Con_6692 Care Leaver Covenant Extension 22/23

This is an extension to a contract awarded in 2020. At its simplest the Care Leaver Covenant is a promise made by an organisation in the business, public or voluntary sectors to support care leavers aged 16 to 25. That promise is more than easy warm words of a well-meaning support but is a commitment backed up by a specific offer of something the organisation can realistically provide, and which will help care leavers live more independently. Those offers will relate to one or more of the five outcomes and could be in the form of paid apprenticeships or internships and other work-related opportunities, volunteering, mentoring, discounts, financial support and personal and life skills development. Just over 200 organisations have already made a commitment to the Care Leaver Covenant. The reason for the extension is to give the Department time to run a compliant procurement to replace this contract which now ends September 2023. This procurement will be launched imminently.