Brighter Futures for those leaving care Statistics about the life chances of those who have spent time in the care system make grim reading. Care-experienced young people are far less likely to continue their education post-16 or progress to further education. Instead, they have a much higher chance of experiencing unemployment, homelessness, or spending time in prison. To help change this, 2024 saw the launch of Brighter Futures, a £315,000 three-year programme offering mentoring, work experience and life skills development to young people leaving care. The programme was developed by the Community Foundation in partnership with Cumbria Youth Alliance (CYA), Inspira, Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. Over three years, Brighter Futures will provide tailored support to more than 80 young adults aged 18 to 25, helping them overcome the challenges of transitioning to adulthood. Funding was secured through the national Care Leavers Programme, managed by UK Community Foundations. This £3.6m match fund scheme is funded by the Local Authorities’ Mutual Investment Trust (LAMIT), a shareholder of the UK’s biggest charities asset manager, CCLA. Match funding has been provided by a number of charitable trusts, companies and private donors, including BAE Systems, John Laing Charitable Trust and Francis Scott Trust. The programme was developed collaboratively with input from care-experienced young people themselves. The support is tailored to their individual aspirations to give them the tools to thrive as adults. Claire Sands, Head of Projects at Cumbria Youth Alliance, said: “As a 20-year-old care leaver, Natalie* faced significant challenges, including a lack of independent living skills and financial instability. Through the support of the Brighter Futures programme, she was guided in setting up a savings account, managing bills, and learning how to budget effectively. “Natalie has also built confidence and practical skills by volunteering at a youth club and participating in skills development sessions. With the dedicated support of Cumbria Youth Alliance, she has taken a major step forward by moving into her first independent flat, gaining stability and starting to plan her future with newfound confidence.” *name has been changed Transforming West Cumbria Programme achieves significant impact For over four years, the £6.5m Transforming West Cumbria programme has been strengthening communities and creating lasting impact. Funded by Sellafield Ltd’s Social impact, multiplied (SiX) programme and delivered by Cumbria Community Foundation, it was developed in response to the West Cumbria: Opportunities and Challenges 2019 report. Through the power of local partnerships, the programme addresses the region’s most deeprooted social challenges, driving positive change where it’s needed most. The programme is based on three key pillars: An independent mid-programme evaluation in 2024 highlights the programme’s continued success: • Directly supporting hundreds of local organisations and thousands of people. • Responding pro-actively to emerging needs, from post-pandemic recovery to unprecedented cost of living crisis. • Achieving significant outcomes and impact across all programme areas. • Driving collaboration between VCSE, private and public sectors • Generating an outstanding £19.9 million in social value - delivering £5.34 for every £1 invested This success is built on collaboration, strong governance, and a commitment to lasting change. The evaluation emphasises that the Foundation’s excellent management and governance of Transforming West Cumbria has been crucial to the programme’s success. Steering groups from all sectors help guide the programme, bringing diverse expertise and perspectives to keep it flexible, focused on community needs, and making a real impact. By working together, Transforming West Cumbria is not just making a difference - it is shaping a stronger, more resilient future for our communities. Eirini Etoimou, Head of Corporate Sustainability & Supply Chain Development at Sellafield Ltd, said: “We set out with the ambitious aim of tackling the causes of inequality in the area’s most vulnerable communities, working in partnership with groups on the ground to bring about long-lasting, transformational change. The evaluation report recognises that we have achieved this and more, adapting the programme to address the additional challenges as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis. “Transforming West Cumbria has directly supported hundreds of local organisations and thousands of individuals and families, achieving significant outcomes in mental health support, financial wellbeing, early years development and many, many more areas. We look forward to continuing this work and seeing the impact of the programme for many years to come.” BUILD Supporting the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector to grow, adapt, and achieve financial sustainability. INSPIRE Helping social entrepreneurs grow, think creatively, and develop ideas that make a lasting difference. SUPPORT Enhancing resilience, wellbeing, and opportunities for children, families, and adults by strengthening mental health and improving family relationships. West Cumbrian charity Team Evie has been supported by the Bedrock Digital strand of Transforming West Cumbria 25 YEARS OF POWERING STRONGER COMMUNITIES 8 9
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