Funded experiences for care leavers
August 2024
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This summer saw five care leavers make a splash on an Outward Bound trip to the Phoenix Canoe Club at the West Harp Reservoir in Hendon.
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The young people (aged 18-25) took on a range of challenging activities from raft building and racing, to kayaking, including playing games such as bulldog and paddling around the reservoir. Luckily no one minded getting wet and a couple of the young people even took the plunge and jumped into the reservoir at the end of the day!
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Everyone enjoyed the day and worked well as a team. The young people’s confidence grew as they learnt new skills and tried activities they had never done before. 4 out of 5 young people rated their confidence as 10/10 after the trip. One participant described the trip as “fun, enjoyable and relaxing” while another said it was “fun, challenging and very wet.”
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The staff who accompanied them on the trip said “we were both very proud of the young people today because everyone pushed themselves to do something new and they worked well as a team. It was good to hear them laughing and joking about who would win the race on the rafts, with the boys winning in the end.”
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Thanks to the Phoenix Canoe Club and Outdoor Centre for hosting us, as well as the team at Onwards and Upwards, Barnet Council’s leaving care team.
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We were delighted that everyone enjoyed the trip and hope to put on more Outward Bound funded activities for care-experienced young people in the future.
2023
During summer and autumn 2023, we funded two trips for care leavers to push themselves out of their comfort zones for a day of laughter, exciting activities and valuable learning experiences.​ The trips to Woodrow High House in Amersham, Buckinghamshire – one of London Youth’s outward-bound centres – were funded by Live Unlimited and supported by staff from Barnet Council’s leaving care team, Onward and Upwards.
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The activities were carefully chosen to push their boundaries and inspire personal growth. From conquering the heights of the high-ropes to mastering the precision of archery and so much more, this trip was an immersive experience in a world beyond their everyday lives.
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Feedback from the young people, many of whom had never ventured outside London before, was resoundingly positive. 100% described the trip as ‘fun’ and one young person even said: ‘I had the best day of my life.’ 77% rated the trip a 10/10, 55% said they had an overall improvement in their mood after the trip and 66% rated their confidence as 10/10 after the trip. Everyone involved, including the staff, said they’d do it again.
As well as giving the young people a chance to bond with one another, the trip also gave staff members the chance to connect with the young people differently, encouraging a sense of teamwork and support among all participants.
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“I was able to bond with my young people in a different capacity and role, rather than as a PA who is helping them. I found that I was asking my young people for help. This was a role reversal as I am always the one helping and supporting them.
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We were delighted everyone had such a good time and hope to continue providing other such opportunities in the future.
