How we work

We consult and involve young people from the outset, ensuring you are placed at the centre of what is happening in your life and that your views and wishes are taken seriously and treated with respect.

We aim high for all our young people, recognising there are all sorts of different ways you can achieve things and emphasising that young people leaving care have just as much talent and potential as any other group of young people.

Much of the work done directly with young people is individual, however we also:

  • run groups and drop ins (such as young parents' groups, groups for black youngsters, activities and self development groups) all aimed at bringing young people together in more informal settings, allowing you to see there are others in a similar position and all the time building confidence and self esteem
  • undertake some really ambitious projects such as an international exchange to Germany, and a similar trip about to happen to New York called the Chance of a Lifetime Group
  • make films/videos/booklets, even tv programmes, with young people aimed at showing other young people what lessons can be learned or what to look out for and expect
  • help young people influence decision makers such as politicians, civil servants (especially when the Children Leaving Care Act was being formulated), or running a group called the YIPPEE group who as a group of care leavers inputted to the training of many other professionals such as teachers, social workers and police
  • make use of volunteer befrienders to supplement our individual work and help get young people involved in leisure activities
  • develop various deals and provision in the area of accommodation to increase the choice of move on accommodation for young people as they leave care
  • develop strong links with other agencies especially for example the Connexions Service in trying to improve young care leavers access to education/training/employment opportunities. A great success over the last two years has been the bringing into being of a dedicated and separate Employability Service specifically for care leavers called Making It Work
  • have on site counselling service of our own so that young people can easily be referred who need such a service and who can then get such a service from a familiar and informal base