FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Stepping Forward is a new and exciting online programme that introduces the performing arts to young people in care aged 13-17, who may be interested in Performing Arts and want to develop communication and creative skills while building their confidence and self-esteem! The programme is an incentivised course, that young people can work through at their own pace (and earn up to £200 into their Child Trust Fund or Junior ISA!)
Young people do not need any prior knowledge in Performing Arts, as it is an ‘introduction to’ but just require an interest to get started and to guide themselves through each stage.
Stepping Forward is for young people aged 13-17 years, who are in care and have been for one year or more. The programme can be accessed from any device you have at home, such as phones, laptops or tablets!
If this is you, you must also be able to sign up with a personal email address (not an email of school/home/key adult). This is so we can contact you directly after you have completed the programme and ensure that you receive your financial rewards!
If you are young person and match the criteria (see question above), you will be able to access the Stepping Forward programme directly. If you haven't already, fill out the registration form on this link > Stepping Forward Registration | The Share Foundation
We could also recommend sharing that you are applying with a key adult such as their Carer, Social Worker or Teacher or Virtual School Adviser so that they can help and support you as you work through the progamme.You can sign up and start Stepping Forward once you have turned 13. You will have until your 18th birthday to complete.
You can not continue with the programme after you have turned 18, so try and get as many stages completed before you turn 18. This makes sure you can benefit from the whole programme, and earn incentives into your Junior ISA or Child Trust Fund!
If you are close to turning 18, and have only just heard about Stepping Forward, don't worry! You may still have time to complete, register and we will be able to accept you onto the programme the next working day. Then you can try to complete as much of the programme as you have time for before your birthday.
Call Josie, the Programme Coordinator between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday on 020 4591 3617 or email steppingforward@sharefound.org if you would like more advice around this.
Stepping Forward is an incentivised online course that you can work through at your own pace, and earn up to £200 into your Child Trust Fund or Junior ISA savings account! The programme is is built up of six stages, each stage containing videos with industry professionals, quiz style questions, space for reflection and the opportunity to practice your own skills in the comfort of your own space.
The later stages of the programme provide the opportunity for you to to look forward and plan for future training and career paths, and explore the possibilities of engaging in Performing Arts in your local area. Each stage that you complete earns you an financial reward and moves you onto the next stage.
Stepping Forward will open the door to many experiences and opportunities across the Performing Arts. The programme can support you to develop communication and creative skills while building your confidence and self-esteem.
Engaging with each stage can support in building transferable skills, knowledge which can support with future careers (not just within the performing arts) and the incentivised learning will help build up your savings account!
We are glad you are interested in continuing to engage with Performing Arts in your local area. We don't currently have a list of organisations that we can signpost you to (but are hoping to build this up).
We would recommend following the advice in Stages 5 and 6 of the programme, speak with your Key Adult and get them to speak to your social worker or teacher from virtual school. They can then work together to find local opportunities for you to engage with and continue building your creativity & skills.
The Stepping Forward programme is free for all young people who are eligible. There is also no cost to the local authority, and is delivered by The Share Foundation who are a charity who support inspiring young people in care.
Stepping Forward recognises that each individual will have their own unique starting point in the performing arts. It is structured to allow you to progress at your own pace. We say that each stage of the programme is around one hour's worth of content, which includes the videos, quizzes and downloadable resources. So to complete the whole programme it would take around six hours, but this can vary from person to person!
Stepping Forward runs a 'Earn as you Learn' incentive. This means for each stage you complete, you earn £25 and for completion of the whole programme you get a bonus £50. So if you complete the programme you can earn a total of £200 into your savings account (Junior ISA or Child Trust Fund)!
If we, The Share Foundation, look after your account already we will donate your rewards directly into your savings. If we do not have your account details we will hold onto your rewards and contact you on the lead up to your 18th birthday. We will then ask you to provide a downloaded bank statement, so that we can then carry out a bank transfer of your total reward amount once you have turned 18.
Any questions around payments, call Josie on 020 4591 3617 (Monday-Friday between 9am-5pm)
That's great! Please search and then open the recording app on your device (see list of app names below), record your voice note then save it to your device. Once you have saved it just use the 'upload' button on reflection question within Stage 4 and 6, find your file and then upload it.
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'Voice Memo' on Apple device (iPhone, iPad or Mac)
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'Sound Recorder' on Windows
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'Recorder' on Google device (Pixel or Chromebook)
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'Voice Recorder' on Samsung device (phone or tablet)
If your device does not already have a voice/sound recorder installed, you can search in your app store.
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There is plenty of support available when completing Stepping Forward.
You could seek support from a key adult in your life, this could be a trusted adult within in your support network.Some examples of key adults may be the people who care for you such as parents/foster parents, family members, carers or support workers.. or it could be someone else you trust like a teacher, social worker, youth mentor or coach.
You can also speak with Josie, the Programme Coordinator, who is more than happy to help and support.
She is available Monday to Friday, between 9am - 5pm. You can contact her on 020 4591 3617 or email her at josie.rylance@sharefound.org
The Share Foundation is a registered charity that is authorised by the Department for Education to set up and manage Junior ISAs for children and young people in care under the age of 18 who do not have a Child Trust Fund, and to manage Child Trust Funds where applicable. It has been running the Department for Education’s savings/investment scheme for Care-Experienced children and young people since 2012. Find out more at The Share Foundation
Stepladder Plus is the first of the Life Skills programme's provided by The Share Foundation, focused on financial education. It's available throughout the UK, and like Stepping Forward provides opportunity to 'earn as you learn'. The aim of Stepladder Plus is to empower young people to take control of their finances, be confident about their future and enhance employability prospects.
It is offered to young people aged 15 to 17 years who have been in care for at least one year. If this is you Stepladder Plus can provide you with training, tools and resources to improve your money-related skills and support your transition into adulthood. It consists of six ‘steps’ incorporating literacy, numeracy, financial capability, financial planning and help with securing education, employment or training.
Sign up here > Stepladder Plus | The Share Foundation
Tring Park School aims to be the pre-eminent centre of excellence for training and educating the next generation of the most versatile performance artists. Offering world-class vocational training in dance, musical theatre, acting and commercial music, the Hertfordshire-based school UK offers a pathway to industry alongside a robust academic provision. Welcoming pupils from 7 to 19 years old, the school aims to provide this unique breadth of education and training to talented young people from all backgrounds and extends its specialist facilities and teaching experience to children and young adults across the wider community. www.tringpark.com
For further information: please contact josie.rylance@sharefound.org