Annual Review 2025 6 Brighter Futures – supporting care experienced young people The Brighter Futures programme is making a real difference to the lives of young people leaving care in Barrow and West Cumbria, giving them the guidance and support they need to take their next steps with confidence. We’re working to make sure no young care leaver feels alone as they move into adulthood. The programme has two strands: • Firm Foundation – delivered by Cumbria Youth Alliance (CYA), to help build emotional resilience and social skills, and raise aspirations through personalised mentoring and skill-based activities. • Flourish – delivered by Inspira, focusing on becoming work-ready by providing tailored work placements, training and employment opportunities, supported by mentors from the business community. “Everybody knew that there were children living in care,” said Claire Price, In Care and Leaving Care Project Manager for Cumbria Youth Alliance. “But until a few years ago, no one really gave a moment’s thought about what happens to those young people – living in a residential home, with foster parents, maybe with a special guardianship order – when they hit 18. Our job as a society is to make sure that these young people, who through no fault of their own have been in the care system, have all the opportunities that we can give all our children. I think that’s only fair. From June 2024 to June 2025, the Brighter Futures programme engaged more than 30 young people, offering tailored one-to-one support, work placements, and collaborative mentoring opportunities. Despite challenges, 15 young people have already gained apprenticeships or employment, or passed training milestones. The programme addresses barriers, which might include trauma and lack of confidence, through tailored practical assistance. Dave White is a Skills and Development Advisor for Inspira, securing work placements and taster sessions for Brighter Futures participants, including opportunities in car garages, the NHS, and educational settings. “Everyone’s different and we support every young person with their set of needs,” Dave said. “We’d never push any young person into doing anything that they didn’t want to do but sometimes it is a push that they need. So sometimes by being with them on that first day and staying with them half an hour, an hour, or sometimes they need the full day… or you drop them off and pick them back up and give them a text at dinnertime to see how they’re getting on. It’s just that little bit of encouragement that they need to be able to keep going. There’s no rule book on how to help people so I think almost by letting the young person dictate to you the support that they need, you can fill in the gaps and that makes it even sweeter when it all comes together. As well as supporting the young people, Dave and his colleagues work with employers to ensure they are well equipped to support care experienced young people in the workplace. REACHING POTENTIAL Claire Price, of CYA Dave White, of Inspira Providing skills, education and training
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