Why I’ve launched a YouTube channel dedicated to sharing my experiences

Hi! My name’s Sophia and I’m a care leaver living in London. Last year I graduated from the University of Oxford and I’m currently studying for a master’s degree at Imperial College Business School. On the first of January this year (2019) I launched a brand new YouTube channel as part of my new year’s resolution to spotlight important issues in the care system – thus, Care Leaver Sophia was born.

I first entered the system as a teenager, so naturally my go-to for any questions or curiosities I had was the internet. As a musician, YouTube was already a really big part of my life so my search for answers started there. However, this search ended abruptly as I couldn’t find any videos talking about the UK foster care system, especially any that focused on the young person’s perspective.

The videos I release on my channel target a whole range of topics which myself and other care leavers struggled with during foster care. My content is primarily aimed at young people in care, however I also try to include information for those who have no experience of the system. Future topics include discussions around foster care in relation to mental health, GCSE’s/A Levels, relationships, money, corruption, and university.

Partnering with IMO is an exciting addition to the channel’s journey and I’m really grateful to have received so much support from the larger care-experienced community, especially via Twitter. All of my videos will be shared on IMO as I publish them, and you can watch the first one here. Keep an eye out for more in the coming weeks. If you’re interested in working together, want to learn more about my channel, or would like to suggest a video topic, you can find me at [email protected] and across social media.

Yesterday I launched ‘Care Leaver Sophia’. ???? I started the channel because when I first went into care, I searched for advice videos online, but found none. I want to show that even though the care system can be really scary, it doesn’t always have to be.https://t.co/b5JuYyOKcT
— Sophia Alexandra Hall (@sophiahallsax) January 2, 2019