Voices From Care Cymru have been running ‘The Getting Ready’ project across a few local authorities in Wales since January 2020. This project aims to support and prepare young people in care for their transitions to independent living. In this blog for the Transitions Conference Tracey Carter and Zoe Roberts, Getting Ready Officers from Voices From Care Cymru, outline the scheme and share the powerful feedback they’ve received from young people and professionals.
Are you or someone you know about to leave care?
Want to be ready to live independently?
The Getting Ready Project Can:-
- Develop a plan with the young person to prepare them for moving into independent living.
- Enhance the young people’s knowledge on their rights and entitlements when planning to leave care, including enhancing their financial capabilities.
- Provide support and training to enable them to live independently.
- Establish employment/education circumstances and collaboratively develop a plan to ensure work, training and/or education is not disrupted by their transition from care.
- Create links to provide a wrap-around community support to maintain housing stability.
- Develop resilience and mechanisms, keeping young people safe from homelessness and related risks, enhancing their overall wellbeing.
- Contribute to homeless multi agency working to assist and prevent homelessness and achieve housing stability amongst care leavers in Wales.
What do the Young People say about the project and their Getting Ready Officer?
‘I feel that you are a safe person to speak to when I have issues around housing and that you will talk through ways to solve them’
‘Although I am not yet living independently, my Getting Ready officer has supported me to get me ready for when I do. I have gained confidence to do things independently. Even through the lockdown they continued to help me stay on track with my college and get good grades. I know I can always go to them for support’
‘Thank you so much for all you support and kindness over the year, I really appreciate and don’t know what I would have done without you’
‘Just having you there and giving me someone to speak to if I have something on my mind; and for encouragement and guidance, giving me opportunities. The getting ready has been like what I think a family member would do’
What do other professional say about the project?
Working with the Getting Ready Project has been an invaluable service. It has helped so many of the young people I support as well as myself. I found the Getting Ready Officer to be very approachable and extremely helpful! Nothing is too much trouble! It is an excellent concept and a genuinely much needed service. I cannot express my gratitude enough to Getting Ready Officer and the project. (PA)
‘Thank you so much for all the support for the Young People referred they have gained so much and the positive changes in them have been outstanding’ (PA)
It’s so rewarding when you can help a young person and I’m glad I’ve been able to refer them both to you. I have heard nothing but praise about you from them both. (PA)
For more information about the project go to:-
To make a referral into the project go to:-
Want to know more about Voices From Care Cymru?
Blog Written by Voices from Care Cymru, Tracey Carter & Zoe Roberts Getting Ready Officers
