Care Leaver Covenant
Identity Studio has been working with the Care Leaver Covenant since its inception in 2016, and we've been there throughout to help develop the entire project. With a constantly evolving website at its heart, we have been involved in various event launches, support material and social media demands. The Covenant is always evolving to meet the needs of its users.
In July 2016, the Government published ‘Keep on Caring’ to support young people from care to independence. A key policy commitment in the paper is a strategic pledge to introduce a Care Leaver Covenant.
Working closely with Spectra First Ltd, who was awarded the job of creating and managing the project, Identity Studio has been involved throughout initial branding concepts to tone of voice copywriting decisions. Helping determine how the information was to be presented to the care leavers and support workers, and also the hundreds of organisations now involved in the Care Leaver Charter.
Project Details
Client: Spectra First Ltd
Skills: Copywriting, Printed Material, Website Design
Style:
The Evolution
The original Covenant web presence was via a crucially timed, countdown website used to introduce and launch the project to the UK in partnership with Parliament. This was then developed in to a much larger project. However, as the organisation grew and started providing new and expanded services, the website started to become a little cluttered and bloated. So the decision was made to rethink the entire experience.
The core of the project is always to help care-experienced young adults gain independence - be it mentoring, support or access to the hundreds of exclusive opportunities that signatories to the Covenant offer. As the Care Leaver Covenant expands so does the website.
Targeting 'big business'
Hundreds of business, large and small have now signed the 'Employer Charter' including Amazon, PureGym, Sky, the AA and Metro Bank to name but a few. Along with countless educational institutions and charities.
Various support literature has been produced to involve more organisations by explaining the crucial work of the Covenant. From interactive PDFs to videos, and a dedicated website to show the amazing results being achieved. A private, by invitation only, 'dashboard' website was also created to share the ongoing Covenant related stats.
National Care Leavers Month
Originally a week, now an entire month, every November there is a national initiative dedicated to promoting the challenges faced by care leavers. In 2024, the Covenant led a national campaign around the premise of 'Care Leavers Wanted'.
Identity Studio assisted in promoting this campaign through the website, while the message was seen around the country on various billboards and signage. It culminated with the synchronised lighting up of national landmarks, including the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and Blackpool Tower, all illuminated with the signature Care Leaver Covenant blue.
“From the incredibly tight deadlines thrown at Identity Studio initially for the launch of the Care Leaver Covenant, Government set timings needed to be hit precisely, taking the entire project's ethos ethically and visually and into the public domain. Identity Studio did this, and continue to do this, as the project moves from strength to strength.”
Matthew Gordon, Chief Executive at Spectra,
Delivery Partner for the Care Leaver Covenant
