Why Not? receives charitable status
A ground breaking project by the social care organisation, Care Visions, has received charitable status.
The Why Not? initiative was set up in 2014 to support young people moving on from care to prevent them feeling cut off and isolated from the people who had formed positive relationships with them, often in residential care settings.
Why Not? provides long-term connections for young people moving on from care and is based on a New York based project: ‘You Gotta Believe’.
The aim of the initiative is to offer every young person leaving a Care Visions service a meaningful connection to a supportive adult or “connector”. This is based on a supportive relationship that has developed within the care setting and that is valued by the young person.
The intention is that this relationship continues throughout the young person’s transition from care and into adulthood.
Today (22 October 2018) a report of an initial evaluation of the Why Not? initiative has been published by CELCIS. This research was commissioned by Care Visions, and contributes to the decision to assess whether to continue and extend the approach to ensure the Why Not? community can grow and support more young people.
Cathy Jamieson, Chief Executive Officer at Care Visions, said:
‘We have seen much progress since the project began. It’s been tremendous to watch the positive impact on the young people involved in the project. The most important part of the process has been to listen to the voices of the young people themselves, who have told us about the value of both individual ‘connections’ and being part of the Why Not? community.’
Both the announcement about the charitable status given to Why Not? and the launch of the report coincides with Care Experienced Week in Scotland, a celebration of care experienced people and supporting a lifetime of equality.
The below clip is from Demi, a young person with care experience, who explains what being involved in Why Not? has meant to her.
Want to know more about the importance of nurturing relationships in the care system?
Two of our previous blog posts touch on this theme. One by Gordon Main talks about commitment, like love, not being enough in the care system; and the second, by Kenny McGhee, on how commitment needs to be matched by deeds not words.