Care-experienced young people face social exclusion, fewer opportunities, and more discrimination – labelled as a ‘looked-after’ child. Young people leaving care are thrust into the adult world before they are ready. Without the support of family and friends, they are more likely to have insecure jobs, become homeless, have mental health issues, offending behaviour and substance misuse.
Young people in care often report they feel isolated and uninspired. Young people tell us
“We need more love, positive relationships & mental health support in the care system."
At NYAS, we listen to what children and young people want. We care about what they say, and we empower them to have their voices heard, especially when other people are making decisions about their future.
As part of our mission, we ensure that the wishes and feelings of care-experienced young people are expressed and acted upon. The aim of this is to improve their situation, and to help them build a better future.
NYAS will never stop in our efforts to influence, lobby and campaign for positive change. Through all that we do, we want to ensure that the rights of every child, young person and vulnerable adult are understood and upheld.
“My advocate did the unthinkable - they got my voice heard. They were understanding of situations and non-judgmental". Young Person
We offer a range of services that advocate for care experienced people's rights and give them a voice to be heard. We provide volunteer independent visitors who befriend a young person, often being the only adult in their life who isn't paid to be there.
"Our visits have been the highlight in my life and you have been the best friend I could ever ask for. Thanks so much for everything and I've become such a better person and more confident." Lavanya, Young Person.
We also proudly deliver a range of Social Awareness Campaigns, from lobbying parliament for national policy change, to working with local authorities to trigger improvements on a local scale.
"The Campaigns Advisory Group is a community where we can use our past to make change in the present for the future." - Aisha, Campaigns Advisory Group Member
Through all that we do, we want to ensure that the rights of every child, young person and vulnerable adult are understood and upheld.
Sign up to the Paris Marathon today and together we can reach more care experienced children, young people and adults in vulnerable situations.
“Thank you for all your support – it really helped me at a very difficult time. I feel my advocate was a great listener to all my worries and concerns, she was not judgemental and was very understanding and made things happen”. – Frankie, Young Person.
Every step taken and every penny raised enables more care-experienced children, young people, and vulnerable adults, like Frankie, to be heard, feel safe and be involved in decisions being made about them.
* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.
