Participation and getting involved when you're a care leaver

Participation is about you being actively involved in opportunities and decisions about your life and the things that affect you. This goes much further than just capturing your views; it is about acting on them to continue to develop and improve services for children and young people. You can participate through:

• Mind Of My Own website and app to share your thoughts and wishes about your care
• Children In Care Council - a group of care experienced children and young people aiming to ensure that all looked after children and care leavers can give their views on the services they receive
• Care Leavers Forum
• Young People Interview panels - the opportunity to be part of an interview panel when we recruit new social care staff
• Care Leavers Facebook group
• Care leavers celebration event - an annual event which all young people are invited to attend to celebrate individuals for achievements they’ve made throughout the year
• North Somerset Youth Parliament - an opportunity to get involved in council decision making
• focus groups
• registering to vote
• surveys, questionnaires and polls

You will receive £30 a day to cover attendance at some participation events. If you are asked to support an interview panel, rates will be agreed beforehand.

If you would like to get involved with any of these, or if you would like to feedback on our local offer, you can share your views with your personal advisor or email our team at engagement.participation@n-somerset.gov.uk or careleavers@n-somerset.gov.uk.

If you are neurodivergent and want to build connections, Bridging The Gap Together in North Somerset offers inclusive activities designed for you. They offer chat and craft family group, Minecraft group, photography sessions, and a Dungeons and Dragons group. They will help you develop valuable skills and help you express your creativity.

If you have a learning disability, North Somerset People First offer support, events and activities for you.

If you would like support or advice around LGBT+ issues, North Somerset LGBT+ Forum can help you. They offer advice, support, activities and drop-in sessions alongside social media information for young people within North Somerset. 

If you live outside of North Somerset, your personal advisor can help you access services in other areas.

You can ask for a volunteer mentor to meet you regularly to offer ongoing help, support and advice. You have the right to have an independent advocate who can offer confidential advice and help you understand your rights. 

You can ask your personal advisor for a referral or you can self-refer to Junction 21 mentoring and advocacy. They can support you up until your 21st Birthday.

What our previous care leavers have said

"It was really good experience attending a recruitment panel and thinking about asking questions from a young person’s point of view."

"It was helpful attending an interview panel knowing the structure of the interview and questions being asked to prepare for my own interviews."

"It’s nice to have an external person fighting your corner."