Passport Campaign

As part of our Queens Young Leaders funding and in partnership with NYAS, Voices From Care Cymru has launched a call for:

All young people leaving care with a valid adult passport”

From the Advice & Support work at VFCC and NYAS Cymru, young people have told us of the challenges in applying for a passport once they have left local authority care. Getting hold of their birth certificates, previous addresses, complicated forms and cost being the most frequent difficulties.

 

 

These are some of the answers our young people gave when we asked:

What is the best opportunity a passport has or could give you?”

 “Travel opens your eyes to new experiences… and those experiences are invaluable”

“Socialise with friends”

“Proof of eligibility to work in the UK”

“Housing”

A passport is the most widely accepted form of identification to prove you have the right to live and working in the UK. To access higher education, to set up a bank account and to broaden horizons by travel.

Our call was launch during Care Leaver’s week 2017, with VFCC holding three events across wales.

At the events, we discussed the experiences of young people, the links to their identity, the barriers to getting a passport and all the benefits of having a passport!

We developed a video for the event that can be found here.

 

We provided every one with a Task Card that they could use to drive the cause forward.

         

 

 

We are currently gathering evidence on this cause, which includes talking to young people, developing case studies and a survey to social services. We aim to work toward a round table event later in the year for discussion on moving forward with the call.

For more information or to share your views please email Rachael@vfcc.org.uk


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