Businesses pledge support to Swindon’s care-experienced young people

Held at the council-owned STEAM Museum, sponsored by the CCLA (Churches, Charities and Local Authorities) and supported in partnership with the Wiltshire & Swindon Community Foundation, the event brought together employers, voluntary sector partners and public‑sector bodies to hear directly from care‑experienced young people in a safe and supportive environment.

Those attending made a series of pledges designed to provide new skills and opportunities for young people leaving care, including work‑experience placements. In 2025, the Council hosted care‑experienced interns within the organisation as part of its own ongoing commitment to supporting care leavers.

The promises were inspired by the real-life testimony of care‑experienced young people, including Thomas*, who spoke about his experience working at the Solid Ground Coffee trailer, an initiative led by the Council‑backed Youth Justice Service.

Thomas said: “I’ve enjoyed cooking since I was 12, which I then did at college and now here. I like coming to work at Solid Ground Coffee because I get a very good wage and I pick up skills for the future.”

Among the businesses to pledge their support to care‑experienced young people in Swindon was faculties management service Nanogreen. Speaking at the event, Neil Duff, Founder and Director at Nanogreen, said: "We wanted to give something back to Swindon and the community by employing someone who needed it. We don't ask people what their pasts are, but want to know what people can do. We don't do CV's, we do coffee.

"The benefit is unquantifiable for them and employers. Whether care experience. It's irrelevant. It's the benefit and opportunity for them and for us. They can work hard to get back on their feet. No one chooses these circumstances. They want stability but some employers are worried about the risk. But there isn't one.

"We give the work experience for them to get that work and earn an income. The benefit is the opportunity."

Council Leader, Councillor Jim Robbins, said: “Hearing directly from our care‑experienced young people today was incredibly powerful. Their honesty, resilience and ambition should inspire all of us.

“The pledges made by local employers and partners show what is possible when a community comes together with a shared purpose. We all want to ensure every young person has the opportunities they need to build confidence and step into their future with pride.

“As a Council we are committed to giving these young people every opportunity to thrive, and I’m glad that so many of our partners have pledged to do the same.”