Over the last quarter we have continued to work with our funders, Esmee Fairbairn and Blagrave Trust and their relevant partners. Locally, we have worked with a range of additional partners across the sector to increase our awareness of the challenges care experienced young people face. This learning has supported us to think about how we build partnerships with the community and business sectors to improve outcomes for care experienced young people.
Successes
We have worked with 28 young people who have been directly referred to the project. In total we have had 527 attendances and delivered 92 sessions across quarter 1 with a range of young people involved in different group activities.
- Participants achieved education, training & employment outcomes including volunteering 14
- 3 participants employed (1 young people volunteering)
- 6 young people entered or retained a place in education.
- 4 participants completed peer researcher training, 3 participants completed safeguarding training, 2 participants completed tier 1 trauma informed practice training.
- 5 participants supported with job searching.
- 3 young people achieved additional outcomes.
All public bodies supporting care experienced young people should encompass a shared set of values even though the support they offer is different.
Young Person
Our campaigns and participations group Joining up Joining completed their peer research training with the Learning and Work institutes. Our researchers are currently working on a report outlining the feedback we collated from our survey “Care experience should be a protected characteristic?”
The empowerment group for young women has been running successfully, and we have been able to achieve our outcomes set out for the project.
We have partnered with Wates on a new project “Caring for Care Leavers”. The initiative was used to renovate one of our participants houses.
We are also working with Leicestershire County Council, and we have developed a relationship aimed at improving outcomes for care experienced parents and their children. This resulted in a trip to Mablethorpe with the support of some additional funding from Hastings Direct.
A quick message to thank you so much for all the stuff you're bringing today, its going to change this place so much; the way it looks smells and everything. I'm just going to be able to look after the place everyday now and be happy with it, its just made me feel so much better in myself as a person. I say thanks so much as its just bringing me back to my normal self and I haven't seen me like this in years so thank you. Thank you so much again for this, last night was even better, got the best sleep going in ages.
Corey, Young Person
We have successfully worked with a range of business partners and community organisations, including funding from Hastings Direct.
Business and community sector involvement
- Leicester City Council – Mock Interview
- Stepnell – Employability, empowerment group for young women
- Walker and Son - Employability, empowerment group for young women & Football project
- Haymarket Shopping centre – Volunteering opportunities, use of facility, connecting with community partners.
- HRBS – Work experiece
- Walkers Deli – Paid employment
- All Truck – Employment opportunities
- Hastings (non-member – Funding
- Wates (non-member) – Renovation Project
- Leicester Fire Service, Childrens rights council, Kick Ass fitness, Shush project, Mighty creatives, Pedestrian, Tigers Foundation, Leicester College, Loughborough University, Pathways, catch 22, Esmee Fairbairn, Blagrave Trust, Learning and Work institute.
Funding
- Hasting Direct £1000 – Parents support network
For further information about our project and our work with care experienced young people please contact aidan@leicestershirecares.co.uk
Powering Up Project (Care experience) | Leicestershire Cares
Joining Up Joining In | Leicestershire Cares
Joining Up Joining In | Leicestershire Cares
https://www.leicestershirecares.co.uk/about-charity/news-events-/leaving-care-annual-report-2022-23/