First Move

First Move overview
First Move is a personalised service for young people of 16+ leaving the care system and moving towards independent living. We can provide a fully equipped and furnished flat in the area and community best suited to the young person's needs, or provide comprehensive support without accommodation if appropriate.

Quick Facts
• High quality emotional, social and practical support and accommodation for care leavers aged 16+.
• Guidance and assistance provided in all key life skills, including cooking, cleaning, budgeting, job seeking and networking.
• Keyworker for each client.
• Seven day overnight support available for vulnerable young people.
• Emergency 24 hour support available from experienced outreach workers.
• Programme can operate for as long as a young person needs us.
• "Throughcare" offered for six weeks after placement.

What makes us unique
In addition to providing wide-ranging training and support, covering health and hygiene, cooking and housekeeping, budgeting,tenancy responsibilities, job hunting and claiming benefits, 'First Move' emphasises the development of young people's emotional strengths. In addition, we actively promote community involvement, sexual health, family interaction and the cultivation of friendships.

To this end, we utilise the Life Space Interview, which makes use of a series of momentary, spontaneous life experiences to deliver a level of insight that allows the achievement of long-term therapeutic goals. By being informal, the Life Space Interview allows young people to explore the issues that interest and affect them with an experienced and sympathetic outreach worker. In this way young people are supported in facing the many difficult issues they encounter.

When young people leave us our support does not end with a full stop. Uniquely we provide a six week period of "throughcare" in order to help young people settle in their next home in both a practical and social sense.

The next step
If you have clients who could benefit from the First Move service, please call the Project Manager on: 01923 840219. We will be happy to send you our full brochure, or arrange an appointment so you can learn more about our services firsthand.