The course that gives hope to forgotten kids

12:00pm Tuesday 6th May 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

IT can sometimes be hard making your mark on life after coming out of the care system.

But a nine-month confidence-boosting course has helped a group of cared-for teenagers change their lives.

Some who signed up for the Multi-Agency Looked After Partnership's course had problems with drink and drugs, and others came from broken families.

However, it has helped them to believe in their future. The pilot scheme - which will carry on next year - was launched by Lady Diana Kemp-Welch when she was High Sheriff of Essex.

Organisations involved in the project include Southend Council and Essex Fire and Rescue Service.

Activities for the youngsters included a week's trip to Wales to learn about team building, training with the fire brigade and visiting poor families in Romania.

Southend Council's Lyndsay Davison said the programme was about giving people hope.

She said: "Young people in care have had lots of changes in their lives, so they may not have been able to concentrate on education.

"Many may not have aspirations for the future."

When people are due to leave care they are assigned a special social worker, called a leaving care social worker, who can recommend them to join the course.

The young people were applauded for completing the programme and a documentary of their experiences was shown at Westcliff Hotel.

Lady Kemp-Welch said: "It has been a privilege to share time with all the young people here.

"It can be very difficult for people in care to become independent. It is such a big step."

Below, we spoke to three people on the course about how it has made such a difference to their lives.