A North East charity has scooped a £10,000 grant from The Bernicia Foundation to help young adults transition from care.

The charity, Headliners, will aim to assist 30 care leavers and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through the grant.

The programme equips participants with digital and media skills, helping them develop a portfolio for their Level 1 Open College Network (OCN) London qualification, as well as key skills such as CV writing and interview preparation.

The project targets a support and skills gap, as currently 31 per cent of young individuals departing the care system lack qualifications, and 35 per cent of care leavers aged 19 are not enrolled in education or employed.

The charity's broad partnership network will provide advice to Tyne on Your Side participants, guiding them towards further education, employment, or volunteering opportunities.

Holly Ayrton, Headliners’ charity manager, said: "Young people have told us that they are often disillusioned and suspicious of the 'system'.

"Headliners believes in the importance of young people’s voices and we aim to provide personal support and professional development to allow care leavers to transition to independent living with confidence and hope for the future.

“The Inclusion Grant from The Bernicia Foundation has enabled us to develop a fantastic programme that will give care leavers the means to make good choices in their own lives.”

Headliners will deliver more than 200 sessions to 30 young people in Northumberland and North Tyneside through the programme.

Jenny Allinson, director of The Bernicia Foundation, said: “Young people in care have so much to give to our communities and they deserve the best support to build independent lives as they transition out of the care system.

"I’m so pleased that we can support young people at this crucial time in their lives and I can’t wait to see what they achieve."

The Bernicia Foundation, a charitable trust set up by North East housing association, Bernicia Group, will announce the next round of funding on July 1.

The foundation offers up to £10,000 in Inclusion Grants and up to £1,000 in Inspiration Grants.