you can do if this you can do now, you can do much more better than this. So there was always uh beliefs from the people who are in my in my surroundings, they used to believe in me. Sometimes even I used to doubt. I used to say, somehow I managed to get this much marks, but I don't think so, even in college, I will get this much. So I always used to have this doubt, but I also have had this belief in me. No, tomorrow they're going to ask me how I'm doing, whether I am uh working hard or not. So there's always someone to ask, then you always try to do best to uh not make them feel okay, uh, whatever support they are giving, guiding, I'm not doing that. So that's how I completed my three years of education, uh graduation, and during that three years, again, uh, I'll honestly say one mentor in Kiran Mam believed in me when this Lib Fellowship came. And they they uh believed in me that I have that potential, I have that hidden leadership that we can take out from her through this platform Lib Fellowship. So there they encouraged me and I applied for the Lyft Fellowship, and they knew that uh I put all my thoughts and ideas in paper. So they gave me that Lyft uh fellowship platform. I wrote blog and they gave me platform also to how I should become more vocal about the issues of caregivers, and there's uh this also they realized that I speak from the heart, I speak what I have experienced. So they started connecting me with lots of platform workshop webinar, and I not only started talking about my own experience, but I started talking about the experience of other young people also. I started connecting, so that was a journey there I uh understood that there is also a leader in me, and this is the right platform. I need to bring that out, and that was a journey where I formed, as you mentioned, the the original network, Caliverse Unite, and that was the only platform that connected me with global caliber community, uh, the leader from other countries, and from there, after completing this fellowship, honestly speaking, I did join corporate, but there I understood one thing uh that understanding is not there, sensitization is not there, and there also uh I saw that no one is there now to manage this lift fellowship. Then I approach and I say, Can I be a best fit? Because I have the lift lift experience also, and I have the experience of uh living in care. So, how both I can bring. So that's how I then I applied for a lift fellowship as a lift coordinator. So So from that's how like my motivation is some every time motivation is my uh uh somewhere connected and go through one from one to another and from another to the next. So I'm connected.
Colby:Yes, yes. So um you lots of the people who come onto this podcast, Sergio, they talk about that, that they they just find that they're in they have the right background or the right experiences and they're in the right place at the right time in a way. And it sounds like though that you were building towards this, even from your from a young age, you were um, as I mentioned a little bit earlier, you were taking responsibility for others, you were um you were you were seeing yourself as um being deserving of a better life. Um you had people who believed in you. You've had um in Western research they call it one good adult. And the thing about one good adult is you need lots of them. So you've had you you've had teacher, you've had, you've had Kieran, you've had uh the mint the house mentor in which you where you were, you've had and you've had others that have believed in you as well. And um and here you are working and coordinating the Lyft Fellowship uh for Udayan care now, as I understand it. And just could just for our um listeners and watchers who are not in India and um may not know a lot about the Lyft Fellowship, can you just explain what the Lyft Fellowship actually does?
Surja:Okay, so well, uh as you can see, the child we explain not very vocal now, very vocal, and uh collectively shares the voices of Kaliber. So Lyft is a fellowship and it's full form is learning in fellowship together. And that was initiated by Uday and Care in 2021, and it's a one-year program that focuses on the leadership of a care experience who have ideas to innovate that they just need a platform. So, in the Lyft Fellowship, what we do, we provide mentoring, we provide life skills, we work on personal and professional developments and connect with other caregivers networks and build their uh capacity so they see themselves moving from care leaving to care leading. So this is the program, and now it's been now uh four years of its journey, and we have three batches uh of this fellowship, and all the fellows have come with in with innovative ideas on care reforms and aftercare that how they can improve the gap that is there with uh including their lived experience, their skills, and their leadership and connecting with the caregivers regionally, at state level, and also nationally.
Colby:I understand because I checked I've checked these things. You were in the first cohort, Serger, the first group that went through.
Surja:Yes, I was the batch one fellow, and it always feels great to be a part of cohort one of some initiative that has started, and but also the big sense of responsibility, how you have to take this in a form of alumni, this movement, and then uh supporting who will further come and guiding them.
Colby:Yeah, so and this is how it grows. You're creating a an entity that grows advocates that with a who have a plan and a way of supporting um carelivers in your country and beyond. My reflection from speaking to Kieran. Um, I know you you call her Kieran mama or something. Uh I'm not saying I'm not saying it.
