Young care leavers from across Greater Manchester took to the stage at The Rochdale Pioneers Museum to give a drama performance of how loneliness affects them. The evening of entertainment came at the end of our Youth Co-operative Action project - a pioneering initiative aimed at tackling youth loneliness.

The project

The project, which has been supported by the Co-op Foundation through a £25,000 grant from the #iwill Fund, aims to inspire young people to make a positive impact not only on their community but also on their own wellbeing, with co-operative values right at the heart. You can read more about the project via the link below.

Our Youth Co-operative Action Project

The reality of life in care

A recent government report makes bleak reading for those leaving the care system, with 64% of leaving care services judged by Ofsted to either ‘require improvement’ or rated simply as ‘inadequate’.

Feedback from care leavers also highlighted that isolation and loneliness were huge issues, with the lack of a reliable social network throughout their late teens and early twenties also cited as being particularly problematic. The quote below from one of the young care leavers involved in the project highlights just how tough life in care really is.

Through working co-operatively, they designed a show that featured rap, singing and even a desert island monologue. Above all else, they highlighted the damaging impact that loneliness can have and used their own stories to bring the performance to life.  

The packed crowd was visibly moved and gave a standing ovation at the end of the show – a fitting testament to the hard work that they had put in.

A number of the young care leavers involved also commented on the night about how the project had improved their confidence and that meeting new people had made them feel far more positive about the future.

The future

We want to do more life changing projects like this, but without your support we won't be able to. That's why this Christmas we're asking all our supporters to give what they can as part of our appeal. See more details on how you can get involved by clicking the button below.

More information