For Care-Experienced Young People
At Drive Forward Foundation, we support young people with care experience to achieve their full potential through sustainable employment, personal development, and a strong community of peers and professionals.
We believe in turning care into career – empowering you to move from the challenges of the care system into a future defined by independence, opportunity, and success.
If you’ve spent time in foster care, residential care, kinship care, or supported accommodation – or you’re a care leaver – we’re here to help you move forward with confidence.
Who can join Drive Forward Foundation?
If you’re aged 16–26 and have experience of being in care, you’re eligible to join our programmes. You don’t need to have a clear career path or any previous work experience – just the motivation to take your next step.
Our support focuses on helping you build the skills, confidence, and networks you need for a successful future. We offer:
- Employment Programme – Personalised 1:1 career coaching to help you identify goals, apply for jobs, and develop employability skills.
- Corporate Partnerships – Opportunities for work experience, internships, and employment with a wide range of supportive employers across different sectors
- Policy Forum – A platform for care-experienced young people to share their views and influence change in policy and practice across the care and employment sectors.
- Workshops and Events – Regular sessions on interview skills, confidence-building, workplace wellbeing, and other key topics.
All our programmes are designed to help you thrive personally and professionally.
“Care to Career” is more than a slogan – it’s a movement led by Drive Forward Foundation and the young people we support.
It represents our belief that every care-experienced young person deserves the opportunity to build a fulfilling career and independent life. Through our tailored programmes, employer partnerships, and advocacy work, we help you turn your care experience into a source of strength, purpose, and success.
Joining Drive Forward means becoming part of this movement – one that challenges stereotypes, influences change, and proves that care-experienced young people can and do thrive in every sector of society.
No. Many young people start with us unsure about their next step. Your career coach will help you explore your interests, strengths, and values to find a path that’s right for you.
There’s no strict time limit. We’ll support you for as long as you need, whether that’s short-term guidance or ongoing development over several years. Once you join Drive Forward, you become part of our community.
Your Career Specialist is a dedicated professional who works alongside you to help you identify your goals, build skills, and take practical steps towards employment or education. They’ll support you through applications, interviews, and adjusting to work life.
We understand the unique challenges faced by care-experienced young people. Our programmes are designed specifically for you, with staff who have in-depth knowledge of the care system and employers who are committed to creating supportive workplaces. We also believe in your voice — through our Policy Forum, you can directly influence how society understands and supports people with care experience.
You can join by filling out our online referral form or by asking your social worker, personal advisor, or key worker to refer you. Once we receive your referral, a member of our team will contact you to arrange an introductory meeting
Yes. All Drive Forward Foundation services are completely free for care-experienced young people.
Most of our programmes are currently based in London, but we are developing online and regional opportunities. Please get in touch to find out what’s available in your area.
That’s completely fine. You can start by meeting one of our team members for an informal chat to learn more about what we do. There’s no pressure to commit – we’ll help you decide if it’s the right fit.
We understand that circumstances can change. You can choose when to engage and when to take a break. With Drive Forward, you can always pick up where you left off.