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Strategic Group update
The strategic group met in March, during which a number of issues were discussed including the strategic direction of the group and 2014's national event. It was agreed to set up a group of members to pull together an action plan for the group, based on the December event. Best practice and other information was shared around postgraduate funding for care leavers.
You can find out more about what NNECL and the National Strategic Group do here and also find the NNECL produced guide for staff working with care leavers here.
Please can you let your regional reps know about any events you have planned for National Care Leavers Week (26th - 31st October). Contact details for your reps are at the bottom of the newsletter!
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Care leavers on camera!
Young care leavers, including students studying in York, have appeared in a film to share positive messages about their life in care.
Members of the Catch22 NCAS Young People's Benchmarking Forum were interviewed for a film, in which they talked about the achievements and experiences of young people who have grown up in care.
To find out more, or to watch the film, visit the University of York's website.
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Sharing good practice
The University of Salford have just updated the text of the letter that they send to all applicants for 2014/15 who have identified themselves as care leavers in their UCAS forms. It includes a paragraph reminding students who that they are entitled to support from their local authority up until the age of 25, even if they have lost contact and a form to collect information at the earliest opportunity. You can see the letter here and contact Arron Pile for more information.
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Regional Updates - South West
Supporting Young People in Care/Care Leavers Conference 2014
The Universities South West Widening Participation Group, representing the 13 universities in the south west, are hosting the second regional conference on Tuesday 29th April at Taunton Racecourse. The theme is “Decision, Progression and First 100 days.” Care leavers and young people in care will be supported to share their experiences during a session. To register your interest contact Laura Phelps: laura.phelps@usw.ac.uk
West Area Partnership
Looked After Children and Care Leavers Partnership
A collaboration between a number of universities and virtual schools, the partnership works with young people between years 5 and 13, their parents and carers and virtual school teams to introduce the concept of university in a fun and informal way. Young people visit one or more partner universities and take part in a series of interactive events.. Students in years 10 to 12 get the opportunity to attend a residential summer school at one of the partner universities.
Step-Up E-Mentoring Scheme
The University of Bristol and University of the West of England are piloting a dual mode mentoring scheme with young people in care in years 10 to 13 who have the potential but not necessarily the motivation to move on to HE. The scheme aims to raise learners' awareness of FE and HE through meeting HE students to share experiences; support students at key decision-making points; improve learners' attitudes to learning and raise aspirations by offering the opportunity to develop relationships with role models; and improve learners' confidence, motivation and attainment with additional practical support in school/college.
Bath Spa University
In January, Buttle Quality Mark holder Bath Spa University welcomed a group of young people in care from Swindon. They visited the campus and took part in activities with current students and got a taste of university life. They ended the day with a construction site visit to see brand new student accommodation and were put to the test with a bridge-building activity. Other group visits by young people from Wiltshire are being set up.
University of West of England (UWE)
This year, Buttle Quality Mark holders, UWE launched the first Annual Care Leavers’ Forum. Care leavers attended an informal meeting to share their experience of the support provided both before and since they started at UWE. Information was provided on employment opportunities within the university’s widening participation programme and those unable to attend were able to contribute by email. The intention is that the forum will develop into a regular support and social group with a formal annual event. Plans for the future include development of a peer mentoring scheme - with first years being mentored by second and third years.
University of Bournemouth
Bournemouth University has just submitted its application for the Buttle UK QM – to go before the panel at Buttle at end of March.
New collaboration with participation officers in Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole (BDP) has been established. The first fun Skills Day on campus for young people in care age 10-14 is scheduled to take place the during the summer holidays, with campus visits for older participants in collaboration with the virtual schools in the summer term.
Bournemouth University will be meeting with BDP virtual schools in April to start discussion and explore possibilities to set up collaborative mentoring projects.
Plymouth University
Recently re-accredited by Buttle UK, Plymouth University is one of 15 HEIs in the UK working at ‘exemplary’ level.
Plymouth University runs Care Advisory Knowledge Exchange (CAKE) meetings which give care leaver students the opportunity to meet informally, provide peer support and access information and services. Other care leaver support includes transition days for enrolling students, Christmas and birthday messages; summer storage, a graduation package, emergency financial support and opportunities such as a week-long adventure sailing voyage aboard the Tectona.
