into the big wide world

by Elizabeth Martyn

into the big wide world | help and info

Coming out of care to live independently is a challenge which many young people are ill-equipped to face. How can we help to improve the prospects for this most vulnerable group of teenagers, asks Elizabeth Martyn.

© Channel 4

'I'd forgotten what it was like to have a reason to breathe. And the Monkey Sanctuary is as good a reason as any. So I'm going back.'

These are the words of 19-year-old Joe who only months before had shaken his head in bewilderment when asked to name his strengths, saying, 'I have no strengths'. Now, just six months after returning from a groundbreaking trip for young care leavers to South Africa, he's flying back to start work with the animals.

Joe is typical of the 11 Lewisham teenagers who went on a trip masterminded by Leaving Care Mentoring Project Manager Lee McDaid to Ekurhuleni, near Johannesburg, sister authority to London's Lewisham. McDaid explains the thinking behind the trip. 'We wanted to give young people a chance to see a wider world and given them an intense, thought-provoking experience. During the first four days they had some very profound conversations with young South African people who have also experienced care. In the second week, working as volunteers with Riverside Sanctuary, they were challenged in a different way. They had to follow a routine, be part of a team and learn new skills. It was a way of saying to them, "Yes, we know you've had it tough. But you can still include an element of giving to others in your lives."'

The trip had a deep effect, says McDaid. 'We're still seeing changes in those young people. They're more confident, they've matured, and several came back inspired to set goals for their futures. Two are training to be peer mentors for younger people in care. Jamaal will be starting work as a teacher's assistant soon, and others are applying for places on apprenticeship schemes.'

For the youngsters on the scheme the chance to be challenged and to reflect on their futures in an atmosphere of caring support has proved immensely fruitful. But many young people emerging from care are not so lucky.

vulnerable teenagers

Around 30,000 children every year are taken into care – one of the worst experiences that a child can have. These kids are victims of circumstance, and end up in residential care or foster homes through no fault of their own. They may have been abused physically, mentally or sexually, or their parents may have died, been dependent on drugs or alcohol, or had mental health problems. Whatever the background, these children have suffered, and when they are taken into care their potential for a stable and happy future takes a serious downturn.

Although many do eventually return to their families, around 8000 a year reach the age of 16-18 with nowhere to go. By 18 at the latest, they have to leave care and live independently.

These are some of the most vulnerable teenagers in the UK. The vast majority have little or no family support, two-thirds have no qualifications, and as many as three-quarters struggle with reading and numeracy. Some do go on to lead successful and happy lives, but it's not surprising that almost a half become unemployed, and many end up homeless or in prison. Often their situation leaves them feeling stigmatised, traumatised or angry, with low expectations and poor self esteem. No wonder it's so hard for these kids to find training and employment.

who helps care leavers?

Local authorities support 16-18 year old care leavers financially, but once they hit 18 they must find work, sort out benefits, or apply for training or educational schemes that offer grants.

Each care leaver has a local authority adviser to help with the transition to independence, and receives a grant towards the cost of setting up home. 'But,' says Victoria Hull of the Care Leavers' Association, 'the levels of help and, crucially, the amount of financial support, varies widely across the country. Local authorities are free to set the grants, which range from around £250 to as much as £2000. There is no standardised package of support, so where some young people will be taught how to cope with bills, cooking and looking after themselves, others receive far less input.'

A mere 6% of care leavers go to university, and as long as they start their studies by the time they're 21, their local authority supports them throughout their course. But again, the provision varies. Victoria Hull explains that, 'where some authorities pay for books, computers and so on, others don't.' It's a lottery, and given the educational and emotional disadvantages that many care leavers face, it's no wonder they find it so hard to build a stable life in the outside world.

how can you help?

There are several charitable organisations that help young care leavers, and any one of them would be grateful for either a one-off donation or regular financial support. See Help and Info for details.

If you'd prefer to get involved on a one-to-one basis, you can volunteer to become a mentor. Your local authority may run a scheme, or there might be other opportunities nearby. Contact your local authority direct, or search on Do-It, the volunteering database to see what's available in your area. The Prince's Trust also accepts volunteer mentors in some areas.

what is a mentor?

Being a mentor involves more than simply offering friendship. As a mentor, you'll be matched with a young person who is coming out of care, and will help him or her to come up with realistic goals and take steps to achieve them. This could include finding out about housing, courses and job opportunities, making applications, handling interviews, or organising grants and other finances.

To be a successful mentor you must:

• be aged 18 or over
• attend training sessions
• like young people and be able to communicate with them
• commit to a minimum period, say one year, and give up a set amount of time, such as 1-2 hours each week. It's vital to be reliable, so that your young person can rely on you
• be patient and non-judgemental, whatever your opinion
• be a good listener. Your job is to help your young adult reach their own decisions, not to tell them what to do.

It's a challenging role. Care leavers face serious disadvantages, often lack confidence, distrust authority and don't have the skills or knowledge they need to plan their own lives. But mentoring is tremendously worthwhile. You'll know that you're making a real difference to someone's life – someone like Joe, who went from hiding himself away in a darkened room, thinking that he had nothing to offer the world, to knowing that he could have a future working with animals in a sanctuary. That has to be something worth doing.

(August 2007)

Read on for details of relevant organisations, websites and reading.