Posted: 03 February 2020

From care to career: helping care leavers step into independence

Today is the start of National Apprenticeship Week and we’re celebrating our Bright Light programme, helping 16-25 year old care leavers get into apprenticeships, education training and employment.

We caught up with one of Bright Light’s first participants, a 22 year old from London. She is currently at university but was signposted to the programme because of the struggles she has faced in trying to find a job.

What do you put on your CV?

She explains, ‘I was in care at 15 and lived with foster families, then at 17 I was living in semi-supported housing, which was quite regulated, so I wasn’t allowed to get a part- time job.

When I could get a job, I didn’t know what to put on my CV, or how to even do one. I didn’t know how to write a personal statement or a cover letter, and there was no one to ask for help...no parents. This course is helping me to find out more about these things.’ 

The 22 year old hopes being part of Bright Light will help her achieve her dream career. 

‘I really want to be a social worker’

‘Being in care, I met lots of young people with different issues and backgrounds, but all of them had no one they could ask for help...I want to be able to help them. I have only just started the course but we have already looked at jobs that can help me achieve my goals.’

Clued up and confident

During the Bright Light programme, she did one-to-one training with a Career Coach and learnt all about employers’ expectations, personal presentation and budgeting. This has helped her into a six week paid course with access into an apprenticeship, and her confidence has grown hugely.

The Career Coach keeps in touch, along with a local education and employment advisor, to track her progress and identify any additional support needs.

If you’re an employer and you’d like to know more about the Bright Light programme, contact Allison.Hughes@childrenssociety.org.uk.

The Bright Light programme is a partnership delivered in by Catch22 and The Children’s Society, funded by The Clothworkers Foundation.

By Kaja Zuvac-Graves
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