By Jacqui Scott, HIWCF CEO
In a recent article for Philanthropy Impact, Andrew Robinson of CCLA Investment Management – one of our funders – made a compelling case for a different way of thinking about philanthropy. Rather than chasing quick wins or measuring success solely through numbers, he argues that meaningful change happens through trust, collaboration and sustained investment in people and communities over time.
That resonates with me because over the past two years, we have had the privilege of managing funding through the UKCF Care Leavers Programme, supporting young people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight as they make one of life’s most challenging transitions – moving from being “looked after” by the state into independent adulthood.
The programme has taught us many things so far, but perhaps the most important is this: the need for support does not stop when a young person becomes an “adult”.
For most of us, adulthood is not a single moment, it’s a gradual and sometimes messy process. Young adults often rely on parents, grandparents and wider family networks for advice, encouragement and all the usual practical support long after they reach adulthood. Whether it’s borrowing money for a rental deposit, asking for help on understanding bills, moving house, or simply having someone to call after a difficult day, those informal support systems are something many of us are able to take for granted.
For care leavers, that safety net often doesn’t exist. During an episode of our Community Lens podcast, I spoke with Liz Hubbuck, Youth Engagement Manager at the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, who has lived experience of the care system. One comment really stayed with me from that conversation – she described leaving care with “all the adversity from childhood packed into your suitcase” but without the guidance, reassurance or fallback that many young adults have. She talked about making difficult decisions without anyone around her to ask for advice, and how those experiences continue to shape her life decades later.
Through HIWCF’s Care Leavers Programme we have seen this reality first-hand and some of the support we fund is wonderfully ordinary: a laptop to begin university, carpets for a first flat, travel costs to attend work, a washing machine. So far during 2026, we have awarded 55 grants to young care leavers worth just over £30,000 with one grantee saying the grant “Helped me get employment, having something to do with my life other than sitting at home”. Individually, these may seem like small interventions but together, they represent something much bigger – it’s the difference between just coping and thriving.
And as Andrew says in his article – the most meaningful outcomes are often the hardest to measure. Confidence. Trust. Resilience. Hope. They rarely fit neatly into a spreadsheet, but they are often the foundations on which everything else is built.
That is why place-based philanthropy matters so much, and Community Foundations are the most uniquely positioned to anchor local authorities, charities, businesses and donors around the shared challenges we see in our communities. And we understand the communities we serve because we work alongside them every day.
Our partnerships with CCLA (and the Local Authority Mutual Investment Trust) and Sovereign Network Group (SNG) have been crucial to the delivery and success of our care leavers funding. Their understanding of the barriers care leavers face – particularly around housing insecurity, social isolation and community integration – combined with expert support from the care leavers team at Hampshire County Council have helped shape the programme.
All the evidence shows that overall care-experienced young people face significantly poorer outcomes in housing, education, employment, mental health and involvement with the criminal justice system. But these should not be seen or accepted as inevitable consequences of being in care.
We know that the funding we are providing is a modest drop in a complex ocean and won’t be a panacea for care experienced young people across Hampshire and the Island. But to paraphrase another charity’s strapline – “helping one young person might not change the world, but surely for that one young person, the world will change forever.”
We look forward to reporting back on the impact of our Care Leavers Programme in 2027.
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