Gateshead Council open dedicated space for care experienced young people
A launch day was held last week to officially open 'The Outpost', a dedicated space for care experienced young people in Gateshead.
The Mayor of Gateshead Councillor Kath McCartney and cabinet members for Children and Young People Councillor Gary Haley and Adult Social Care Councillor John Adams, officially opened the centre on Friday (14 March).
Situated in central Gateshead and easily accessible by public transport, the centre will be open weekday afternoons with the council's Care Experienced Team to enable the young people to access valuable information and advice on a wide range of topics as well as offering a social space where they can get together.
Last year the council worked with focus groups of young people to get their views and input into the space, and to determine what they felt would be beneficial to them.
The launch day involved sessions about home energy efficiency from Groundwork to support independent living, smoothie making, and a graffiti street art session with NHS adult peer support.
Future plans for the Outpost include clinics and sessions on welfare rights, health, employment and training, housing and accommodation and social events. This will include support from the Job Centre, sexual health, careers advice and guidance, Learning for Skills, adult peer mental health support, talking therapies, and housing.
Councillor Gary Haley, Gateshead Council's Cabinet member for Children and Young People, said:
"The Outpost is a space in which care experienced young people feel safe and can engage with a range of both internal and external services to support them across the breadth of the needs of young people with experience of being in care.
"It is important that we as corporate parents ensure that we give our young people access to this valuable support in order to help them thrive into adulthood."
Helen Fergusson, Strategic Director Children's Social Care and Lifelong Learning said: "We are delighted to open The Outpost as a place for our young people get advice to support them with improved outcomes in a range of areas such as employment and housing but also wellbeing.
"We really value our young people and want to give them the best possible opportunities to help them make the transition into adulthood."
In December a motion was passed by all councillors at Gateshead Council to make being care experienced a protected characteristic, just like disability and race, making it one of around a hundred councils in the country to do so.
Requested by the young people in Gateshead the motion further determines that anyone who has been in care has equity with others and is not penalised or discriminated against because of it.
In the recent Ofsted inspection in December inspectors highlighted the work done by the Council's Children's Social Services to ensure the voices of young people are heard and influence any decision making which impacts them. They also praised the support given to young people leaving care including housing, emotional well-being, and access to education, employment, and training opportunities.
Find out more about Gateshead Council's local offer to care leavers at www.gatesheadhasyourback.com
A launch day was held last week to officially open 'The Outpost', a dedicated space for care experienced young people in Gateshead.
The Mayor of Gateshead Councillor Kath McCartney and cabinet members for Children and Young People Councillor Gary Haley and Adult Social Care Councillor John Adams, officially opened the centre on Friday (14 March).
Situated in central Gateshead and easily accessible by public transport, the centre will be open weekday afternoons with the council's Care Experienced Team to enable the young people to access valuable information and advice on a wide range of topics as well as offering a social space where they can get together.
Last year the council worked with focus groups of young people to get their views and input into the space, and to determine what they felt would be beneficial to them.
The launch day involved sessions about home energy efficiency from Groundwork to support independent living, smoothie making, and a graffiti street art session with NHS adult peer support.
Future plans for the Outpost include clinics and sessions on welfare rights, health, employment and training, housing and accommodation and social events. This will include support from the Job Centre, sexual health, careers advice and guidance, Learning for Skills, adult peer mental health support, talking therapies, and housing.
Councillor Gary Haley, Gateshead Council's Cabinet member for Children and Young People, said:
"The Outpost is a space in which care experienced young people feel safe and can engage with a range of both internal and external services to support them across the breadth of the needs of young people with experience of being in care.
"It is important that we as corporate parents ensure that we give our young people access to this valuable support in order to help them thrive into adulthood."
Helen Fergusson, Strategic Director Children's Social Care and Lifelong Learning said: "We are delighted to open The Outpost as a place for our young people get advice to support them with improved outcomes in a range of areas such as employment and housing but also wellbeing.
"We really value our young people and want to give them the best possible opportunities to help them make the transition into adulthood."
In December a motion was passed by all councillors at Gateshead Council to make being care experienced a protected characteristic, just like disability and race, making it one of around a hundred councils in the country to do so.
Requested by the young people in Gateshead the motion further determines that anyone who has been in care has equity with others and is not penalised or discriminated against because of it.
In the recent Ofsted inspection in December inspectors highlighted the work done by the Council's Children's Social Services to ensure the voices of young people are heard and influence any decision making which impacts them. They also praised the support given to young people leaving care including housing, emotional well-being, and access to education, employment, and training opportunities.
Find out more about Gateshead Council's local offer to care leavers at www.gatesheadhasyourback.com
