Yahoo News North East charity receives £10,000 from Bernicia Foundation to support care leavers and young people
A North East charity has received £10,000 from the Bernicia Foundation to support care leavers and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Headliners, based in Newcastle, will support 30 young people in its unique Tyne on Your Side project.
Participants will learn digital and media skills to create content and speak about the issues that affect them, leading to the production of a portfolio, enabling them to gain their Level 1 Open College Network (OCN) London qualification. They will also learning about building their CV, job searching, managing their money in the future, budgeting and interview practise, which are all designed to get them ready for new employment opportunities.
The project aims to bridge the skills gap faced by young people leaving care, with 31% of children leaving care having no qualifications and 35% of care leavers aged 19, not being in education or employment. Headliners will work with its partnership network to offer advice and signposting to participants, to helping them to access further, employment or volunteering opportunities.
Holly Ayrton, Headliners’ Charity Manager, said: "Young people have told us that they are often disillusioned and suspicious of the “system”. They feel like they are left out in the cold at the point of leaving care.
"Headliners believes in the importance of young people’s voices and we aim to provide personal support and professional development to allow care leavers to transition to independent living with confidence and hope for the future.
"The Inclusion Grant from The Bernicia Foundation has enabled us to develop a fantastic programme that will give care leavers the means to make good choices in their own lives."
Headliners will deliver over 200 sessions to 30 young people in Northumberland and North Tyneside through the Tyne on Your Side programme.
Jenny Allinson, Director of The Bernicia Foundation, added: "Young people in care have so much to give to our communities and they deserve the best support to build independent lives as they transition out of the care system.
"Headliners’ Tyne on Your Side programme is the perfect combination of practical employability skills and personal development to build young people’s confidence about their future. I’m so pleased that we can support young people at this crucial time in their lives and I can’t wait to see what they achieve with their qualifications, ideas and creativity."
