My rights, my future, my voice
As part of Devon’s Local Offer to Care Leavers, we want you to be able to get your voice heard, have a say in the services that support you, and to play an active role in your community.
Please read our What is the Local Offer? page before exploring the Local Offer below.
If you don’t know what some of the terms used on this page mean, please check out our handy list of definitions and explanations.
Involve Me guarantees
- We will provide you with a Personal Advisor until at least the age of 21 years.
- We will offer you an extended post 21 service until you are 25 years old.
- We will keep in touch with you both in person and by phone/social media.
- We will help you with your housing, your employment, education and training, your relationships, and your health needs as is set out throughout this offer.
- We will offer you advice and guidance and support with things that matter to you.
- We will work with you to create a co-produced Pathway Plan that helps you to reach your goals and aspirations.
- We will challenge you to be the best you can be because your future is important to you and us.
- We will seek your views and involve you in developing your service. If you would like to be involved in this important work, you can do so through our participation team (Stand Up Speak Up)
- If you need help in getting your voice heard about your individual circumstances, then we will help you to access the NYAS advocacy service.
- You can access Devon County Council’s Participation Team (Stand Up Speak Up) and Avocados Advocacy who run groups, events, and activities throughout the year. They are youth workers who help young people make their voice heard to influence how local services are delivered. They can also support you with lots of different issues and be someone to talk to.
Our full Involve Me offer
We want to ensure that you fully participate in planning for your future and that you understand your rights and entitlements. A big part of this is providing you with a PA and working with you to create a co-produced Pathway Plan, as well as this Offer itself. More information about these details is available on our What is the Local Offer? page.
So that it truly reflects your needs, our Offer has been co-produced with care experienced young people from across Devon. We will continue to listen to your views to make sure the services we provide are what you need. If there is anything specific you would be interested in that is not in this Offer, please speak with your PA.
- Sometimes the experience of being in care or having to move to a new area can result in feelings of isolation or loneliness. Our Stand up Speak up team of participation workers (SUSU) can support you to connect with other care-experienced young people and to attend groups where you will find like-minded people. They offer groups and fun activities for 16-23 year olds who are care-experienced. If you are over 21 you can access similar groups provided by Avocados advocacy.
- You can find out what is happening by contacting participation@devon.gov.uk, following the SUSU Instagram site or speaking with your PA.
- Whether you have had a positive or negative experience of the care system, the SUSU team can support you to have your voice heard and be involved in improvements across social care. The SUSU council is open to any Devon care-experienced young people age 15-23, you can get involved in staff training, interview panels, influencing Corporate Parenting Board decisions and campaigning for change, locally and nationally.
- If you are care-experienced (from any Local Authority), are living in Devon and would like independent advocacy, support or legal advice on a particular issue, Avocados Advocacy can help.
- As a Care leaver you can access advocacy services through NYAS up to the age of 25. This can be done by contacting them directly, with their free phone number 0808 808 1001 or online on their website. You can also get your PA help you. Once they have a referral, they can support you with issues that you may have around housing and education, to name but a few. Their role is to help you have your voice in any conversation that is about you, and they are independent of all other services.