Live Unlimited was set up four years ago to provide support, encouragement and inspiration to Barnet’s 680 looked after children and care leavers. A looked after child is a young person taken into local authority care for multiple reasons, but mainly due to abuse, neglect, family breakdown or illness. When a child in care turns 18, they become what is known as a care leaver although the council resumes responsibility until they reach 25.

Our work focusses on reducing these young people’s social isolation, improving their mental health and wellbeing, teaching new skills, boosting confidence, and helping find sustainable and fulfilling employment. This vulnerable group of young people, already marginalised by society, have been disproportionately impacted by Covid, with many suffering from increased levels of anxiety, diminishing employment chances and social isolation.

We focus on delivering five schemes:

Outdoor Club – our weekly Forest School sessions for children aged 6-17 gets young people outside where they learn new skills, take risks, and make friends with other care experienced children. The value of connecting with nature helps them feel calmer, less anxious and the fact they don’t need to explain themselves to the other children helps them feel safe and secure. Many of the children have gone on to make new friends as a result of the scheme and it’s been fantastic to see their confidence grow.

Aspire Higher – a careers networking scheme for young people aged 16-25, providing opportunities to meet with professionals from different industries they wouldn’t normally get to meet to learn more about fulfilling career options. 36 young people have attended our events, of which eight have had follow-up meetings and three have gone on to paid work opportunities. One social worker said our scheme has finally given her young person hope for the future, something he didn’t previously have. This scheme is currently on hold.

Imagination Unlimited – This is a fund that enables care experienced young people in Barnet aged 0-25 unlock their potential and improve their health and wellbeing by providing access to skill, hobbies, and pastimes. We do this by providing items of equipment, new opportunities and experiences which otherwise would be financially out of reach, such a paying for horse riding lessons, a bicycle to commute to college or a pair of safety boots so a young person can take up an apprenticeship, etc. Imagination Unlimited is administered on behalf of Live Unlimited by Barnet Council.

Driving Ahead – a package of 46 hours of free driving lessons with theory test fee, support and practical test fee included. Which provides a valuable life skill and boost employability chances as well as instilling a sense of self-worth in a young person. We’ve supported 20 young people to learn to drive, of which 13 have taken their tests, seven successfully passing their driving test and being helped into new job opportunities.

Reel Lives Film Project - Reel Lives, a one week pilot scheme that took place during the summer holidays. Aimed to give Barnet care experienced young people an opportunity to express themselves creatively, learn new skills and meet other people. The young people who participated in the Reel Lives project learnt film fundamentals including story boarding, filming, and editing. Once the short films are completed, they will be screened at the Phoenix cinema, East Finchley, which will be a great opportunity for the young people to network and see their short films on the big screen!

Here are a few things your donation could purchase for the care experienced young people we work with at Live Unlimited,  £39 buys a driving lesson for a vulnerable care leaver, £38 buys a two-hour Forest Schools' activity session for a child in foster care at our Outdoor Club and £250 buys a bicycle for a care experienced young person to cycle to shool with their friends. These are just a small number of the things we could purchase with your generous donation.  

Since the start of the pandemic, we have provided approx. 600 hours of participatory schemes and supported 227 looked after children and care leavers, some with life changing results.