In 2018, Drive Forward Foundation (DFF) and Camden Council joined forces to support care-experienced young people in the borough.

Building on the success of initiatives such as the Civil Service Care Leavers Internship Scheme and the Government’s Kickstart Scheme during COVID-19, Camden Council took a bold step in 2023 by launching six paid 18-month internships exclusively for care leavers. These internships, spanning various departments, including strategy, HR, refugee support, and HS2, have demonstrated how hiring individuals with lived experience can offer invaluable insights and significant benefits to the council. 

This programme marks a major milestone in Camden’s journey to create more equitable opportunities for care leavers. It’s a blueprint for how local governments can harness the potential of care-experienced young people to create meaningful, transformative careers. And we’re only just getting started. We hope this initiative will inspire other organisations across London to follow suit, offering similar pathways for care leavers to thrive.

Creating the Camden Council Internship Scheme

DFF’s collaboration with the Department for Education began in 2016, launching an internship programme for care leavers that offered paid entry-level roles, similar to fixed-term appointments, without requiring formal qualifications. One of our young people participated in the inaugural cohort, which eventually led to the highly successful Civil Service Care Leavers Internship Scheme. Today, this initiative offers ring-fenced opportunities for care-experienced young people across the UK, with DFF supporting 50 individuals in the programme annually. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, care-experienced young people were particularly impacted by social isolation and limited access to employment. In response, the Government introduced the Kickstart Scheme in 2020, creating six-month entry-level roles paid at the London living wage, with no prior qualifications required. Camden Council was one of the first London boroughs to engage with the Kickstart Scheme, and three DFF young people gained placements within Camden Council departments, including Children’s Services and Special Educational Needs. Two of these participants transitioned into permanent contracts. 

Building on these successes, Camden Council recognised the potential to create its own dedicated programme. This new initiative leverages these proven models, offering targeted opportunities for care-experienced young people. Camden Council’s role as a corporate parent means it has a unique responsibility to care leavers, and through this internship programme, it is actively investing in their growth and development.

Rose’s role spans two teams: the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion team, and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. This variety of experiences, she explains, has been a “game changer” for her. 

“It’s helped me figure out what I want to do and what areas I want to grow in. Right now, I feel like the world is my oyster. I just want to keep trying new things and finding my niche.”

Jamieleigh is a former intern who now holds a permanent position as Operations Coordinator with Camden Council.

The Road Ahead

As Camden Council’s Care Leavers Internship gains momentum, the hope is that other boroughs will take notice. 

“I’m impressed by Camden Council’s commitment, and we’ve all learnt a lot from this pilot project for next time,” says Felix Fry. “It would be great to see other boroughs follow Camden’s example. There’s no doubt in my mind that, with Drive Forward Foundation’s support and a proactive commitment to diversity and inclusion, other London boroughs could replicate Camden’s success.” 

The Camden Council Care Leavers Internship is not just another programme – it’s a roadmap for how local governments can offer real opportunities to those who need them most. As Camden Council looks to refine and expand this initiative, we hope more organisations will join this movement, creating a level playing field for care-experienced young people to build their futures. 

Interested in replicating this initiative? Contact Drive Forward’s Head of Partnerships, Anita Ribeiro, at anita@driveforwardfoundation.org.