Surja:We call her Boa. So for the larger audience, I just want to know uh why we call her Boa. So there is a beautiful story behind that, but Boa means the uh sister of our father. I yes, sister of father. So there's a beautiful story.
Colby:I actually don't think anyone's done in the Western world has done as much uh for care uh for young people in care, but particularly for care leavers than than that Kieran has done. I don't think anyone has done more. I I actually think Kieran, and this was one of the exciting things for me about having you on my podcast so early on, is that I don't if there's anyone in the Western English speaking world that's done more than you, then I don't know who they are.
Kiran:There are many people, Kulbi, there are many people, and now it's becoming like a movement, you know, all over, even in India, there are so many defenders of carelivers, which is such a beautiful thing. All kinds of programs are being launched, yet the need is so deep and so wide that to fulfill that gap, you know. I think each one of us has to be there for them. So in abroad, also, actually, this um uh organization that we tried to set up, a kind of a loosely defined uh network, which is called Global Care Leavers Community, GCLC. It has four major organizations in the world joining hands. You know, one is Kinder Perspective, which they are based in Netherlands, then University of Hildesheim, they are in Germany, as soon as children's villages, everybody knows they are internationally well known, and Udenkir, which is a small fry, you know, before these big, big names. But it was only our interest because as my children were growing up, I realized, you know, children grow up so fast before you realize they become adults. They need different kinds of a care, but continuum of care. And how do you provide that when the law, policies, practices, everything is going against, when the budgets are not sufficient? That's what really interested me again and again into this. And we uh connected with all these organizations and tried to set up. We have four uh, you know, child care, I mean, these youth-led networks as its partners, you know, like um from India, from Sri Lanka, from Nepal, from different places. So they are also part of that global caregivers network. And Surja will be able to tell you more about it.
Colby:Yeah, yeah. I hope that I'm I'm going to get to that with Sergia, but um it's inspired, Kieran. Like I think what what you've established with the Lyft Fellowship is is truly inspired because you've what you you've created a community of of young people who have lived experience, you you you have facilitated an opportunity for them to feel self to be self-determining and to and to spread the message of self-determination to other carelivers. So it's not this we need to look after them, this kind of paternalistic view that not so often pervades Western culture. It is about how do we support um the young people to look after themselves, which is which really is ultimately probably the best and only way that they can truly be successful in life. And I spoke to a guest who I haven't released his podcast yet, but I spoke to one very recently who made me stop and think about how a lot of our care, a lot of our support endeavors are very much about responding to crises in the here and now. But don't and we we're probably very good at that, but we're not very good, at least in Western jurisdictions, of also alongside of that, preparing young people for a successful life post-care. We're not good at that, I don't think at all.
Kiran:I think you're just being humble, it's not true at all. We learn so much every day from the Western practices. So I think you know, it's quite advanced there also. There are very famous names. In fact, I'm amazed, you know, all the universities, how they have come together in INTRAC. You know, these are university academics who are working only on children in care, aftercare, and um, we are very proud to be a member there because we are learning all the time how much is being done, you know, and it's not really uh just providing some support, it's enabling carelivers to stand on their own feet. So a lot of work is going on there, also. So, I mean, I don't know why you feel, but thank you so much.
Colby:I look, I would say it this way, Kieran. Um, sorry, Serge, I'll get back to you in a moment. But I this is the way I would say it is that of course, of course, there are examples of good practice. It's it's a bit like um uh residential care. You know, residential care has a poor reputation, many would say, in in Western child protection jurisdictions. But of course, there's there's wonderful examples of high-quality residential care. And I'm I'm steadily trying to get all of those representatives of all of those endeavors on the podcast. And so I see the podcast as a way of making connections with, connecting with, and making connections with all of those good endeavors. Now, my my observation is of what the work that you're doing, both of you, is that you are making those connects the connections with other areas of of of positive care leaver endeavor around the world. Yeah, and so you're you're I mean that you're leading in that. So yeah, so uh I um I'm not I'm not necessarily try just being humble for the sake of it. I do I do think that there is something very special about um how you're you're approaching it at Udayan Kir. Thank you.
