Care Leaver Covenant

ARE YOU CARE EXPERIENCED? THIS IS FOR YOU! 👀 We're excited to announce that applications are now open for two very exciting opportunities at our Bracknell Innovation Kitchen and Partner Dining Room! 🙌 If you are interested in becoming a Kitchen Apprentice with us and kick starting your career with one of the UK’s most cherished brands, contact careexperience@johnlewis.co.uk today and be sure to submit your application by 03/12/24! 💚 #BuildingHappierFutures #KitchenApprenticeships #JohnLewisPartnership #Waitrose #Chefs

Last week we had the honour of attending an award ceremony with our friends and collaborators at GMI Construction Group PLC, along with members of Claire Preston's family, who have become dear friends to Spectra and the Covenant. GMI scooped up two awards for their exceptional social value work (read more below because it's industry-leading), making the evening a fitting tribute to Claire's work. Committed signatories like GMI Construction Group PLC are at the heart of the Care Leaver Covenant! https://lnkd.in/gBh5-jYZ

“39% of 19- to 21-year-old care leavers are ‘NEET’ [not in employment, education or training] compared to 13% of all 18- to 24- year-olds”. Care leavers often encounter unique hurdles in mental health, education, and finding job opportunities as they transition to independence. This is a cause where every one of us—no matter our role or level—can help create positive change. Join us for a free webinar with the Care Leaver Covenant, part of the Creating Inclusive Workplaces network in collaboration with the West London Alliance. Together, we’ll discuss how creating opportunities for care leavers not only supports their future but also strengthens your organisation’s dedication to inclusion, diversity, and social impact. If you're interested in how you, your team, or your company can support care leavers in a hands-on way, come join the conversation. Link in the comments 👇 #careleavers #wla #goodpeople #youngpeople #webinar

🔹 We’re excited to announce Lawyers Who Care as a valued signatory of the Care Leaver Covenant! This pioneering organisation supports care-experienced individuals pursuing careers in law with tailored mentoring, legal literacy workshops, and connections to paid work experience. As the UK’s first mentoring program focused solely on care-experienced aspiring lawyers, Lawyers Who Care is breaking barriers and creating meaningful opportunities within the legal profession. Whether you’re just discovering a passion for law or have long-term aspirations, their support can help you navigate the path to success. Do you know someone dreaming of a career in law? Lawyers Who Care is here to support care-experienced aspiring lawyers! From 1-1 mentoring to legal literacy resources, this offer is designed to guide you every step of the way. 🌟 🔹 Long-term Mentoring 🔹 Paid Work Experience (in partnership with legal networks) 🔹 Workshops & Resources Visit https://loom.ly/2_lbnFA to find out more! #CareExperienced #LawCareers #LawyersWhoCare #CareLeaverSupport #Mentorship #LegalProfession #CareLeaverCovenant

Yesterday, I had the profound privilege of attending the Cross-Ministerial Board for Care Leavers, chaired by the inspiring Angela Rayner and Bridget Phillipson of The Labour Party. A special thank you to Gareth Evans and Care Leaver Covenant for all your support! The session was a powerful reminder of the collective commitment to improving the lives of care-experienced individuals across the UK. Janet Daby MP Thanks for sharing the secrets of the red box 😊 Key Highlights: • Education & Employment: It's sobering to note that approximately 40% of care leavers aged 19-21 are not in education, employment, or training (NEET). However, our discussions today reaffirmed a shared ambition to transform this narrative. • Housing Security: Care leavers are disproportionately represented among the homeless population, with about 25% having experienced care. Yet, with initiatives like the "Ending Rough Sleeping for Good" strategy, we are hopeful about driving significant change. • Mental Health Support: Mental health challenges remain a pressing issue, but there is a collective drive to expand access to vital support systems. Attending this board has deepened my gratitude for the dedicated individuals and organizations working tirelessly to support care leavers. Together, we envision a future where every care leaver feels empowered, supported, and ready to thrive. Casey Armstrong you are a legend and keep up the great with Clare Bracey at Become! Here's to building a brighter future, where care experience is a badge of resilience and strength, not disadvantage. 🌟💪 #CareLeavers #SocialMobility #AmbitiousFuture #Gratitude #PolicyInAction #NCLW #Careleaverscovenant

🌟 We’re thrilled to welcome Beyond Food Foundation as a new Care Leaver Covenant signatory! 🌟 Beyond Food is making a difference in the hospitality sector by empowering care leavers through their United Kitchen programme, a unique cooking and hospitality training experience in London. This initiative not only provides hands-on skills in the culinary arts but also prepares young people for long-term employment by developing essential life skills and resilience. Partnering with Beyond Food means aligning with a programme dedicated to transforming lives. Their commitment to helping care leavers thrive contributes to a more inclusive workforce in the hospitality industry. If your organisation wants to get involved or learn more about opportunities like these, visit our website: https://loom.ly/ml1W3pg #NCLW #BeyondFoodFoundation #CareLeaverCovenant #UnitedKitchen #HospitalityTraining #B2B #InclusiveWorkforce

