Celebrating Care Day at the HUB for SUCCESS

A project which increases the educational opportunities open to people who have spent time in care is holding a drop-in event for visitors to mark Care Day 2020.

The HUB for SUCCESS is hosting a drop-in session on Friday 21 February. The Open University in Scotland is one of the HUB's partners and has more than 100 students declaring care experience.   

The HUB for SUCCESS (Support for University and College for Care Experienced in South-East Scotland) project was launched in late 2018, to try to counter the trend of care experienced young people leaving school at the minimum age, and only a very low proportion going directly from school to higher education.
 
The HUB provides individual information and advice on education opportunities, study pathways, accommodation and finance, both on a drop-in basis and by making home/campus visits. Since its launch, the HUB has provided one-to-one support to more than 140 people. 
 
For Care Day 2020, HUB manager Lorraine Moore is hosting a drop-in event for those with care experience, their supporters and project partners, to highlight its success in helping people get into, stay in and return to education. Lorraine said:

“On Care Day 2020, everyone is welcome to drop in and hear about our amazing care experienced community.
 
“Whether you are care experienced or someone who is interested in finding out more, we want to bring together learners, partners and collaborators to share what is on offer.
 
“It will be a celebratory event which promotes networking and positive conversations underlining the message that there has never been a better time to study if you are care experienced.”

Last October, Deputy First Minister John Swinney visited the HUB to meet young people who had benefited from the project, including a teenager in foster care who was planning to study at university and others who had already entered further and higher education. He said:

“We want to make it easier for people to move into further or higher education, no matter their age, and services like HUB for SUCCESS have a vital role in this.”
 
Who Cares? Scotland, Barnardo’s, Skills Development Scotland and Action for Children are among the organisations taking part in the Care Day drop-in event. 
 
The event will take place on Friday 21 February 2020, 11am-1pm, at The HUB for SUCESS, City of Edinburgh Council, 249 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1PN. Food and refreshments will be available. 

The HUB's partners are The Open University in Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University, the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh College, Newbattle Abbey College and the City of Edinburgh Council.

As proud corporate parents the OU in Scotland has a Corporate Parenting Plan. More info at www.open.ac.uk/scotland/study/care-experienced.