The Drive Forward Foundation supports care leavers aged 16-26 in London education, training, and employment.  A grass-roots organisation working directly with care leavers, it aims to empower care experienced young people to take control of their lives through sustainable employment, offering them a mix of tailored one-to-one support, intensive employability skills training, in-work mentoring support and opportunities provided through working in partnership with corporate partners, prospective employers and local authorities. 

Drive Forward’s holistic service approach, in conjunction with multi-agency working has supported significant numbers of care experienced young Londoners into sustainable living through sustainable employment. 

Our £151,000 in 2018 was for a three-year intervention project supporting young people (aged 14-16) in care to transition to adulthood and further or higher education and/or work.

The project involves partnering with four schools a year for three years from the London boroughs of Camden and Haringey. Using a team of mentors, and involving aspirational speakers and corporate partners, it will focus on workshops based on further or higher education and career planning, and on managing the complex and challenging process of leaving care.