Lights, camera, action! Young care leavers from across Greater Manchester come together to tackle youth loneliness

Young care leavers at The Rochdale Pioneers Museum give a drama performance of how loneliness affects them

Young care leavers from across Greater Manchester took to the stage at The Rochdale Pioneers Museum to give a drama performance of how loneliness affects them.

The evening of entertainment came at the end of the Youth Co-operative Action project - a pioneering initiative aimed at tackling youth loneliness.

The project, run by the Co-operative College and supported by the Co-op Foundation through a £25,000 grant from the #iwill Fund, aims to inspire young people to make a positive impact not only on their community but also on their own wellbeing, with co-operative values right at the heart.

A recent government report makes bleak reading for those leaving the care system, with 64% of leaving care services judged by Ofsted to either ‘require improvement’ or rated simply as ‘inadequate’. Feedback from care leavers also highlighted that isolation and loneliness were huge issues, with the lack of a reliable social network throughout their late teens and early twenties also cited as being particularly problematic.

Through working co-operatively, all the young care leavers came together to design a show that featured rap, singing and even a desert island monologue. They highlighted the damaging impact that loneliness can have and used their own stories to bring the performance to life.

The packed crowd was visibly moved and gave a standing ovation at the end of the show – a fitting testament to the hard work that they had put in. A number of the young care leavers involved also commented on the night about how the project had improved their confidence and that meeting new people had made them feel far more positive about the future.

These included; “It’s made me become more confident. The best bit about the project has been meeting new people and gaining more confidence” and “It gives you more confidence and makes you more sociable. People are there to support you and help if you’re feeling a bit down.”

Simon Parkinson, Chief Executive and Principal of the Co-operative College commented; “This is a fantastic project that has made a real difference to those involved and to local communities across Greater Manchester.

"We hope that their inspiring performance will empower other young care leavers to come forward and talk about how loneliness affects them too.”

Many of those involved will now act as mentors for future programmes, ensuring that the project leaves a lasting legacy and a community that young care leavers can turn to for support.

Jim Cooke, Head of the Manchester-based Co-op Foundation - the leading funder of projects tackling youth loneliness in the country - said: “Isolation and loneliness are real issues for many young care leavers. By funding projects such as the Youth Co-operative Action Group, the Co-op Foundation is supporting young people to talk openly about loneliness, often for the first time.

"We’re delighted young people have been able to use creative arts to tell their own stories, breaking down the stigma of loneliness and building their own skills and confidence.”