Welcome to Carefree
Carefree works with young people aged 11-25, who are in and leaving care. Our aim is to give young people in and leaving care the chance to do things for themselves and others.
#BlackLivesMatter
Carefree recognises the importance of taking a stand against racism. Racism is wrong wherever and however it occurs. We therefore stand solidly in support of Black Lives Matter.
We make a promise that our work will continue to reflect and celebrate the diverse world we live in.
We are dedicated to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive space for our young people, in which they can be accepted and celebrated for who they are.
We recognise that this is just the start and we need to go further. We commit ourselves to taking an anti-racist stand in all that we do. This will mean challenging ourselves and others at times and we welcome this opportunity for growth and learning. We will be inviting young people and our wider communities to help and guide us in this.
Here's a link to the Blog our CEO and Founding worker wrote for the research organisation, Reseach in Practice.
https://www.researchinpractice.org.uk/children/news-views/2017/may/the-power-of-group-peer-support-and-relationships-for-young-people-in-and-leaving-care/
Carefree Youth Work
Supports young people by engaging them in positive social education activities. We work across the whole of Cornwall and do our best to get young people to us if we can’t get to them
We offer positive activities, events and projects that help young people develop their social and emotional skills so that they have a better chance of growing up into positive healthy citizens
We have a strong focus on supporting young people in and leaving care to have their voices heard at a local level within Carefree, through supporting training for foster carers and social workers and through Voice for Us and nationally through attendance and particpiation with the Care Leavers Bench Marking Forum hosted by Catch22
We encourage young people to work with others and we try to role model this ourselves by working in partnership with other agencies and organisations. We work very closely with Cornwall Council, particularly the social work and education departments
Carefree's personal advisor service works in partnership with the Local Authority to deliver a PA service to about half of Cornwall's care leavers, working with Carefree aim's to improve the life chances of young people living in and leaving Local Authority care. The Carefree 16+ team works within the statutory guidance of the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 to provide support and advice to young people between the ages of 15 years 9 months and 21; 24 years if in higher education.
Partners in Cornwall Council's LGC award 2019 'Best Service Delivery'
CCB Excellence in Business Training Awards, Best Support to Apprentices - Small Business Award 2019
Diana Award 2017
WISE Welfare to Work innovations Award 2015
Queen's Award for Voluntary Service 2012
Carefree is a charity, we work very hard to raise funds to support all of our educational activities with young people in and leaving care. Young people drive everything we do and we are always striving to offer new activities & events
The Building Better Opportunities Working Together project is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.
The project aims to support 750 economically inactive and unemployed adults from the Atlantic and Moor area of Cornwall into education, training, job search or employment. It will work in partnership with 8 end to end delivery partners and 42 specialist spot purchase partners that have been selected to offer specialist services to address the multiple and complex participant needs.”