Firstly we have launched our IMO Christmas competition: https://imohub.org.uk/competition-share-your-christmas-message/ (deadline Wednesday 14th December). Every person who enters will get a Christmas present and they will be entered into a prize draw to win a bungee jump and love2shop vouchers. The messages they share will also be published to support other care experienced people through the holiday period.
Over the last year we have:
- heard from care experienced young people about projects they have been part of or founded:
- Mary-Anne shared why she founded the Guarantor Scheme and wants every care leaver to have the opportunity to rent privately if they want to: https://imohub.org.uk/the-guarantor-scheme-giving-care-leavers-the-opportunity-to-rent-privately/
- Louise shared why she started writing plays and the importance of theatre in sharing stories of care. There is also an opportunity to get involved in her latest project: https://imohub.org.uk/sharing-stories-of-care-through-theatre-get-involved
- Teenagers from Hull Young Voices Influencing Care shared their animation ‘Dream on‘ which aims to challenge people to think differently about what care should be: https://imohub.org.uk/dream-on-a-new-animation-challenging-people-to-think-differently-about-what-care-should-be/
- A Coram Story of Care ambassador shared their experience of fostering friendships and creativity in Coram’s Voices Through Time programme: https://imohub.org.uk/fostering-friendships-and-creativity-in-corams-voices-through-time-programme/
- Scarlett shared her series of animations portraying journeys through the foster care system: https://imohub.org.uk/an-animated-series-portraying-journeys-through-the-foster-care-system/
- shared practical guides for:
- finding discounts, grants, funding and career opportunities: https://imohub.org.uk/a-practical-guide-for-finding-discounts-grants-funding-and-career-opportunities/
- applying to and starting university: https://imohub.org.uk/practical-guide-to-starting-university/
- University and college contacts - support details and funding information for care leavers and care leaver team contacts for UK colleges and universities: https://imohub.org.uk/university-and-college-contacts/
- added to our series of quick and delicious budget Recipes:
- Tree biscuits just in time for Christmas! https://imohub.org.uk/quick-and-delicious-budget-recipes-tree-biscuits/
- Home made pop t*rts: https://imohub.org.uk/quick-and-delicious-budget-recipes-home-made-pop-trts/
- Chickpea, carrot and coriander falafels: https://imohub.org.uk/quick-and-delicious-budget-recipes-chickpea-carrot-coriander-falafels
- https://imohub.org.uk/quick-and-delicious-budget-recipes-biscoff-crumble-key-lime-pie/
- added to our Career Experienced People series with a video from Kim, a care-experienced Project Manager on the Civil Service Fast Stream who did a secondment at Smart Works, a charity offering free career guidance, one-to-one interview support and interview outfits to unemployed women or women on 0 hours contracts – they have also just launched a specific programme to support care leavers which we will feature in the new year: https://imohub.org.uk/career-experienced-people-meet-kim-a-care-experienced-project-manager-on-the-civil-service-fast-stream/
- shared series 3 of the IMO Podcast: https://imohub.org.uk/podcast/
- added to our Turning 25 series where young people share stories of losing support from their local authority: https://imohub.org.uk/turning-25/.
As always if you would be interested in sharing something on IMO please get in touch. If you'd like to get involved, you could add to the series shared above or can come up with your own idea that they would like to write/blog/vlog about – we are keen to get lots of new voices involved! Please get in touch with any ideas or if you have any questions – also let us know if there is a topic it would be great for us to cover.
IMO has Instagram, twitter and Facebook so do share these with the young people you work with so they can stay updated with new content.
Lemn Sissay has also put together a list of Christmas Dinner’s which you might find useful: https://www.thechristmasdinner.org.uk/the-dinners