Above: Tupua Ulrich, national care-experienced lead at VOYCE-Whakarongo Mai
Tupua’s journey to advocacy with VOYCE
Tupua Ulrich’s story is one of resilience, identity and advocacy. Although he has happy memories of the first years of his life, growing up with his parents and siblings, his parents struggled with addiction. This led to Tupua being taken away by the state, supposedly for his own safety. What followed was a long, traumatic and life changing journey through a broken foster care system.
Tupua faced severe physical and psychological abuse from his first foster carer, and his cries for help were often dismissed as lies. This neglect continued as he moved from one placement to another, without stability or direction. He lost touch with his family, community and Māori culture.
“I already lived such an unstable life, but the system just multiplied that instability,”, Tupua recalls.
The turning point came when he found a supportive mentor in an alternative education centre. This mentor saw Tupua’s potential and reintroduced him to his Māori heritage, giving him a sense of belonging. Later, he was invited to share his experiences in a government review of the care system, which ignited his passion for advocacy.
In 2017, Tupua became a care-experienced advocate with Family for Every Child member VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai. As a national spokesperson, Tupua now uses his own story to help amplify the voices of those with lived care experiences. VOYCE connected Tupua with a network of young people who shared similar experiences, creating a supportive community, allowing him to find stability and channel his energy into positive change.
Today, Tupua works with VOYCE to advocate for system reform, stop harmful law changes, and share his story nationally. His efforts ensure that the voices of children in the care system are heard and valued.
The support from our giving community around the world has made a significant impact to the work of member organisations like VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai. Thanks to our generous donors, Tupua and many like him are able to use their voice to build a brighter future for children and young people in care.
Become part of the movement!
Family For Every Child’s impactful work supports the lives of over 23,000 children annually. By joining our global network of changemakers together, we are continuing to foster meaningful change led from the ground up.
