News
18/03/2024
ASDAN launches Moving On: a ground-breaking course to prepare young people for independent living
Over the next year, approximately 12,000 young people in the UK will leave care having turned 18. They are expected to live much more independently than their peers at this stage of their lives, often without any formal or structured support on how to build a home, take care of themselves, manage their finances or start a career.
ASDAN has collaborated with care providers and practitioners to develop Moving On, a new course equipping young people with the essential skills to live independently. Launching this week, the Moving On programme was informed by:
- The fact that there are nearly 84,000 young people in care. [1]
- A 2022 survey found that over a third of care leavers felt that they left too early. Of those that felt they left at the right time, not all believed they had the required skills to live independently. [2]
- Around 41% of care leavers aged 19-21 not in education, employment, or training (NEET) [3]
Recognising this critical need, ASDAN developed Moving On primarily for care leavers, but the programme is beneficial for all young people on their journey towards independence.
The course is structured around five key modules, aligned with the five core areas of care leaver pathway plans:
- Building a home – tenancy, home maintenance, laundry, cleaning, and home safety
- Being healthy – physical health, emotional well-being, eating habits, personal safety
- Starting your career – education, exploring and applying for jobs, being an employee
- Managing money – budgeting, borrowing, saving and spending, financial support
- Relating to people – identity, healthy relationships, boundaries, support and community
Moving On pilot member, Jamie Diwell, Education Manager at A Wilderness Way said:
“Moving On is so helpful, easy to use and doesn’t take much upkeep. It's so straightforward that (a setting) can just pick it up on day one and start delivering it."
"The course has given our young people the tools to build the stairs to get to where they want to be. Moving On really broadens their horizons. It gives young people a choice and builds their life skills and confidence to take control of their future.”
Read the full story on how Moving On has prepared the care leavers at A Wilderness Way for independent life.
ASDAN’s Operations Director, James Foyle, adds:
“We’ve spent the past year working with an engaged group of centres to pilot Moving On, trusting them as experts of the young people they work with to ensure our programme meets their needs."
“The feedback we’ve received has been so positive and insightful. We’re confident this course will benefit young people leaving care, but also equip a whole range of young people leaving the family home with the essential skills and knowledge they need to start living independently.”
Discover more about how this crucial input from our pilot members helped to shape the development of Moving On.
For more information, visit the Moving On course page. You can also get in touch to speak with us about how Moving On can benefit the young people in your community.
[3] https://learningandwork.org.uk/news-and-policy/care-leavers-welfare-blog/