Tameside care leavers celebrate achievements during national care leavers’ month

Local care leavers across Tameside are set to come together this November to celebrate their achievements and take part in a packed programme of events as part of National Care Leavers’ Month (NCLM).

Traditionally marked over one week, this year’s celebration has been extended to a full month, offering even more opportunities to recognise the resilience, talent and successes of young people who have left care, while raising awareness of the challenges they continue to face.

Tameside Council’s Leaving Care Team, Participation Service and Staying Close Team have joined forces to organise a range of fun, inclusive and uplifting activities for care leavers aged 18–25. The month-long programme includes bowling, pottery painting, a visit to the Heaton Park Northern Light Show, breakfast clubs, and weekly wellbeing walks aptly named ‘Lightening the Load’. Young people can also enjoy playing pool, joining a retro games club and much more.

The activities have been made possible thanks to generous donations from care providers Inicio and TPR Care Services, along with support from local retro games company Gamesmania, which is offering free gaming sessions.

In addition to the social activities, the council teams will also be running sessions to help care leavers learn new life skills, such as cooking and budgeting, while providing safe spaces for connection and fun through games clubs. Every participant will be entered into weekly raffles, culminating in a grand prize draw at the end of the month.

Ahead of NCLM, Tameside’s care leavers proudly represented the borough at the Greater Manchester Care Leavers Awards on 29 October, where six young people were nominated and shortlisted for recognition. Two even took to the stage to perform solo singing pieces, a powerful showcase of confidence and talent that drew admiration from across Greater Manchester.

Cllr Teresa Smith, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Children and Families, praised the young people for their determination and contribution to the community: “Our care leavers are remarkable and resilient young people who deserve to have their voices heard and their talents, achievements and opinions recognised in our community.

“I’m so pleased to see not only locally but nationally there is a drive to raise awareness around care leavers.

“Last year during Care Leavers’ Week I had the pleasure of attending several of the activities with our care leavers and finding out about what they enjoy and what matters to them. It’s important they feel supported and heard so we can help them find their identity and move into adulthood with all the skills they need to live a good life and achieve their best.”

National Care Leavers’ Month is a chance to highlight the strength and potential of care-experienced young people, and in Tameside, that message is being celebrated loud and proud.

For more information about Tameside’s Leaving Care service, visit www.tameside.gov.uk/Care-Leavers.