Support for care leavers in South Yorkshire increases as huge expansion is announced for national programme

From university bursaries and driving lessons to home equipment and career coaching, the programme is supporting care leavers to take their next steps.

In its first year, South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation was among 17 participating community foundations from UKCF to have supported more than 2,000 care leavers aged between 16 and 25 years old, by funding 59 organisations and 411 individuals directly.

A new donation of £1.7 million over three years by the Henry Smith Foundation, announced today, will expand the programme out to 14 new areas in the UK, now including Northern Ireland and Wales. This expansion will bring the total programme value to £7 million, including matched funds, significantly increasing reach, impact and length of delivery.  

Emma de Closset, Chief Executive at UK Community Foundations, said:

The Care Leavers Programme has already demonstrated the power of local partnerships to create real, lasting change for care-experienced young people. We have seen the impact of this programme in its first year, and we are delighted to expand it further with the support of the Henry Smith Foundation.

The next phase represents a fantastic opportunity for more local and national partner organisations to help build a fairer start for young people leaving care, ensuring they have the support that every young person deserves.

 

In addition to reaching new areas, the expansion of the fund is extending existing projects in South Yorkshire. A new report, published today by UKCF, shows the reach that the Care Leavers Programme has had already.

In year one, support from South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation was awarded to Affinity CIC – a Rotherham based Community Interest Company working with care experienced young people.

A grant of £15,000 was used to create transformative opportunities for five local young people who have experienced care – supported by the Work Wise Foundation and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC).

Three of the five care leavers participated in a week-long programme exploring engineering and manufacturing through hands-on experiences, including site visits and workshops with United Cast Bars, Chris Hudson at Chimo Holdings, Casting Innovations, Footprint Tools, Skills Street at Gulliver’s and Kelham Island Museum.

An engineering and manufacturing programme participant said:

I didn’t know what jobs were out there before this. Now I know I want to work with tools and machines.

 

Michelle Dickinson, head of philanthropy and programmes for SYCF, commented:

We are delighted to be able to build on the success of year one with this additional funding for Rotherham and Sheffield.

There is no doubt that these experiences have had a direct impact on the young people involved, with many now considering career plans in sectors they never knew existed. The programme has been a huge success in terms of supporting the care leavers in a range of areas from wellbeing and mental health to supporting education, employment and training.

 

Two of the five South Yorkshire care leavers were invited to participate in a national creative project at the RHS Flower Show at Wentworth Woodhouse - featured on BBC Two’s Gardeners’ World on in July.

They collaborated with a young designer to co-create a garden installation, gaining hands-on experience in design, horticulture and public engagement.

One of the participants said:

I never thought I’d see something I helped make on TV. It’s made me think I could do more creative stuff in the future.

 

Charlotte Elliott, founder and CEO of Affinity CIC, said:

We are incredibly lucky to have been part of this amazing programme, which has made such a difference to the five care leavers involved.

A highlight is that one of our young people is now seriously considering joining our full college provision at Affinity. Since joining the programme, they’ve begun to believe that full-time education is something they can manage – especially when the right support is in place. It’s such a positive step forward.

 

Anand Shukla, Chief Executive at Henry Smith Foundation, said:

We’re delighted to fund the expansion of the Care Leaver Programme across the UK. This work is important and ambitious – bringing together community foundations, local authorities and the Henry Smith Foundation. Together, we’ll increase critical support for both care leavers and the charitable organisations supporting them as they navigate their way into adulthood.