The Mayor of Solihull, Cllr Sardul Marwa MBE JP, celebrated the successes of care-experienced young people at the first summer Barbecue at Hatchford Brook Family Hub in Elmdon.
Last Friday 24 June, the Mayor joined them to enjoy some delicious BBQ food, talk to employment support specialists, and learn new skills like crocheting.
Whilst he was there, the Mayor met with young people from all over Solihull, getting the chance to talk to them about their lives, and how services like the Best Start Family Hubs and Our Voice, Our Services (OVOS) have helped them throughout their time both as children the council care for, and as care-experienced young people starting out in the adult world.
He was also able to speak to the several employment support representatives at the event including West Midlands Police, Birmingham Airport Partnership, and Solihull College & University Centre.
The Mayor of Solihull spoke about the importance of providing care-experienced young people with high-quality employment support:
“It was fantastic to speak to all the young people at the barbecue, as well as the employment support teams.
“It’s vital for us to provide them with accessible next steps towards employment, especially when it might be their first job.
“Learning new skills and getting that valuable experience early on is essential for young people across Solihull.”
Siobhan Beckford, from the Council’s Next Steps Team, spoke warmly about the Barbecue:
“Our first Barbecue was a huge success and is something we want to continue to do annually.
“It’s a great way of bringing people together from all walks of life, celebrating diversity, and sharing their experiences.”
For more information on Family Hubs events this summer, visit https://www.solihull.gov.uk/children-and-families/solihull-family-hubs/hubs-and-activities.
To find out more about OVOS and the work they do, visit https://www.ovossolihull.co.uk.