Surja:So an example of the connection that you mentioned, I just wanted to say that. I remember uh Arboa Kiran telling uh as you mentioned. So I just wanted to connect with that and share. I remember her sharing how she was a part of some uh conference webinar in Europe, and from there, that uh motivation of having their own KLUS network would be possible. So that whole visualization and that strong uh intuition that this if this is possible here, this can help also here in India. So I see here Giranma more of bringing those learning inspiration and making sure how we see here. So even when I see all the Lyft fellows, I think I connect that connection with Lyft also. How Lyft for a year have given a platform to all the caregivers so they become more resilient, develop that leadership, and I see now they are leading their state caregivers network, and now we have 35 fellows of all three batches, and all because what I have observed and experienced and hearing from all the fellows today. If they are able to little bit or with their time, able to contribute to the network, and this the network is being sustained just because in one year they understood the importance of that group, and that's why they are able to you know give time in their state level networks. It will not come out directly, but I have seen because of this preparation in one year, have given them understanding the values. More often, what happens? Uh, given so much of resources when there is no understanding of importance values, we are not even able to get the time to uh you know uh devote time for some cause or share or be part of any cause or initiative. So that I have seen understanding and valuing of their lived experience and how they can contribute and how they can bring other caregivers if they are not available during that time. So this is the one major outcome I see coming out from Lyft. And we all fellows are always grateful. It will not sometimes come out, but it is the fact that we always carry and have seen.
Colby:I look at I mean I think we're talking about modesty, um, uh or humility, Kieran, and you and you you were suggesting that I was being a little bit humble before, but what I'd like to say about you, Serja, is that um from what I know of of your last few years, you've very much moved on to not only a national but an international um stage with with this with the care leaver networks and the and the connecting up of those care leaver networks. Tell us a little bit about that experience of interacting with with people around the world, other networks, that is.
Surja:Um it to me it feels like and this I always this is my learning and observation that if you have continuous support each step, as Kiran Mam also mentioned, continuum of care, having the support at each step, like I stare has each step because I feel I have given that each uh support at each stage, that's why I see myself nationally and internationally able to connect with caliber, not emotionally, but also for other needs, also, like listening to them uh is possible because of that. Uh sometimes I get I feel hopeless when I share. But there is always a constant reminder that if I'll stuck there, I know the support is there too for me. So that support has given me to connect and with nationally, with national organization, with platform, and when I got that connection, they listened to me and they uh they listened, and that's how they started giving me more and more exposure opportunities because they have seen now I'm connected with so many organizations, young people. So I am the one. If I have again given that one step support, I'll bring everyone's voices I'm connected with and share it. Same as international. I'm connected with global caregivers community. Why? Because I build the connection through Lyft that I see, uh, lift fellowship, and there when I connected with the global caregiver community, uh, the core member, especially the caregiver, they believed in me. They observed that uh I speak very less, but I uh listen to them so much. I don't give them the uh answer, but I say, let's try. All these I learned because here, sitting at UC, honestly speaking, I know there are four people. I'll not mention the name of that person, but I'll say someone reach out to me for this, and I'm not I know the answer, but I know how to console that person or support that person by conveying them in a word. So I know I'll immediately get that support. So somewhere if there is a disconnect of support because I am connected with so many calories, I have seen when each step there is a disconnect of the support. I have seen those falling down, but in my case, I see this is something like being added, more and more it is being added. At each step, the support has been added because of the through lip fellowship, the connection through that the national level connection, and when I'm having the national level connection, they believed in me, they listened to me, they understood I'm connected, I am available, they have. Connected me with international opportunities, exposure, webinar also. So that's how I'm able to share not only my voices, but other voices also. Because I know if I got the opportunity last year to speak at FISA International, there was a financial support to me to be there in person. There are so many like me, they really want to, they know how to convey, how to collectively uh share the cariever's voices. But there are other support also that are connected, and that matters for that young person to be at that platform. Passion is always there. So if I have to share the example of global careverse community only last year, we were given an international platform, and we were nine core members of global careverse community. If five were given an uh opportunity to speak in person, because we five had the materialistic support to logistic support, and we understood the language that is common for all the audience, and for few of them, why because of the not having the accessibility, not having the logistic support, uh coming from a different background. So all these things I have understood how if you are also passionate and you have time, how there are other factors, other things. I'm talking the support. If that is not there, then it is not possible someone like me to be at the international platform and speak about caregivers and do advocacy about them. In my case, because of the each support, I am able to do. Sometimes it's very difficult when you have all the support for a young person to go and speak. That because of maybe not having that confidence, not having that self-believe, not consistency, consistent, not having it consistency. Uh and so that also does matter. And I have seen initially I was also not very consistent, not very good, but these support these exposures, and at each step has improved my being more consistent, completing things on deadline. How not every time talking about only the same challenges, but how seeing from other lens angles also, and uh sharing your uh challenges or the careleg voices with recommendations and solutions. So that I I see at that level I have reached out from sharing only the challenges to now sharing challenges with solutions and recommendations, how we see that being possible, or how we can put into practice, how we can implement that.
