Link-Up in person 

In March 2020, in direct response to the first lockdown, we started to host a weekly online get-together we called ‘Link-Up’. It provides care-experienced young people (aged 18-27) with a space to come together, have fun, learn new skills, build connections and, most importantly, have a great time. 

Link-Up has gone from strength to strength in the past two years, with the Link-Up attendees growing into a community of friends who enjoy playing games together, taking part in activities, and chatting about how their weeks are going every Tuesday evening. 

Alongside the fun and games (and quite a lot of competition!), we have had interesting Link-Up specials around poetry and creative writing, cookery sessions, wellbeing sessions, and Link-Up Takeovers delivered by young people on subjects such as environmentalism, finance and podcasting to name a few. It’s been fantastic to find out about all the interests young people have and learn new skills together, too. 

As coronavirus restrictions eased earlier this year, the Link-Up group shared that they were really keen for everyone to finally get to meet beyond a screen. Lots of people in the group had chatted weekly for a very long time and never met in person, so the group were keen to form those in-person connections now that it was possible to do so. 

On 23 April, a group of 15 young people and a few of the Become team met in London for a day of creative Link-Up activities and connections. 

Activities that took place during our ‘Link-Up in-person’ involved an art project around the theme of ‘Journeys’, memento-creating and fun, competitive games the group have always loved so much.

It was amazing to get the group together and grow the Link-Up community with in-person interactions.

If you would like to join a Link-Up in future, you can sign up for free here: https://becomecharity.org.uk/get-support/link-up/. We would love to see you there!

– By Becca, Senior Advice and Support Officer at Become