We are delighted to announce our Power To Change conference taking place on Tuesday 12th November 2024 at the King Power Stadium
The conference aims to bring the business, public, education and VCSE sectors together to harness the power of working together for change.
As a youth charity we are committed to harnessing the power of collaboration and sharing of resources and skills to ensure young people can thrive and that no one is left behind.
We particlularly welcome:
- Those from the business sector who work in Social Value and/or recruitment and would like to build stronger links with other sectors.
- Public sector workers whose focus is on young people - this could be health, youth justice , social care, mental health or SEND
- Education workers such as careers and pastoral leads in secondary , further education mainstream and SEND schools
- VCSE organisations and grassroots community groups who would like to showcase their work and/or build on their knowledge of vulnerable groups.
The day kicks off with breakfast and networking at our Changemakers Marketplace where you will have the chance to engage with grassroots community groups who make a real difference in their neighbourhoods.
You will hear from up to four keynotes speakers who will lead the conversation and call to action for better collaboration across the sectors.
The rest of the day will consist of attending a morning workshop based around CSR and the local agenda, in the afternoon you can choose one of three workshops that you feel are best suited to your working or knowledge areas.
You will hear from young people, expert leaders and the Cares team on the work they are doing in areas such as:
- Youth Justice
- Employment for SEND young people
- Care Experienced Young people
Lunch, refreshments and ample free parking will be available on the day
The benefits of supported Internships for SEND young people
Workshop Lead: Ross Cox, Leicestershire Cares and Jo Dawson, Project Manager for NHS Long Term Workforce Plan
The workshop will focus on the benefits of giving SEND young people the opportunity to gain real workplace experience whilst receiving the appropriate level of support. We will hear firsthand about the experiences of SEND young people who have undertaken Supported Internships in Leicester and the staff who have supported them, highlighting the successes and learning from these internships. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions to the panel and find out how businesses can get involved in providing these opportunities.
Link at Connexions and speaker from VOCO, young people Q&A activity.
The Lifelong Impact of a Criminal Record
Workshop Lead: Dr. Nicola Collett, Lecturer in Community and Criminal Justice - De Montfort University
In this workshop, Nicola will be examining the importance of constructing and maintaining a non-criminal identity, exploring research on the ongoing impact of criminal records and the need for reform, reviewing case studies of those who have been affected by their criminal records. This will be followed by a reflective exercise and an opportunity for feedback and action points for change.
Care experience as a protected characteristic: what are the next steps that we want to see?
Workshop lead: Terry Galloway, Care Leaver Advocate and Director at Norman Galloway Homes
Terry works across the nation campaigning for care experience to be a protected characteristic, elevating the voices of young people who have been in care and pushing for policy change to improve the lives and futures of young people. A great number of councils across the country have now recognised experience of the care system a protected characteristic. In this workshop Mr. Galloway will discuss the next steps.