Closing the Gap - Empower Care Leavers in London

Dear Friend,

Three months. £2,800 invested. 20 young people supported.

Over the past quarter, your generosity to Drive Forward Foundation’s Closing the Gap Fund has supported 20 care-experienced young people to take up work, training and early career opportunities.

This £2,800 was spent on exactly the things that turn an offer into a real start:

• travel to work, training and interviews
• work-appropriate clothing and shoes
• safety gear and uniforms
• lunches during those critical first weeks

These are not luxuries. They are the practical foundations that allow young people to show up, settle in, and stay in work – whilst enjoying the experience!

Why Closing the Gap exists

The Closing the Gap Fund was created in response to a persistent and structural problem faced by care-experienced young people entering work.

For many, the move from benefits into employment comes with a delay of several weeks before their first pay cheque arrives. During this period, essential costs don’t disappear - rent, travel, food as well as travel still need to be covered. Without any savings or family safety nets to fall back on, this gap can derail even the most promising job opportunity.

Closing the Gap exists to bridge that moment.
It ensures that young people are not forced to choose between attending work and meeting their basic needs - and that employment becomes a sustainable step forward.

What this looked like in practice this quarter

Thanks to you, young people were able to:

• accept job offers without worrying about upfront costs
• attend training consistently in the first few weeks of work
• arrive feeling prepared, confident and professional
• focus on learning and performing, rather than surviving

This kind of support is deliberately short-term, targeted and practical - but its impact is long-lasting.

A story from this quarter: Aaron’s first steady job

(Details have been changed to protect privacy.)

Aaron is 21 and joined Drive Forward after leaving care with little formal work experience. He was motivated and capable, but had struggled to stay in work before. “It was always the money side,” he told us. “You’re expected to just manage - but there’s nothing to fall back on.”

With support from his Careers Specialist, Aaron applied for and secured a role in facilities and maintenance with a large employer. He was excited, but the offer came with immediate costs: safety boots, protective clothing, daily travel across London, and long shifts that made a proper lunch essential.

Through the Closing the Gap Fund, Drive Forward covered:

• safety boots and workwear
• travel for his first month
• lunch during long shifts

This support meant Aaron could focus on learning the role, building relationships at work, and settling into a routine.

He’s now several weeks into the job, arriving early, taking pride in his work, and planning ahead. His next goal is saving up for when he finally moves into permanent accommodation.

“This time feels different,” Aaron said recently. “I wasn’t constantly stressed. I could just get on with the job. Thank you.”

The difference your support makes

The Closing the Gap Fund doesn’t add ambition or resilience from young people - they already bring that themselves. What it does is remove unnecessary barriers at the exact moment they matter most.

Every contribution:

• protects job starts
• improves retention
• builds confidence and momentum
• turns opportunity into stability

Thank you for continuing to stand with care-experienced young people as they build their working lives and careers.

With best wishes,

Juno

Director of Fundraising