Each year in Northern Ireland, we work in partnership with our local universities to help young people in foster care explore the opportunities that higher education can offer. One of the highlights of this work is our annual university residential, hosted by Ulster University.
While this programme is unique to Northern Ireland, its aim is one shared across the fostering community: raising aspirations, building confidence and helping young people imagine a future filled with possibility.
This year's four-day, three-night residential welcomed 17 young people aged 15–17, giving them a genuine taste of university life. From early morning lectures and budgeting sessions to cooking together, quiz nights and negotiating whose turn it was to wash the dishes, they experienced many of the realities of living away from home while developing valuable life skills along the way.
Throughout the week, participants attended lectures and seminars across a range of subjects, including media and engineering, explored career pathways, developed budgeting skills and delivered presentations about their future ambitions. They also enjoyed sports, bowling and plenty of opportunities to socialise, laugh and build lasting friendships. The residential wasn't simply about preparing for university. It was about developing confidence, independence and resilience in a supportive environment where young people could encourage one another to step outside their comfort zones.
University staff commented on how polite, respectful and engaged the group were throughout the week. As their confidence grew, so did their willingness to take on new challenges, support their peers and celebrate one another's achievements. Watching those friendships develop and seeing young people recognise their own potential was one of the most rewarding aspects of the residential.
A particularly special moment was welcoming back Annie, who attended the residential herself four years ago and has since gone on to university. Returning as a volunteer, she shared her own experiences openly, speaking about both the challenges and rewards of student life. Her honesty, warmth and encouragement made a lasting impression, demonstrating the powerful impact that positive role models with lived experience can have. Programmes like this show what can be achieved when universities, fostering services and dedicated staff work together to create opportunities for young people in care.
Although this residential is delivered exclusively in Northern Ireland, the principles behind it—raising aspirations, building independence and helping young people believe in their future—resonate across the fostering sector. Most importantly, this year's residential belonged to the young people themselves. Their enthusiasm, kindness, determination and willingness to embrace every opportunity made the week an unforgettable success and a reminder of the extraordinary potential that can flourish when the right support is in place.
