A NEW concept support hub for young people moving on from care settings towards independence has been launched by Keys Group.
The Hub, in Doncaster city centre, provides a safe space for young people to find help and support as they make their journey to independence.
An official opening was held on July 4th to coincide with Independence Day. It was also the official launch of the group’s Journey to Independence, a unique transition pathway which has been developed by Keys Group to give young people the best chance to become successfully independent.
To mark the official launch of both, a special celebratory event was held at The Hub, attended by Leaving Care staff from throughout Keys Group, young people, local commissioners and referrers and Keys colleagues.
The Hub was the brainchild of Ewa Szwarc-Delves, Quality & Development Manager at Keys Leaving Care. She said: “We hope that this service model will, like the Journey to Independence, be rolled out across Keys and will act as a framework and foundation for us to support young people throughout their Leaving Care journey.
“The Hub is a new type of service model which will have many different functions – a safe space, a place to find support and a place to meet. It is about being present, visible and accessible in the local community, acting as a place where we can bring together all of our stakeholders.
“The Hub also features art and creativity from some of the young people we support who have told us what independence means to them. From having your own place to live, understanding your finances, having good friends and community connections or self-direction, independence means different things to every young person. We hope The Hub recognises and celebrates that.”