Colby:Sergio, there's so much in in what you you've said there. Um what what I've I hear you talking about significant adults in your life who have who've been there for you, who've supported you, who've understood your experience. Yeah. Um, I've also I hear you talking, I think about the importance of peer support, yeah, the other care leavers, getting together and and together with a united voice, with an understanding of each other's experience, um advocating on behalf of better outcomes for young people who have grown up in care systems. And it it puts me in mind of something that um I I discussed with a friend and colleague, and he's something of a silent partner to this podcast, uh, Patrick Tomlinson. We we we had a conversation about the idea of it takes a village to raise a child. Yeah. In Western, this probably reflects badly on us uh Western cultures in terms of our understanding of village life. Um but most of the time that just means the village uh is in our culture just refers to the adults, you know, like it needs it takes a group of adults um to raise a child. But the origins of the saying it takes a village included the other children, the children in the village, yeah. And it just strikes the similarity of that with what you are describing about this movement. Kieran described it, it was Kiran Mum. You referred to her as Kiran Mum. That's what I uh I I um was hearing earlier, or Bua. Um but uh this movement she she referred to that you're developing is is very much uh stands on, as I understand it. Yes, the support and the belief, including the material support of adults and organizations, um, people who are there for you, but also um the peer network and the and the support of of peers um being really important too. So Joe I you you've referenced that it's not just about the challenges and not just about speaking up the challenges, but it's putting forward some of the solutions that and a plan for how to how to achieve those solutions. I wonder if you would wouldn't mind um sharing what what solutions are you working towards in in uh as part of the global care leaver network? What good outcomes are you are you working towards?
Surja:Uh outcome that I see is that oh care leavers uh not only the carelivers in everything I see who have experience, they should be in their decision, they should also be the part of decision making, means co-creator. What we have seen now is who have studied something and who have expertise, but not having the experience is that co-creating, developing everything. But I see since last year, I have seen now there is an involvement of young people. So as an outcome house, I see their equal partners, they are experts, those who are coming with experience because on on the ground they know the gaps, they know the challenges, they know what will work in real life and what will not work. So I see everywhere the experienced people are involved equally, not it, it does not also mean that the social worker, the people who are passionate, like Dr. Kiran Modi, we we are saying that we want to replace, we want to that we want to be work with them, and we want to say, I have experience, you have the resources, let's go together. So that's what we are trying to say. Because we have seen when in lift fellowship carelivers is started working on their own project. We see uh that not only these fellows have uh become personally, professionally leaders and they know how to manage, but they have also supported other caregivers. And when they are coming from the ground sharing, see this happens at the ground, and then with our support, when they go back, it really they are able to really implement that. So I see that second uh outcome. I see uh is that uh there I believe in there are two kinds of support, as I mentioned, short-term and long term. So I see I see if we are investing any resources, can we have something for long term but not for short term? Because ultimately what is happening that short-term support is again leading that young person and child into that that same that in the same situation. If I have given the lift support, and after lift, I five would have not joined lift fellowship and it means I'm jobless, I'm not having any opportunities, right? So, how if any initiative support program we are coming, see that for long term? Why? Because I believe any child who are coming in any alternative care, they are coming with their past trauma, right? And it takes more than six months or a year for that child to understand its value, understand then no, it's very important to coming out of our comfort zone and zone and doing something for to make my life better, right? And then six months and one year program or two years support program is not sufficient, not enough. So I see how come something the program is coming for supporting a young people for three or more than three, five years, eight years, like that. And having a very strong, as I mentioned, the support, because I am connected with so many calories, more than three thousand caliber nationally, and two thousand internationally. One thing very common, I have seen very good advocate, very beautiful house they are having, very beautiful life they are having. One thing that is always missing, and I feel like they feel alone is uh that love and care. So that could also be achieved having a lifetime mentor. I I never feel because I know uh uh Mr. Deepak Sharma. So who the that person is my mentor? I know if I am sleeping, he will call me and ask. I don't see you today in the office. You okay? So I don't feel alone.
