CAMELOT FOUNDATION GRANT AWARDED
CHANGING FUTURES FOR LEEDS' CHILDREN IN PUBLIC CARE
Following the successful launch of The Frank Buttle Trust Quality Mark for Care Leavers in Higher Education, in June 2006, the Trust was awarded a grant of £63,800 by Camelot Foundation. The award followed the submission of a successful consortium application, together with the University of Leeds, which was one of the first higher education providers to be awarded the Quality Mark. The application was entered under Camelot Foundation’s “Transforming Lives Programme”, focusing on the priority group: “Young exiles, newly arrived in the UK”.

The project, “Changing Futures for Leeds’ Children in Public Care”, is a unique and challenging initiative bringing together the combined expertise of the University of Leeds, with over 10 years experience in delivering aspiration raising activities for hard-to-reach groups, with the expertise of The Frank Buttle Trust in the field of vulnerable children and young people generally and looked-after children in particular.

The project raised the educational aspirations and awareness of opportunities available in higher education among ‘looked after’ school children in Leeds in general, and among young exiles newly arrived in Leeds in particular.

"The Trust is delighted to be collaborating with the University of Leeds on this exciting initiative, and greatly appreciates the generous award from Camelot Foundation. We anticipate that this project will provide a model which can be disseminated across the higher education sector.”

Gerri McAndrew

Chief Executive, The Frank Buttle Trust
The extended partnership includes Leeds Social Services, the City Learning Centres, Study Support Centres, the City Library and learning mentors located in Leeds’ schools. These partners will provide the infrastructure to ensure that this innovative and ambitious project will be achievable and sustainable.
The project will focus on the transition of Leeds’ children in public care to college or sixth form study and on raising their aspirations to consider higher education as an option. Within this group, the project will specifically address the needs of young school-aged exiles in public care who have recently arrived in Leeds.
The project aims to:
  • raise the educational aspirations and awareness of opportunities available in higher education among looked-after children in Leeds in school years 8 – 11 generally, and among young unaccompanied exiles newly arrived in Leeds in particular;
  • raise written and spoken English language competency among young unaccompanied exiles newly arrived in Leeds;
  • engage carers / foster carers in the educational processes of the project and raise their awareness of the benefits of higher education;
  • encourage user participation in planning, implementing and managing the project;
  • evaluate outcomes and disseminate best practice, through workshops, seminars and publicity, across the United Kingdom.
Leeds is already home to some 90 unaccompanied exiles (aged 16-19) in public care, who live dispersed in hostels across the city. This dispersal, the lack of family and / or social networks, poor language skills, and the fact that they are not placed in schools because of their age, makes unaccompanied exiled children one of the most isolated and fragile groups in the community.
Anne James, Manager of the Children’s Asylum and Refugee Team at Leeds Social Services says:

"Once they are accommodated, the major concern for the young exiles we support here in Leeds is to learn English and obtain an education for themselves. As most are between 16 and 18 years old, they need college placements rather than school. Even when they reach the top of the long waiting lists for ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), they are often lacking in confidence to attend initially.

This scheme is a great opportunity for them to meet each other, learn or improve their English and become able to express themselves through the written and oral word."

The project is specifically engaging foster carers in the educational process and raising their awareness of the benefits of higher education. To date, evidence suggests that the programmes of support for young people have had a major impact on their educational aspirations and attainment. It is anticipated that this project will provide a model of good practice that can be transferred to other locations across the UK.
For more information about “Changing Futures for Leeds’ Children in Public Care”, contact Ceri Nursaw, Head, City and Regional Office, University of Leeds at:
c.nursaw@adm.leeds.ac.uk
Link to the University of Leeds' Website
Link to Camelot Foundation's Website

The Frank Buttle Trust and the University of Leeds are grateful to Camelot Foundation for providing a grant to fund this project. Any views expressed here are those of the author or individual concerned and not necessarily those of Camelot Foundation, which is not responsible for them.

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