About this collection

In summer 2025, our Youth Justice Voices North East group set out to unleash their creative instincts in a new format.

Working with Aberdeen Poet Jo Gilbert, the group spent 4 weeks together, listening, creating, and exploring poetry and spoken word.

This new collection, launching on Care Day 2026, gathers together all the pieces our participants created, ready to share with the world. You can watch it below (pause to read) or view the collection as a PDF here.

About Jo Gilbert

Jo is a poet, spoken word artist and writer from Aberdeen. North-East Scots, or Doric, features heavily in their work, alongside varied themes – shining a light into dark corners, looking at life through a working class lens, nature in urban areas, music and art, grief and loss, and everything in between. You can follow Jo @mucklewriting on Facebook and Instagram.

Reflecting on this project, Jo said:

"What an absolute joy it was to work with Youth Justice Voices North East this year. As ever, with any new group, you are unsure of what to expect and how young people will respond to the materials that you bring to the workshops. Usually, I have more materials than I need just in case we get a shy group, but it wasn't needed here. We had lively discussions, super interesting questions, lots of laughs and a plethora of keen sharers. I am so chuffed with how the group embraced everything that I brought to them with such enthusiasm and verve. They should be very proud of the work they have created and I was totally impressed by the quality and depth of their writing."

About Youth Justice Voices

Youth Justice Voices is a Scotland-wide participation project run by Staf and CYCJ. The project seeks to amplify the voices of young people aged 16–25 with experience of the care and justice systems to influence national change.

In February 2023, Youth Justice Voices North East was established to work across the North East, meeting bi-monthly in Aberdeen.

Youth Justice Voices North East continues to grow - and you can be part of it. If you are aged 16-25 with care and justice experience, and you want to use creativity, conversation and participation to make change, please get in touch with [email protected].

Thank you

We would like to thank Jack Tully, our previous Youth Development Worker for the North East, for facilitating such a great project. And of course, Jo, for giving their time, care and expertise to the project. Lastly, a huge thank you to Renee, Marci, Reece, Hannah, Hannah and Jack for sharing their words creatively, freely and honestly.