Local care leavers in Hammersmith & Fulham are celebrating their community hub's first anniversary.
The hub – open to young people aged 16-25 who have been cared for by H&F Council – is a safe space for young adults to socialise, study and meet their social workers.
Sami Soloman, 20, and Erik Karyan, 24, are both regular hub visitors.
Erik helped to launch the hub last October with Cllr Sanderson, months after he'd completed his undergraduate degree. He's now studying for his LPC Legal Practice Masters degree at the University of Law.
Sami arrived in the UK in 2020, after escaping conflict in Sudan. He said:
When I arrived, I spoke very little English, but H&F supported me with home tuition and my reading and writing improved significantly. I was enrolled into college and the council helped with travel expenses and school supplies, which made it easier for me to focus on my studies.
"By 2022 I completed my Level 1 exams and advanced to Level 2 in Maths and Science, where I earned grades of 5 in Maths, Chemistry, and Physics, and a 4 in Biology. I also completed Level 1 in English that year."
Bright future
Last year Sami earned a diploma in Science and Functional Skills and is now working towards an Extended Diploma Level 3 in Medicine.
"I'm working hard to complete it by the end of the year, and I am excited to apply for university. I'm grateful for the opportunities I've received in the UK to pursue my education and dreams."
To relax, Sami creates art in his spare time and in 2023 participated in H&F's art exhibition for Refugee Week.
Take a look round the hub here on YouTube.
Community support
To mark the hub's anniversary a week of activities were planned from Monday 28 October to Sunday 3 November.
On Monday NHS staff visited to talk about employment and volunteering opportunities, and on Wednesday the young adults visited the science museum.
From Tuesday to Thursday they also took part in the Independent Living Skills programme – a course designed to support young people preparing for independent living.
To round off the week, the hub hosted a party with food, games and prizes.
Supporting care leavers
Over the last year H&F has also updated and enhanced our local offer for care leavers.
This has included, under our homelessness legislation, prioritising all care leavers up until the age of 25 as a priority for council housing to ensure they have a safe home after leaving foster care.
All care leavers under the age of 25 are also eligible for a council tax exemption.
Every care leaver's allowance for setting up their first home has also increased from £2,000 to £3,000. The money is to help buy essential household items such as white goods, sofas and new carpet.
