By care leavers, for care leavers
Moving On is a creative project co-delivered with care experienced young people. The project aims to make changes, break stereotypes and prepare young people to leave care. Together with our core group of care experienced young people, we explore important issues to do with the care system and the care experience, through creative and theatre-based work.
Moving On is a two year project, led by Women & Theatre, in partnership with Birmingham Children’s Trust and Birmingham City Council. In January 2021, we started weekly sessions online to get to know each other, and started to establish what the young people of Moving On wanted to address through the project. When we were able, we also started meeting in person and led a series of creative workshops and practical sessions, together devising a new performance which addressed major issues faced by young people leaving care, and those working in the care system.
Taking Steps
In January 2022, we premiered our brand new theatre show, Taking Steps, at Birmingham Hippodrome and via Zoom sharings. Taking Steps followed three Leaving Care Workers, and through their work, shared snapshots of the lives of the young people they support. The production was co-created by the Moving On group, and featured their voices, original pieces of spoken word poetry co-created by the young people, along with live drama performed by professional actors.
After each performance we held discussions with our audience, co-facilitated by our young people. These discussions were designed to unpick some of the deeper topics in the performance, such as how to continue relationships with young people you’ve worked with, young people’s mental health, and the pressures Leaving Care workers face.
Audience members were asked to make pledges, stating what steps they would now take to help make positive changes in the care system.
2022
In this second phase of the project, we are shifting our focus to how Moving On can support young people who are preparing to live independently. We are now developing a collection of short films which will aim to help children in care prepare to leave care – as well as being relevant to any young person who is approaching living independently. These films will range in style, length, content and topic – and all of them will be devised and performed by our group of care experienced young people part of the Moving On group.
Once we have these films, we want to share them far and wide with children in care across the West Midlands. We will share the films via both online and in person screenings, and hold fun, creative discussions with young people to talk about their thoughts and responses. We will also create resources for people working in the care industry, so they can use the films for years to come and help support young people transition to independent living.
Get involved!
Are you care experienced, aged 18-25? There’s always a good time to join us at Moving On, so get in touch if you want to hear more about how you can get involved.
Are you currently in care? Or do you work with children who are preparing to live independently? We’d love to hear from you. From Summer 2022, we want to share our films and creative workshops with young people in care and people preparing to live independently across the West Midlands, to help prepare you for the next stage of life.
Do you work in the care industry? Whether you work directly with children in care or not, we’re always keen to keep in touch with industry professionals, and we hold regular partnership catch up meetings online. We will also be able to share our resources with those working in the care industry.
Contact katiewebster@womenandtheatre.co.uk or call 07864 642970 for any questions about Moving On.
Funders & Partners
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Birmingham Children’s Trust & Birmingham City Council
