Double your donation
This December, we’re taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge.
Between 3-10 December, all donations will be doubled, and will have double the impact towards our work with and for care-experienced children and young people.
£10 becomes £20,
£50 becomes £100,
£250 becomes £500.
Help us make a real difference this Christmas.
Every child needs stability, support, and love. But far too many care-experienced young people are being failed by our care system. Please help us raise £50,000 get them the help they need.
Children are being moved far away, forced to change schools, and are separated from siblings. Too many are then expected to leave care before they feel ready, often on their 18th birthday. Feeling alone is all too common, especially at Christmas.
“On Christmas Day, I remember lying on my bed wearing all the clothes I owned to try to keep warm. It was so cold, I could see my own breath”
This Christmas, we’ll listen to every young person who calls us for help – with their mental health, their education, keeping a roof over their heads – whatever challenge they’re facing, we will support them. With your donation, you can ensure that they’re not alone.
Every pound donated to our Big Give campaign page between 3-10 December up to £25,000 will be matched to £50,000 by our amazing pledgers and champion funders The Scouloudi Foundation, meaning your generosity will go even further.
Your support is needed more than ever before:
91
children are taken into care every day in England
Almost half
of all children in care are living outside their local authority area.
54%
increase in homelessness among young care leavers over the last 5 years.
Jennifer's story
Jennifer went into care at the age of 14, and as a Type 1 diabetic, found that she would use her diabetes as a coping mechanism.
“During my first year of university while I was in student accommodation, during holiday periods such as Christmas and Easter, I would be alone in empty halls while everyone else went back home to their families…
The realisation struck me that if my blood sugars were to drop too low or go too high, or if I had a seizure or slipped into a coma, there would be no one to notice or come and knock on my door to check I was okay.”
In her second year of university, Jennifer found herself homeless due to a problem with the council and was placed in temporary accommodation with vulnerable adults over Christmas.
“On Christmas Day, I remember lying on my bed wearing all the clothes I owned to try to keep warm. It was so cold, I could see my own breath.
“I just stared at my door and wondered how I would defend myself if someone broke in because my lock was broken”
Jennifer was slowly able to start rebuilding her life, completing a Masters in global public health, and began working with organisations such as Become.
“Using my voice to help empower other people gives my experiences a purpose and makes me feel it was not all for nothing because I am using it to try to change things”
At Become, we work with young people to share their stories and raise awareness of the issues care-experienced young people so often face.
“Become have a genuine interest in young people and support them as well as using their experiences constructively to bring about change. They also give young people opportunities to gain skills and take up training and help them have a better future”
Your donation will have double the impact this Christmas.
- £10 (doubled to £20) could help a child in care stay in touch with brothers or sisters living apart from them.
- £25 (doubled to £50) could give Christmas dinner to a young person who recently left care.
- £30 (doubled to £60) could provide an isolated young care leaver with regular phone calls over the Christmas period.
- £50 (doubled to £100) could pay for employment coaching to help someone leaving care find a job.
- £100 (doubled to £200) could provide one-to-one guidance for a young person applying to university.
- £250 (doubled to £500) could provide advocacy for a young person who has recently left care into long-term, stable accommodation with holistic support through our Care Advice Service.
