Care leavers can get extra support
Young people in Warwickshire who are leaving care will be getting mobile in the New Year.
The Care Leavers Association holds meetings around the county giving young people who are in or about to leave care the chance to get together.
Some people are in foster homes or supportive lodgings in rural areas and because they are scattered around the county, it can be difficult to get to meetings.
Paul Sweeney, a member of the care leavers’ FORUM, came up with the idea of taking the association to the young people. FORUM stands for Friendly, Outgoing, Respectful, Understanding, Motivating.
He successfully put together a bid to buy a mobile headquarters that the forum could use to hold meetings around the county. Paul’s bid for £36,000 was put to Warwickshire County Council’s Youth Opportunities Fund. The fund is a DfES initiative operated through Warwickshire County Council’s Children, Young People and Families Directorate. Funding is given to projects run by young people, and the awarding panel is run by young people.
A new vehicle will be bought and converted so it can be taken around the county and used as a meeting space.
Paul, who is aged 24 and is a Leamington care leaver, was supported in his application by Leaving Care Development Manager Rob Dunster.
Rob said: “A robust association is one of the keys to ensuring young people’s voices are heard.
“Care leavers can often feel isolated as they have many different things to contend with, and being with people who understand their situation and can offer support is very important.
“It helps them tackle with any day to day issues and helps them become more confident and able to deal with the demands of adult life.
“This mobile HQ will make it easier for care leavers to get together. It will make the association stronger and enable more people leaving care to get support.”
Paul said when the award came through, he was delighted. “I was a bit surprised, then happy. Happy to be able to do something for other young people."