Project: The Future Orientation of Care Leavers

The Future Orientation of Care Leavers Transitioning to Adulthood in The London Borough of Hackney and Their Essential Aftercare Needs


Deadline 12 May – now closed for applications

Project description:
The project is a co-production. The objective is to build Future Orientation in groups of 18-25-year-old care leavers. To personalise the new materials of long-term after-system support. Future orientation is a strengths-based construct. It represents sources of motivation, hopes, fears and the support to commit to an ideal self. The project volunteers will develop a board game that will statistically personalise their future orientation. The gamified instrument will help individuals to progress towards their ideal selves. Supporting them as they exit care, transition to adulthood and develop a stable life space. The project fills the gap in the care leaver’s weakened familial network. To support their progress towards their ideal self. The method entails cycles of participatory research that orientate towards an ideal self. The project is intensive, personalised and fun. It is for those who face the greatest barriers to a positive life-course trajectory. Due to their weakened familial network, poor environment and a chronological life course. This proposal is for one cycle of a longitudinal project.

The data generated will inform and improve services by getting a sense of:

  1. Q-methodology as a gamified instrument that can psychologically personalise aftercare expectancies and support for individual care leavers.
  2. Future-orientated Co-operative Inquiry cycles as an active strengths-based training approach to support care experienced young people as they transition out of care to a stable and fulfilling life course.
  3. The new Web3 materials of long-term aftercare support for care leavers in the face of a weakened familial network. New prerequisites for policy and positive behavioural strategies for care leavers. The transformation of long-term after system support.
  4. The benefit of a future-focused training environment and drop-in for care experienced young people.

Tasks and activities to be undertaken by the UG/PGT student:
To support the PGR in facilitating the group of 10-12 volunteer care leavers.

Experience and knowledge required/desired:
A positive interpersonal happy determined vibe akin to working with young vulnerable people.

Skills, knowledge, experience to be gained:
Working with young people in a power sharing environment. Knowledge of research methods co-operative inquiry and Q-methodology. Experience in facilitating productive groups of young people.

Project lead: Howard Smith, H.A.Smith@brighton.ac.uk

School: Sport and Health Sciences