“I absolutely love advocating for kids, it’s what I was meant to do”
For Nyree Mulholland, who is from Bangor, helping people was something she always wanted to do. After leaving school, she wanted to go straight into a studying for a social work degree. However, after not getting the right grades, she decided to try something different.
After just two days in Hull, studying social policy, Nyree knew it wasn’t the place for her, so she returned home and undertook a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Social Care and Caring Services. She would then go on to complete a Degree in Humanities through Ulster University.
However, Nyree knew her goal in life was to help people in some way, so after visiting a careers fair, she decided to complete a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) in primary education.
During her time teaching, Nyree encountered a young boy with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who had a mother who was care-experienced, so she wanted to make sure he was okay.
“ADHD wasn’t spoken about as much back then, and I knew he was struggling,” Nyree said. “The nurturing side of me came out and I would work with a classroom assistant to bring him breakfast, talk with him and find people for him to play with.”
As teaching was a competitive career and it was difficult to get a permanent role, she began looking for jobs that would bring a bit more security.
“I got a job in juvenile justice, which was funded by the Department of Education” she said. “It was all about young people leaving juvenile justice and returning to education. It was my job to make sure they had gone back to school, and identify if there were courses in whatever they wanted to do next.”
Speaking about how she felt transitioning from teaching to juvenile justice, Nyree explained she went into it very naively.
“I wasn’t expecting children to be in there for any serious crimes. I felt for them all; I always looked for the young person in them.”
After two and a half years, the funding for her role ceased, and so Nyree joined Extern as a multi-systemic therapist.
Explaining what her role entailed, Nyree said, “I was focused on children who were on the edge of going into care. I would work with the family to try and keep them safe and supported at home. If the young person was already in residential care, then the staff there would work with them and I would work with the parents back at home.”
Working with the parents allowed Nyree to explore a side of social care she hadn’t experienced before, and while it may have given her a different perspective, it came with its own challenges.
“It was interesting to work there. I enjoyed building relationships with the parents but one of the challenges back then was the model didn’t allow us to work directly with the young person. I feel if you’re making decisions that affect someone’s life, they should be involved.”
In 2009, Nyree moved to Voice of Young People in Care (VOYPIC) as an advocate, which she would discover was the perfect job for her.
Describing her role, she said, “It’s all about fighting for children’s rights, social justice and making sure the kids have their voices heard. It’s so rewarding; you are always on the side of the young person. I absolutely love advocating for children and young people. One of the greatest things is that every day is different; we build relationships with each of the young people according to their needs.”
Even though she had quite a lot of experience within the social care field, Nyree believes she still had a lot to learn when she entered her new role.
“I hadn’t been an advocate before. I think it took me a few years before I knew I was good at it, and for the young people to be completely comfortable with me.”
Over time, Nyree’s title evolved to her current role as a Youth Rights Worker. She now works with people based in Belfast.
This change meant that as well as advocating for children, there would also be a focus on participation from the young people themselves.
“It’s all about building them up so they can speak out. Recently some of the young people have spoken at big events and made animations. It is amazing to see them do so well and share their views, stories and experiences,” Nyree said.
One person that stands out to Nyree is when she helped a young girl get her first girls’ holiday, something which Nyree saw as a rite of passage at her age.
She said, “The young girl was moving on from residential care and discovered she wasn’t getting pocket money because she was receiving Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). After she spoke to me about it, I was able to find out EMA isn’t means-tested and she should have been getting it. I managed to advocate for her and got her the pocket money she was entitled to, as well as the money she had missed out on, which she used for her first-ever girls’ holiday. I had my first one at her age, so it was really rewarding to be able to help her get that.”
While some young people may be more difficult to bond with than others, Nyree doesn’t let this affect the way she views them.
“Any backlash comes from a place of hurt, but you don’t need a perfect relationship with a young person to advocate for them. They see a lot of adults throughout their lives, all making decisions on their behalf, so I know it is hard for them.”
In terms of advice for people who want to pursue a career in diverse areas of social care, Nyree believes empathy, kindness, and nurturing are the most important qualities to have.
“Make sure you meet people where they are at, not where you want them to be. Changes take time, but always trust your gut.”
Even though she originally wanted to get into social work, Nyree would not change where she is today at all. She said, “Everything led me to where I am meant to be. Doors were closed for a reason. I know I’m meant to fight for children’s rights.”
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