The Pathways to Independence: Care Leavers fund has been created by Northamptonshire Community Foundation to support projects across Northamptonshire working with young people (aged 18-25) who are Care Leavers. The fund is part of a national programme supported by the Henry Smith Foundation and local matched funds to help provide a fairer start for young people leaving care.

Grants awards will be up to £8,000, and projects should look to address one or more of the following priorities:

• Strong Relationships with Mentors – projects providing consistent weekly contact, building one-to-one trusted relationships with safe, qualified mentors and youth workers. 
• Life and Financial Skills – projects that help build life skills such as understanding housing, cooking, first aid, cleaning, laundry and basic home repairs, as well as financial resilience such as budgeting, managing bank accounts, understanding debit/credit, paying bills and navigating benefits/entitlements.
• Improving Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing – providing access to counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and other trauma-informed mental health support. Increasing access to structured positive activities to build social and emotional skills.
• Supporting Education, Employment and Training – this could include projects that provide career coaching and employability workshops, supporting young people transition from school to further or higher education, partnering with organisations to provide work placements and helping with transport or interview clothing.
• Digital Inclusion – Increasing access to laptops, and essential digital tools enabling engagement with education, training, and employment opportunities.
• Empowerment and Voice – Care leavers participating in co-design and feedback, helping shape the programmes and services that affect them, fostering confidence and agency.