Starting Blocks
‘The programme has played a significant role in helping local employers to see the importance of growing these young people as valuable members of the local workforce. ’
Eoin Rush — Assistant Director, Children and Families, City of York Council
This award-winning programme provides supported work placements and skills workshops for care leavers aged 16-18.
16% of 16-18 year olds leaving care are unable to find work, compared to the national average of 7% of school leavers. These young people desperately need the practical skills that business volunteers can teach them.
Get involved!
To find out more about how your organisation can get involved in Starting Blocks — or anything else about York Cares — just contact our dedicated team, based at the University of York. We would love to hear from you.
Call us ...
01904 323482
What they say
'York Cares facilitate the whole process.' » Show
'It was a rewarding experience and although we won’t know immediately of the benefits for these young people, we have opened up an insight for them to reflect on, as they put themselves forward for employment. Young people are our future and I would encourage all businesses in our City to contact York Cares, to find out just how easy it is to make a difference to some of our young underprivileged citizens. It certainly is not too onerous to become involved as York Cares facilitate the whole process.'
Steve Hughes — York Evening Press
- You can join us
- York Cares makes volunteering easy for organisations of all sizes with a flexible, reliable and high-profile framework.
- Read more ...
- Click here to download a pdf of our brochure, which explains more about what we do — and feel free to pass it on to your friends!
- York Children's University
- Your volunteers can help disadvantaged children from York primary schools learn key life skills such as finance or cookery — or you can deliver your own sponsored programme.
- Young York Cares
- Your volunteers can help us to engage over 1000 young people each year from schools, further and higher education in inspirational community projects around York.
- Community Volunteering
- We also design and manage an annual calendar of one-off, weekly and seasonal volunteering opportunities: we aim to offer every business in York the opportunity to volunteer on their own terms.