It’s National Care Leavers Week and the theme this year is CARE which stands for:

• Celebrate care leavers: We aim to recognize and celebrate the achievements and resilience of care leavers as they transition into adulthood.
• Amplify their voices: We are committed to ensuring that care leavers’ voices are heard, and their perspectives are valued in shaping the services and support they receive.
• Raise awareness of challenges: It is crucial to shed light on the challenges care leavers face and the importance of addressing them to provide a better future.
• Encourage change in policy and practice: By advocating for change in policy and practice, we strive to create a more supportive and nurturing environment for care leavers.

Since 2020, we initiated our support for the GM Care Leaver pledges, and since that date, we have successfully provided new safe and well-maintained homes for over 140 young individuals with Care Experience. Our commitment includes the dedicated efforts of Lucy Hooton, our Care Leaver Officer, who offers intensive housing support to our young residents, encompassing tenancy skills and sustainability.

We continue to provide access to a pre-tenancy training program for those approaching the age of 18 to help improve their lives. This program aims to enhance their awareness, skills, and knowledge, equipping them to effectively maintain and sustain their tenancies.

In recent months, we introduced our internal Care Leaver Champions network, composed of willing employees who volunteer their befriending services. This initiative receives support from GIFT and works in collaboration with Salford City Council and reflects our values of passion and trust. Currently, we have six passionate Care Leaver Champions eagerly awaiting matches with young individuals. We will keep you updated as our network of Champions expands.

Our close partnership with the Tenancy Resilience Service has proven invaluable. The team works directly with our Care Leavers, offering support related to volunteering, training, and employment. In the coming weeks, the team will establish a base at Next Steps, Leaving Care Team to further fortify this pathway.

In Knowsley, we’ve been working on transitioning a Care Leaver training flat to the Local Authority. This facility will allow young people to engage in role-playing and gain firsthand experience in independent living, improving the quality of their lives. It will provide valuable insights into tenancy management before taking on a new home and formally signing a tenancy agreement.

We are also extending our support to the Knowsley Stay Close project, offering five safe and well-maintained properties to Care Leavers for direct access, bypassing the typical bidding process. This approach ensures dedicated support from partner agencies within the local community. The Craigs Community Centre will serve as a secure space for training and skill development, including access to kitchen facilities and a laundrette.

As a part of the GMHP Care Leavers Group, we actively seek feedback from our young people regarding our services. This feedback has greatly contributed to the redesign of our pledges, set to launch later this year.

In the upcoming months, we aim to collaborate with our young residents in creating informative content. This includes YouTube videos that offer advice on preventing leaks, locating stop taps, reporting repairs, and accessing various support services which will improve their lives in the process. We also aspire to involve more young people in our tenant groups.

Stay tuned for the relaunch of our pledges and information on how you can get involved.