This year the Care Leaver Service has piloted a one-to-one coaching scheme for current and prospective care leaver students. Support offered included revision, coping with stress and identifying career paths. Other outreach work includes mentoring by care leaver students; shadowing of current university students; taster days; a week-long residential summer school and increasing availability of ‘ring fenced’ places on university-wide outreach events. Together with young people in care and Young Devon, the university is working to produce a ‘Day in the Life’ DVD.
For more information on any the South West updates please contact Di Stone: diane.stone@uwe.ac.uk
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Your regional representatives
North East - Megan Lunn
North West - Arron Pile
Yorkshire and Humber - Ian Brown
West Midlands - Kirsty Jones/Baljit Gill
East Midlands - Jenny Dunstall/Melissa Page
East of England - Lee Byrne
South West England - Di Stone
South East England - Felicity Dunworth/Sarah Hurrell
London - Kirsty Wadsley
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Sector News
On 13th March, the Children and Families Act received royal assent. The act includes a number of measures for children in care and care leavers, including giving children in care the choice to stay with their foster families until they turn 21. The Department for Education is currently working on draft guidance. Young people will be able to live away at university and return to live with their former foster carers during the holidays.
The 2014 edition of The HE Handbook is available from The Who Cares? Trust's website here. The guide contains information on over 140 institutions including: outreach, welfare, accommodation and bursaries and grants care leavers can apply for.
The Department for Education has launched The Future Scholar Awards, a scheme encouraging disadvantaged pupils to apply for leading universities.The scheme aims to raise aspirations among these pupils so that they consider going on to leading universities.
The Refugee Support Network has launched a 'Thinking Ahead to Higher Education' Toolkit for young people living in the UK who are unsure about how their immigration status will affect their access to university.
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Regional Updates - North East
Teesside University
Year 8 and 9 looked after children are being invited to a new event aimed at reigniting their enthusiasm for education, providing some inspirational career ideas and equipping all those who attend with the belief that they have skills and talents. The aim is to help children who have fallen behind and are disengaged and those who are missing the support at home to choose options wisely.
Based on feedback from foster carers who say they would like to help with maths homework but find it hard because maths is different to when they were at school, Teeside are running two sessions, one at Middlesbrough and the other at the Darlington campus, delivered by a maths teacher specifically to help foster carers to help their young people.
Following the success of the 'Raising aspirations for young people in care' conference last year, the programme for this year's event on 21st May 2014 is being finalised. Last year the conference saw 90+ attendees attend to share views and opinions on issues affecting looked after children and care leavers.
University of Sunderland
The University of Sunderland have been shortlisted for the Widening Participation category at this year's Guardian University Awards for their support for care experienced students. In addition to the support recommended by Buttle UK the University of Sunderland provides a range of other support for their care leavers, including storage of belongings over the summer; Christmas and birthday messages; support moving in (and out) of accommodation; a graduation package; and produce a guide for care experienced students from application to graduation, which talks students through each step of the process and highlights the resolutions for issues that care leavers often face.
The University of Sunderland has also implemented a Permission to Share strategy that enables Local Authorities to access student transcripts to support the request for tracking students.
This year some care leavers applying to the university will be given the option to attend a week long summer school and gain tariff points to compliment their offer. It will prepare students for life on campus when they start their course in September, with access to facilities and the choice to stay in halls of residence or receive the University of Sunderland 'Get There' travel pass. The aim is to give students a head start and overcome many of the issues students face in the first few weeks at university.
This year the university is looking to expand their support for asylum seekers. It continues to work with The Raising Aspiration Partnership to raise aspirations of pre-16 looked after young people.
Raising Aspirations Partnership
The Raising Aspirations Partnership is a new collaboration between Newcastle University, Northumbria University and the University of Sunderland, working with 10 - 16 year old young people, their parents, carers, teachers and advisers through a series of progressive, interactive and engaging activities.
Choices Together is a programme for looked after young people in years 10 and 11. The project has received 56 applications from looked after young people across the region this year and attendance at events to date has been good.
The concept of university is introduced in a fun and informal way through six events over a twelve week period. Students get the opportunity to visit the partner universities and take part in a series of interactive events, including building a Formula 1 car, running their own radio station and learning how to do CPR.
The Partnership works with local authorities across Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland to support their looked after young people and provides training opportunities for staff, foster carers and designated teachers.
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Sign up to the newsletter
NNECL News is intended for anyone working to support care leavers into higher education.
The newsletter will be sent out quarterly and will include information about the work of the executive group and news from across the sector.
If you would like to receive the quarterly newsletter from NNECL then you can sign up here - http://eepurl.com/DFo_9
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