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If you would like to get involved in campaigning in your local area, or have a campaigning story to add to this page, email
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In order to achieve positive change for current and future care leavers, it is crucial that we raise awareness of the specific issues and needs of care leavers, as well as more specifically about the work of the Care Leavers' Association.
The help of our members and volunteers is crucial in spreading this message. There are a whole range of ways in which you can help: from putting some of our newsletters or flyers in your local library, running an information stall in a local supermarket or public area, to meeting with your local MP.
If you would like to get involved in our campaigns, or if you would like a campaigning pack,
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the office or ring 0845 308 2755.
Here are some examples of the kinds of things other people have done:
Chris Simpson: Meeting my MP
In July 2007, Chris Simpson, CLA Exec member, met up with his local MP, Quentin Davies, in Grantham to discuss the work of the CLA and the needs of young people in care and care leavers of all ages.
Chris wrote about his meeting for the newsletter, you can read his story here.
Chris found it useful to make notes for himself beforehand, so that when in the meeting he knew exactly what he was going to say. Here are some of his tips about the things he found useful in the meeting:
- Speak from the heart, be honest and prepare some notes to guide you through the meeting
- Take along some informational or promotional material - leaflets, flyers etc - so that you can leave something at the end of your meeting
- Swot up on your history - I looked over the CLA website the night before my meeting. Take a copy of the CLA mission statement as a guide if you get stuck
- Pick two or three current issues to focus on, preferably those you feel most passionate about. I stuck mainly to the websites, housing issues and access to records
- Get a photo!
- Most important: It can be a bit nerve-racking, but just relax, be yourself and enjoy the experience!
Local campaigning in Grantham - National Care Leavers' Week 2007
Chris, one of our members, ran an information stall at ASDA in Grantham during National Care Leavers' Week. Here is his report of how it went.
With some negotiation with the ASDA events team, I was able to put up a stall in ASDA during two days of National Care Leavers Week.
On the the Thursday, I started at around 10.15am first setting up the stall ready for business. I wondered what sort of reaction I would get. The first two hours were really slow and nobody stopped or even looked with any great interest and I began to wonder if it was going to be a success. Then I got my first customer, so to speak, who donated some money and said 'I saw your article in the Grantham Journal and I think what you are doing is fantastic.' This made me feel warm inside I could have cried, but this response was common and numerous people repeated the first woman's feelings throughout the whole day.
There was a lot of interest from people involved in social work. I had several social workers stop, and numerous foster parents stopped all day. They often shared their own experiences and views some of which I didn't agree with but all of which were interesting to hear! Nearly all of the people who stopped were fantastic.
I picked the coldest place to stand, the entrance to ASDA, which made it harder but it was the best place to get people's attention. The interest was not in a steady stream, but came in ebbs and flows. People would walk past and pay no attention, then the opposite would happen where several people would stop ask questions, take leaflets and donate money. These periodic conversations kept me going throughout the day.
The article that I did in the Grantham Journal attracted a lot of attention from people I knew but I hadn't realised were from care too. Two people I work with, one of whom I went to school with, both commented on my article saying that it was a good article and they liked what I was doing. This meant alot to me!
Mid-afternoon, a young lady came up to the stall and asked if I was the bloke in the Grantham Journal article and was from the Care Leavers' Association. I said that I was and she wanted to join us. We had a chat, she'd come specifically to see me and it was quite moving to listen to her. That alone made the whole day, and all the hard work beforehand, worthwhile.
I eventually stopped at around 9.30pm - totally shattered!
Over the two days, I raised around £200 with gift aid and gained four new members. I hope to have a stall again in the near future in Grantham but I do not know where or when. It was an interesting experience.
Lessons I learnt:
- The local press coverage was vital. Nearly everybody who stopped mentioned the article. I was even stopped on a train coming back from London.
- Something will inevitably go wrong on the day, do not worry this is not uncommon. On the first day I did my stall the events coordinator was sick and nobody knew I was coming so I had nowhere to stick up my posters initially. Something will go wrong, just adapt the best you can and do not take it as if you have failed, you haven't.
- Keep your chin up! I had huge period of time where nothing happened at all people just walked past as if I did not even exist. Smile believe what you're doing is important, because it is.
- It is tiring. Both physically and mentally I was shattered, but it is also very rewarding.
- I came across attitudes throughout the day that I didn't agree with. This, again, is normal when dealing with the general public. Just smile and be polite.
- Congratulate yourself afterwards. I had a few beers afterwards to celebrate the day's work. The reason I did this is that I'd changed a few peoples lives and that's worth celebrating!
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