Colby:So but I have seen them feeling alone, and I think if I can just jump in there, uh Serja, what you're what you're referring to is something that Kieran spoke about in in the podcast interview that she gave uh some months ago, which is the inclusion of um the house mentors. And um, and that they're mentors, well they're they're they're mentor parents. Uh but they yeah, they're they're a support, they're a connection that is is developed while you're in a Udayank care home, and and it's a connection and support for life. So you just you referred to the gentleman who's your um your me your mental parent, and he um and he is there for you for for life, basically. Yeah, that's that's the arrangement. And I just thought that was one of the we we have some some uh something c that closely approximates that here in Australia in one of the programs that I've spoken to. But it yeah, I'm sure that there are lots of people who um who would would like the opportunity to do that for children and young people. It's the example that you set as well that I think is really important here, that a global care leavers network that use is at is an equal member at the table when decisions are being made about post-care supports is is visible to young people coming up through through the care uh system and and is a is an example are examples to aspire to seeing our fellows do do well in life, and I think that that's um a really important aspect of of the role that you perform. You you're advocating for long-term support for um care alumni or so people who who graduate from care. Does the global care lever network or the or the local networks that you are involved with, do they get involved in um in services um for children in care as well and advocating for the children in care?
Surja:Uh yes, since the last three years uh um I'm connected and monthly we do have cafe also where we connect and share that what we are doing at um our regional and the state level. Other than that, also as you ask, what is for them who are advocating, right? So, as Kiran Mam also mentioned, I also mentioned last year we became the part of the FISA International. So there I advocate the the employment opportunities, what could be done, the qualitative the research done with 50 caregivers at India level, national level. Same how other global caregivers community members who participated from other continent. They did what uh, for example, in Africa, they are not having any aftercare support, right? So, how they at least can have aftercare support or how government can uh work on the aftercare support. Someone came from the Brazil and represented Latin America and mentioned hey, the language itself is a problem that we are not able to see ourselves at global platform. Right. So uh, and someone uh came from other part of country also, so uh continent also, and they talked about something good is happening in our country. So, how we see that uh you can see in Africa, you can see in Asia, you can see in Latin America, and they uh presented that we have our own established, sustained caregivers-led network. So, how you can see sustaining, so they share their best practices and other learn. So that's how global caregivers communities do advocate, and and they as a so I'm a core member of also global caregivers community, and we have a small core group. So, what core group ensures they are always in no, you know, in the uh always in uh always waiting, the opportunities should come come and what we do, we try to involve core member and the person from the ground in connect with such opportunities. For example, in track opportunities uh came into 2023. So in track is a research network and they did a grand challenges on leaving care. So they wanted to verify whether these grand challenges is okay, fine, anything needs to be included, input, they needed the input. So we got to know about that opportunity. We informed core group, core group informed their respective continent, country car levers, and we tell them if you are interested, be a part of it. You'll get the certificate, you'll get the incentives, and how you see uh sharing your experiences. Same for the last year FICE also. There is a conference happening, and they are uh saying that you can share your work in form of research or in form of presentation, and you can talk about that. So we connected with that opportunity this year. Also, in track form two groups research based and how we organize a conference for caregivers, right? So we again informed, they informed their networks, their regional network, they got to know, and we mentioned that if you are a person with uh others coming with other struggle challenges, also how you can part of this two community committees, and they not only you'll get you'll get the platform to share, but you'll also get a person who will work on your leadership, build your capacity, and other than that, you'll get incentives also. So that's how we are trying to get the opportunities and connect, and this is the one that resources based. Other than that, we monthly also connect where we feel like we need to just celebrate ourselves and be as a family. So, monthly also we connect, and as Kiran We mentioned, global cariverse communities also are having their like group of people who are supporting this global cariverse community. So we monthly connect with them also to update. See, this is happening, there we need your support, how you can guide us in in our region, this is happening, if uh any supporting organization is available there, how they can support 10 caregivers to be a part of that opportunity. So that's how also we connect with uh supporting organization, and these supporting organizations, I very proudly say not only the people uh who are uh like NGOs, but in that supporting organization, there are also caregivers networks. Supporting. So this is a uh combination of both caregivers supporting caregivers, other organizations working on the same cause, they're also supporting. So yeah, this is about global carelivers community.
