Members of our Powering Up, team, who work with care experienced young people, were delighted to attend the Esmee Fairbairn leaving care programme learning day for practitioners from across the UK.
An inspiring day, of sharing and learning made us very aware of how many committed and creative people are out there doing great work with care experienced young people. Our CEO, Kieran presented our “We can’t keep up” research into the challenges vulnerable young people face with the soaring cost of living.
The young people we worked with on this research found it empowering to be able to share their stories and to connect with other young people in the same situation, it helped shift the focus from individual blame to this is a societal problem, that needs to be changed and we can do something about this
Kieran Breen CEO Leicestershire Cares
He then hosted a breakout group, where participants looked at practical things, we can do to ensure young people are able to eat healthy food as prices soar. Suggestions included:
- Including healthy food in youth sessions.
- Organising healthy and cheap food cooking classes
- Online cooking lessons in rural areas.
- Having lots of fruit in office/projects which young people can take home.
- Targeted work on budgeting and life skills
- Intergenerational work where young and older people share recipes
- Supper clubs, which required staff who are willing to work beyond 9 to 5.
Food is actually a fun and great way to connect with young people and is often a pathway into discussions about heritage, memories and family
It was great to be with so many inspirational youth workers and to know that across the UK, there is a growing movement of projects that want to see an end to the discrimination and challenges that care experience young people face
Aidan Croughwell-Burton Powering Up Project Manager
We are looking forward to continuing to grow and learn with our Esmee partners and care experience young people.
See the full report https://www.leicestershirecares.co.uk/about-charity/news-events-/we-cant-keep-up/
Find out more about Esmee Fairbairn leaving care work https://esmeefairbairn.org.uk/our-aims/fairer-future/young-people-leaving-care/