Expression of Interest open: Showcase Your Practice at Our Joint National Event This November!

We are excited to announce that the expression of interest form is officially live for the Show and Share slots at our upcoming United for Change for Care Leavers event this November!

Brought to you in partnership by Catch22’s National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum (NLCBF), the Young People’s Benchmarking Forum (YPBMF), The National House Project (NHP), and the Care Leavers National Movement (CLNM), this event offers a powerful day of cross-sector collaboration.

True to our core values, the event has been shaped alongside care experienced people from the very start, ensuring that lived experience is front and centre. It will bring together care experienced young people, local authorities, government, charities, businesses, and representatives from public bodies to:

  • Hear from care experienced young people

  • Share good practice

  • Commit to collective change and action

We are also thrilled to share that the day will be hosted by our fantastic YPBMF Legends, CLNM Representatives, and our special guest co-host—award-winning broadcaster, TV presenter, author, and inspirational speaker, Ashley John-Baptiste.

What is ‘Show and Share’?

The Show and Share session is a festival of ideas and best practice, designed to support care experienced individuals to thrive and achieve in an already challenging world. It is always a hugely popular element of our events, helping individuals and organisations go away with quick wins and big-impact takeaways.

We want our delegates to leave inspired and energised, with a range of concrete ideas on how support and services can change to help young people overcome barriers and adverse experiences.

This year’s format is dynamic and fast-paced:

  • 3 rooms of delegates

  • 3 stages running concurrently

  • 9 short presentations or speeches (10–15 minutes each)

We invite individuals and organisations from across the country to put themselves forward to celebrate and promote the work they are doing to support care experienced individuals.

What Can You Gain From Taking Part?

There are a variety of benefits for both individual care experienced presenters and organisations looking to get involved:

  • A Powerful Platform: A large group of care experienced individuals, professionals, organisations, and businesses will hear about your experiences, ideas, and solutions.

  • National Influence: The opportunity to directly impact and shape services and organisations throughout the country.

  • Collaboration: The potential for individuals and organisations to sign up for your service idea.

  • Funding & Support: The opportunity to hook the interest of partners who can fund or support your service, project, or campaign.

The Decision Process & Key Dates

It is going to be incredibly tough to decide which sessions to showcase this year, but we want to ensure the process is transparent and fair.

Following the application deadline, a panel of care experienced volunteers and professionals will meet to select this year’s lineup. We aim to share decisions early to allow over three months for presenters and organisations to prepare and make travel arrangements.

Bidding Application Deadline – Sunday 26th July at 11:59 PM

Decisions Shared By Friday 7th August

How to Apply

If you have a project, service, or campaign that is making a real difference, we want to hear from you.

📋 Access the Show and Share Expression of Interest Form Here

📋Download Questions for Show and Share Expression of Interest Form

Any questions?

If you have any queries about the application process or the event itself, please contact Nat O’Brien at nat.obrien@catch-22.org.uk.

Read More: United for Change for Care Leavers