BMet joins forces with leading charities to deliver care packages to young people

BMet is reinforcing their commitment to community causes, by creating care packages for young people in need, in partnership with leading charities Barnardo’s and the Children’s Family Trust.

The student-led initiative is part of ongoing activity by college learners involved in a Youth Social Action Project (YSAP), to devise ongoing resourceful ideas to benefit local communities.

To mark the impactful work, representatives from the two charitable organisations came to BMet’s Matthew Boulton College this week. They collected and delivered the items that filled 23 containers, which will benefit hundreds of local people in care in the Midlands region.

The college launched its first YSAP in collaboration with the AOC Youth Social Action Project in their Freshers Fayre week in October 2024. Following the success, BMet students, who are part of student councils and class leads, signed up to find out more and learn about the key principles of Youth Lead Social Action.

This was the catalyst that led the enthusiastic and inspired students to start to create a plan that would launch BMet’s own YSAP. The group felt passionately that they wanted to raise awareness of the challenges of young people in care, and to create their social action on supporting and fundraising.

Prior to creating the care packs, the students have been successfully fundraising across all campuses of BMet college creating pop-up Care Café in each campus Common Room. The very first Care Café launched in February for National Care Day, and they have continued with the legacy.

The Project goal and goal statement created by the Youth Ambassadors:

• Increase awareness of challenges of young people in care.
• Many young people experience abuse, neglect, and trauma, which leads them being in care. We want to raise awareness of this sensitive subject, and to inspire care and compassion in others.
• Our aim is creating practical resources and fundraising for young people in care, to reduce stigma and to increase a sense of hope.

Speaking of the student led activity, Kay Burton-Williams, Director of Student Experience at BMet said: “It was a huge pleasure and rewarding experience for our students who have been instrumental in pushing forward the YSAP and student experience teams who have worked with them, to come together with key people in the charities that the students fundraising has been supporting.

“It is a great opportunity for our students to be recognised for the work that they have done which includes our ESOL Foundation learners baking delicious brownies for sale at our Care Cafés, alongside various fundraising activities like the creation of care packages.”

The Care Packs were thoughtfully put together by students reflecting on what they feel is helpful and valuable. They include items like cosy blankets, soft toys, colouring books, water bottles, slippers, hair ties, gorgeous stationery, inspirational quotes.

To ensure relevance, the students gained feedback from Barnardo’s and the Children’s Family Trust, to support the decisions around what to put into the packs, so that children and young people in care feel safe, valued and supported at some of the most vulnerable times in their life.

Here is what Candiece Darrell – Care Packages Co-ordinator & Fundraising and Budgeting Lead from Matthew Boulton College, Nicole Laticia De Loyola – Project Co-ordinator & Activity Planner from James Watt College and Simba Jembere, Fundraising and Donation Lead & Care Café Co-ordinator from Sutton Coldfield College had to say about their experience as Youth Social Action Project leaders:

Candiece, a Health and Social Care student, who has benefitted from care services with Barnardo’s said: “I have experienced many challenges in my life which started with abusive situations in Bermuda, where I am originally from. This led to me being in foster care. I came to the UK in my adult years, as abandonment was an issue staying in my home island. I moved to Sheffield, which is where abuse started with an ex-partner. That’s when I fled to Birmingham and ended up in a homeless situation. I am so thankful to Barnardo’s for rescuing me and for giving me the care and support I needed, which have included me coming to BMet to further my education.”

Nicole, Health and Social Care student: “I am so pleased to play a role in this exciting and rewarding project, that will help support the needs of many young people. It has been rewarding to bring together people in our diverse colleges, for a good cause. I have also been able to gain a range of skills during my role, which include being a resident poet during the fundraising care cafés.”

Simba, E-Sports student: “I am thoroughly enjoying my role in making a difference to the lives of young people who have care needs. Learning about the experiences of those in care and their needs, makes me appreciate what I have in my life. I am learning so much in my role and I am excited to be involved in more activities.”

The care packs have been designed with different age groups in mind and are thoughtfully curated to support children and young people who are in foster care (sometimes at short notice). The donations will be circulated to the local care agency.

In attendance at the BMet event from Barnardo’s were Steven Howell, Assistant Head of Care Pathways – Quality and Operations, Kate Lou Barnard, a Youth Support Worker at Barnardo’s and Amanda Clarke, Operations Manager for Barnardo’s. Tom Rowley, Senior Social Worker at the Children’s Family Trust also joined the special occasion.

Here is what they had to say:

Steven Howell: “It has been really rewarding for Barnardo’s to work together with BMet, a like-minded organisation, to provide care needs to the children and young people who need us most.

The students have been very inspiring, in devising such innovative ways to reach people who need support and I am grateful to have been invited to attend the impactful gathering at the college.”

Amanda Clarke: “Coming here today, has had a huge impact on me and sometimes it takes just a few people to come together to create initiatives, that can change the lives of many people in need. The students are huge role models in their college and to the community at large. Like everyone else involved in the collective efforts to make a difference to people with care needs, I am looking forward to working on more collaborative future activities.”

Katie Lou Barnard: “It is great to have the opportunity to find out about work that organisations are doing around the UK to offer support to young people who need additional support. I have very much enjoyed meeting the students today, who have selflessly put together activities, in their own unique ways. It is all about cohesive partnerships working together for good.”

Tom Rowley: “At the Children’s Family Trust, we are so proud and appreciative of the hard work, creativity and resilience of the students to make a difference to young people in care. Any way we can work with like-minded organisations like BMet to create new initiatives, is always welcomed. It was so rewarding to meet the students and staff at the college today, whose voluntary fundraising activities are going from strength to strength.”

Following the rewarding and successful charitable partnerships, BMet plans to work further with likeminded organisations like Barnardo’s and the Children’s Family Trust, to make a difference to the lives of young people.

To find out more about BMet’s Youth Social Action Project or to support future initiatives, visit bmet.ac.uk or contact Kay Burton-Williams at kay.burton-williams@bmet.ac.uk.