Getting Ready Project

Project

Start Date

April 2019

Contact:

kate.aubrey@childreninwales.org.uk (Development Officer, Getting Ready Project)

Who is the project aimed at?

Care experienced young people who are transitioning from care to independent living

Project description

The Getting Ready project complements the current Welsh Government ‘When I am Ready’ scheme. It provides a more intensive intervention which seeks to echo the support and guidance that non-looked after young people receive within a family setting. The project delivered by Voices from Care Cymru with Children in Wales, is supported by funding through the Welsh Government ‘Suitable Provision and Support Innovation Fund – Homelessness Prevention Grant’.

What is the project trying to achieve?

The project aims are to:

Provide support for young people to safely transition from care (including considerations around delaying leaving care and reducing the risk of homelessness and housing instability)
Facilitate wraparound community support which is more sustainable in the long-term and does not rely on future funding to deliver positive results
Empower young people by enhancing their knowledge and understanding of their rights and entitlements when planning to leave care
Build the capacity of young people to advocate for change
Build resilience and mechanisms which keep young people safe from homelessness and related risk, enhancing their overall wellbeing
Contribute to the fund’s aim of preventing homelessness and achieving housing stability amongst care leavers
Involve young people in the planning, delivery and evaluation of the project

A key aspect of the project has been the creation and provision of a suite of resources to enhance care experienced young people’s knowledge and understanding of their rights and entitlements when planning to leave care. Along with the delivery of accompanying workshops to young people, these resources have been used by young people and professionals to provide support for young people to safely transition from care. This will reduce the risk of homelessness and achieve housing stability amongst care leavers. The resources specifically focus on building young people’s financial capability, in line with the core themes outlined in the Welsh Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy document:

1. Access to affordable credit and financial services

2. Access to financial information, including debt advice

3. Building financial understanding and capability

Project update at March 2021:

We have developed key financial capability resources for three local authority areas - Anglesey, Carmarthenshire and Caerphilly
Following feedback from young people, we have developed a Housing resource through Padlet
We have developed a set of mini resources providing key bitesize information to care experienced young people
Financial capability workshops have been delivered to care experienced young people across Wales, covering key topics such as budgeting; benefits and entitlements; food shopping tips and savvy shopping
Intensive workshops have been delivered to young people on a one-to-one basis when required to support them with specific needs relating to topics, such as attending university and understanding their housing rights