Legal News

York Council’s Children in Council Care project “Show Me That I Matter” (SMTIM) has won a national award.

The project was created in partnership with Inspired Youth and was launched in September 2016. It aims to raise aspirations for young people in care and care leavers and is designed to inspire care-experienced young people by sharing care leavers’ stories and presenting positive and inspirational role models who have similar life experiences.

Members of “Show Me That I Matter” and Inspired Youth attended the National Care Leavers Benchmarking Forum hosted by Catch 22 at Chelsea Football Ground on 28 October, where the Aspire to More Project was nominated for two awards: Best Pitch and Poster Award, and the Best Local Authority Project.

The Aspire to More project won Best Pitch and Poster and was one of three projects to be short-listed for Best Local Authority Project.

Co-chair of “Show Me That I Matter”, Amy Mook, and Inspired Youth director Kev Curran delivered a talk on the day promoting the Aspire to More project and the importance of role models, in an attempt to inspire other care-experienced individuals to come forward and share their experiences on the Aspire to More page.

Amy Mook said:

“Our speeches received a large amount of feedback from the audience – delegates told us they were deeply moved and inspired about the Aspire to More project and the importance of positive role models.

“Both events were phenomenal experiences, as they allowed the Aspire To More project to reach out on a national level, in an attempt to make every child and young person in care realise their true potential – and for large organisations to take notice and question their practises.

“We met lots of other care leavers, who we hope will share their stories on the Aspire To More webpage.

“Overall, the two events have consolidated ‘Show Me That I Matter’s’ determination that the project must continue to develop and be promoted, to show the current generation in care that success is a choice they can make.”

York Council’s Executive Member for Education, Children and Young People, Councillor Stuart Rawlings, added:

“I’ve seen the power of this campaign and how it is helping build the aspirations of children in care in York.

“I’m therefore delighted that SMTIM is now getting the national recognition it deserves by winning this award – and by being invited to present to two national conferences.

“I want to congratulate them on their achievements and wish them continued success.”

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