Fantastic to be in Bristol last Friday afternoon with Kirsty McQueen, representing the Care Leaver Covenant at the Graduating Care South West event, where more than 100 care experienced young people from the South West region came together alongside organisations working to support Care Leavers. Fantastic to see this region adopt such a collaborative approach, not only to align their local offers to a high base standard, but additionally convene partners in the region and beyond to ensure their young people move into adulthood fully informed and supported with a variety of tangible offers that will assist that transition into independence. #NCLW #GCSW

Where did that 2 years go!? Our Marston's PLC 'Communities' programme turned two this month, so only right to shout about some of the many successes we have had! 🎈🎈 🚀 Launched ‘Excel’ – our prison leaver programme which has so far provided 57 permanent job opportunities to men and women with the support of New Futures Network and many many charity partners 👨🍳 Opened The Lock Inn inside HMP Liverpool delivering a 13 week Marston's cooking course by Novus - Foundations for Change with a guaranteed job offer for those who graduate 🏠 Employed 6 people who were suffering from homelessness and provided accommodation to 4 people 🥈 Awarded the Silver Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme 2023 UK Ministry of Defence 🥇 Awarded the Gold Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme 2024 UK Ministry of Defence 📈 Advertised over 7,000 jobs on closed military jobs boards including TechVets, CTP, Forces Families Jobs and Forces Employment Charity 👐 Created a pathway that has supported numerous care leavers into employment through organisations such as Thrive Careers Hub & Care Leaver Covenant 🤝 Provided our first Supported Internships for adults with learning difficulties/disabilities through Landmarks Specialist College 🏫 Hosted hospitality engagement sessions as St Johns House for local school students with Paul Jarvest Really excited to see what we can achieve at Marston's PLC in the next 2 years!! Jan Lynegar Victoria Holden Hannah Maddison Leanne Lynch James Watts Emily Bennett Laura Glover Abi Hartley Gill Minor Robert Hodgkins Callumn W. Courtney McHugh Matthew Whiting Jared Sedgwick Claire Robertson John Green Neil Campbell Liam Powell

The theme for National Care Leavers' Week, led by the charity Become, is All of Us, We are One. As the week draws to a close, we’d like to reflect on the brilliance of #CareExperienced people. Throughout October we have: 💚 Hosted a Waitrose & Partners Cookery School class with Children's Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza's care experienced advisory board. And it was wonderful to be joined by the Minister for Children and Families Janet Daby MP 💚 Collaborated with Care Leaver Covenant signatories Merlin Entertainments and Thames Water to offer industry discovery sessions such as at our Waitrose Development kitchen 💚 Launched our #MadeByCare range, which is on sale now and generating funds for the care experienced community: bit.ly/MadeByCare 💚 Run discovery sessions at our Bracknell Supply Chain site 💚 Planted a tree at our Odney Estate to celebrate care experienced people 💚 Launched our second impact report and represented the care experienced community at our Building Happier Futures event hosted by Ashley John-Baptiste: bit.ly/BHFImpact2024 #NCLW #BuildingHappierFutures Who Cares? Scotland Action for Children Home-Start UK

As we celebrate National Care Leavers Week, we're inspired by this year’s theme, “All of Us, We Are One,” which powerfully reminds us that by joining forces, we can help care leavers overcome the challenges they often face, from financial insecurity to limited job prospects and a lack of stable support.     At Andron, we’re proud to support this effort through our Inclusive Futures programme which involves partnering with charities like the Drive Forward Foundation (DFF) that supports care-experienced young people as they transition from care to career. Since partnering with DFF, we’ve provided employment opportunities to five care leavers—and we’re just getting started. 💪     One remarkable individual who joined us through DFF is Bradie Marques, our Community and Training Manager. Bradie’s journey through the care system fuels her role as an invaluable advocate for creating employment pathways for those with a similar background to hers. 👏     In addition, Andron is proud to be recognised as a Care Leaver Friendly Employer by the Care Leaver Covenant. By signing the Covenant's Employer Charter, we actively support care leavers in five key areas: Independent Living, Education, Employment & Training, Safety & Security, and Mental & Physical Health.     We achieve this not only by providing roles within our organisation and at prestigious client sites but also by providing work experience and assistance with CVs, job applications, and interview preparation. We also train our managers to effectively support care leavers as they transition into the workforce.     By working together with our dedicated employees and charity partners we’re creating meaningful and lasting job opportunities in the FM industry for care leavers, helping us to truly embody this year’s theme of “All of Us, We are One.”  🤝     #NationalCareLeaversWeek #CareLeaverFriendlyEmployer #AllOfUsWeAreOne