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The Why Not? Trust for Care Experienced Young People aims to support the long-term relationships between young people with care experience and the people who matter to them.

As well as individual connections, the Why Not? Trust supports young adults – including young parents with care experience – to develop their own community networks. These networks allow young people to access experiences and events which give them opportunities that they may not have been able to access on their own.

Support and advance the wellbeing of care experienced young people through continuing relationships with those who have been involved in caring for them as children offering a source of support into their adult life

Relieve loneliness and isolation in care experienced young people through supporting them to develop meaningful lasting relationships and build wider support networks, to become part of their own local community

Advance education through assisting care experienced young people to challenge the inequalities and stigma they face as they move on from care

News

11 May 2022

Nominate The Why Not? Trust to receive £1000

Movement for Good are running a grant scheme where charities can be awarded £1000 with prize draws taking place in June, September and across 12 days in December.

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09 May 2022

We are recruiting a new Youth & Community Development Co-ordinator to help us #KeepThePromise

The Why Not? Trust is excited to announce we have been awarded funding from The Promise Partnership - Good Childhood fund to enable us to recruit a new team member.

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17 Nov 2021

Introducing our new Youth & Community Coordinator

The Why Not? Trust is delighted to welcome our newest team member, Craig Burns, who joins as our new Youth & Community Coordinator.

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29 Oct 2021

FUNDING BOOST FOR CARE LEAVERS CHARITY THE WHY NOT? TRUST

The Why Not? Trust has received a significant funding boost through a new partnership with the Catalyst for Impact Fund, established by US-based Scottish philanthropist Donald Porteous.

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The Right to Relationships Charter

The Why Not? Trust aims to enable all care experienced young people to continue trusting relationships with the people who have cared for them.

With the insight of the Why Not? community, we recognised what made these relationships meaningful and from this the Charter was born. 

It is our ambition that every organisation caring for and supporting children and young people adopt these principles and sign up to the charter.

The Right to Continued Caring Relationships
We will have access to a network of people, adults and young people, who we have developed trusting relationships with during our care experience, after we have moved on.
The Right to be Valued
We should be able to celebrate the bonds we have developed with carers and other young people, through gift giving and gestures of care, concern and affection.
The Right to be Believed in
When people believe in me, recognising my strengths, skills and talents I understand more about myself, what I can do and what I may need support with.
The Right to be Nurtured
The possibility of continued connections should be the basis of relationships in care services, with policies and procedures flexible enough to allow differences in relationships with strong connections being supported and encouraged.
The Right to Belong
We should be able to visit the places where we were cared for and the people who cared for us and supported to meet up with the young people who have shared our lives as part of a community.
The Right to our own Identity
Opportunities to understand and reflect on our stories through the connections to the people who know us and the places we’ve lived and supported to resolve any difficulties we experienced while we were in care.
The Right to Trust and be Trusted
We are able make our own decisions supported by the people who know us well and who will look after us. We must be able to take risks and make mistakes without being judged or rejected.
The Right to Hope
We are more than the difficulties we have lived through. Our ambitions must be nurtured and respected and we should be given opportunities to pursue these.
The Right to be Safe
The relationships we have formed with carers and other young people create safety for us because we can share concerns and get support.
The Right to be Remembered
Carers and services will look after the memories of those of us who have moved on from care, looking after things that remind us of our childhood and keep in touch with us as long as we want to keep in touch with them.

Please add your details below to sign the charter. Remember to share on social media when you’ve done it.