Colby:Yeah, it's wonderful. It there's look, there's so much I could talk to you about, but um we'll need to wrap it up. It's I just wonder if if there's anyone who is listening uh who wants to find out more about the global care leavers network, how how would they do that? How would they go about finding out more information, getting in touch?
Surja:Okay, so uh for like Lyft Fellowship, it is nationally available, but to understand how they can have in their own country such uh fellowship, they can reach out uh through our social media and website. So on Udincare website, you'll know about learning in fellowship together. And there not only you see the about the program but what outcome impact has been created and the selection process, how you can see employee uh initiating this kind of support for KLUS in your country, and other than that, uh for Lyft Fellowship, we have a LIP LIP means the alumini group of Lyft Fellowships. So you can reach out to Lyft fellows also, and to connect with them, you can connect uh you can see their profile on Udenke website, yeah, and there if you'll find their web uh the profile, then you can connect with them on LinkedIn. And now uh global care leavers community, global care leavers community have their own website. So if you search on Google, you'll find the website and all the information are available there. The organization who supports the all the events activities happen, all the things are on the website, and there is also an active forum where you can chat and connect with any Kelly. So this is a great platform to connect, and also you don't need to worry about your data protection and safety security because that uh the active forum I'm talking about, there no one will get to know your email ID, your personal contact number, except your name and your chatting to another candy or connector. So, yeah.
Colby:Yeah, that's fantastic. Well done. Well done on on being such an important part in sending setting all that up, uh Sergia. Um what do you what's the future hold for you? Where in in if you could look ahead five years, where do you think your endeavors will lead you? Where do you hope that they'll lead you?
Surja:Uh future, uh so honestly speaking, uh I'm very personally connected with the this cause. Why? Because I have experienced and somewhere there are so many great opportunities coming to me, but sometimes I feel now I'm connected with more than nationally or globally, so more than 5,000 caregivers. It means they believe in me, they trust me. So uh uh I really want to uh stay connected with them and keep advocating when I'll get the opportunity. But my future plan is that I need to at my where I see myself today, I want to bring more care leavers care leaders here. And personally, I want to go for further studies abroad, and I'm again very fortunate that I'm connected with so many uh caregivers who are studying abroad on 100% scholarship. So maybe in 2027, 2028, I see myself studying in maybe one of your country, it could be any continent country and in development or maybe in journalism. So I'm very passionate and I want to be a journalist. So studying journalism, and if I see myself becoming a journalist, this is my dream that I want to anchor at BBC and talking about care leaver causes.
Colby:Can I just um that all sounds wonderful? And can I and I don't say this to embarrass you in in any way, but uh there was a moment there where instead of saying care leavers, you said care leaders, as in leaders. Yeah, or at least that's what I and I thought and it was a it's a it's uh relevant uh uh connection here because you're creating leaders from the from the care leavers, which is um uh yeah, uh a very important connection.
Surja:So I think I said care leader, I see myself as a care leader and I want to get more leaders.
Colby:Yes, yeah, yeah, so that's right, that's what I was hearing. Yeah, you care leavers and care leaders. So um I think I I actually think I I need to think a bit more about that, but though the the the coming together of those two things, I think is uh probably in a nutshell captures a lot of of this conversation. Yeah. So thank you again.
Surja:But if I yeah, in future, also if I'll go even for my personal development, for my personal growth, whatever I will do, I it will always be connected with care living. I if I want to do something, be it I want to be a journalist and I want to do a PhD or go for further education, I'll do something for around this cause.
Colby:Yeah, yeah, it's very important to you. Thank you again, Sergea, for making your time uh to making the time to speak to us. And uh I wish you well in your endeavors.
Surja:Thank you so much uh for giving me this opportunity, and thank you who are listening and do share. And and one thing that in the end I would say never ever fear that you are less than anyone, especially caregivers. And whenever you feel being a careliver, you are seen as vulnerable, never never uh feel that way because if God has created this way, it means we are unique, we are strong, and we are different, and we can do and do uh to make our life best.
Colby:Thank you.
