Barnardos was gifted a legacy from an individual who requested that the money be used to support work with children and young people. This wonderful gift has become known as the Legacy Funds.
Barnardos looked at funding and services already available within Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County and agreed to focus the Legacy Funds on the pathway for care experienced young people.
This fitted with the Barnardos strategy of Positive Futures, and Nottingham City Place-based Partnership made this programme of work one of their priority areas. Therefore, Barnardos agreed to focus the use of the legacy funds in Nottingham.
Representatives from the Local Authority, Health, Education and the Voluntary Sector were brought together to explore what the focus of the work should be, and three priorities were identified:
- Accommodation
- Mental Health
- Positive Destinations.
It was agreed that the focus should be on all three, so the life of the young person is considered holistically.
Progress so far
There has been impressive effective joint working, particularly on the ground where the Care Leavers Service has worked with Barnardos and other partners to develop services that meet the needs of the young people they support every day in the City
Supported Lodgings
Eight hosts have been approved, with a further host recommended for approval
There are currently four young people living with a Supported Lodgings Host, however one of these placements has proved to be unsuccessful and Nottingham City Council are looking for alternative accommodation for them. For more information contact supportedlodgingsnh@barnardos.org.uk.
Befriending Service
The volunteer befriending role is currently being advertised through a variety of sources, online, social media and through the place-based partnership and various stakeholders
There has been a positive response so far, and the volunteer co-ordinator is currently progressing three applications and communicating with a number of other potential volunteers who have expressed an interest. For more information contact nottinghambefriending@barnardos.org.uk.
Aspiration Champion network
The Aspiration Champion network aims to link care experienced young people from the age of 14 upwards with a mentor who can help them with education, training or employment.
Support can be anything from a one-off conversation about what options they are wanting to take at school, to on-going weekly support and potentially work experience.
Several Aspiration Champions have signed up to volunteer for this network, the focus of current work is around raising this opportunity with those professionals working closely with care experienced young people. For more information, please contact lorraine.sudlow@barnardos.org.uk.
Moving forward
There are several proposals for the Nottingham Legacy funding going forward, and these are being explored in each of the three work streams of work.
These proposals include embedding professionals directly within the Leaving Care team who can support in specialist areas, of mental health, education, and housing.
So, keep an eye out for further information on how the project develops.