Thea Collective Works CIC

08/03/2026

International Women’s Day 💛

At Thea Collective, we always believe in the power of women supporting women.

From the women who show kindness when it’s needed most, to the ones who lift each other up in the most unexpected moments, to the strong mums, friends, mentors and female leaders who lead by example every day.

Supporting women and girls to grow in confidence, opportunity and community is at the heart of everything we do.

And for the little girls watching it all, we hope they grow up knowing they can be loud, take up space, and never dull themselves for anyone.

Happy International Women’s Day!

12/02/2026

When young people leave the care system, they’re often taught how to survive. How to manage a tenancy. How to pay bills. How to get through the week. How not to fall apart.

What they’re rarely given is space to think long term. Space to talk about careers over time. Income progression. What kind of life they actually want to build.

For many, independence at 16 feels like freedom. A fresh start. No more labels. No more being moved from pillar to post.

But realistically independence at 16 doesn’t look like freedom. It looks like lying awake at night worrying about the bills. Opening letters you don’t fully understand. Trying to prove you can cope. Growing up overnight. All while still being a child.

Some young people are told, directly or indirectly, that statistically their future doesn’t look bright. That they are more likely to struggle than succeed. Language like that lands hard.

When you’ve grown up with instability, you’re not naturally thinking five or ten years ahead. You’re thinking about survival.

And when the system only prepares you for survival, survival becomes the ceiling.

That’s the gap The Plan is built around.

Not motivation.
Not “aim higher.”
Not short term fixes.

But structured space to map a future properly. To understand career pathways. To see income as something that grows. To build long term stability deliberately.

Statistics should inform policy. They should never define potential.

More on The Plan very soon!

11/02/2026

In Scotland, fewer than half of care leavers receive aftercare support when leaving care.
At the same time, they’re expected to manage work, money, housing, and adult responsibilities almost immediately.

I’m not sharing this to reduce anyone to a statistic. I’m sharing it because it helps explain why so many transitions feel rushed, fragile, and overwhelming.

This data comes from the The Scottish Government Children’s Social Work Statistics 2023–24, summarised by CELCIS
https://lnkd.in/eSAJFHfX

The issue isn’t ability. It’s timing and support.

10/02/2026

We spend a lot of time talking to care-experienced young people about independence. How to live alone. How to manage a tenancy. How to cope.

We spend far less time helping them think through careers, income, and long-term financial stability.

Independence without secure income isn’t empowering.
It’s stressful.

This isn’t about young people not trying hard enough.
It’s about what the system chooses to prioritise.

09/02/2026

Leaving care is often treated like a single event.
A date on a form. Another meeting. A box ticked.

But work, money, and stability don’t work like that.
They’re built slowly, with trial and error, over years.

That mismatch between how systems operate and how life actually unfolds is where a lot of people fall through the cracks.

It’s also where I’ve spent most of my working life paying attention.

24/01/2026

Thea Collective Works CIC is now live.

We exist to support young people as they navigate the transition into adulthood, particularly in the spaces where independence is assumed, but consistent support is often missing.

Our work is grounded in lived experience and professional practice, with a focus on prevention, stability, and long-term outcomes.

This page will share updates on our work, reflections on transition and independence, and developments as Thea Collective grows.

More information can be found at

Thea Collective supports care-experienced young adults with practical, relational support focusing on real-life challenges like housing, work, and independence, beyond crisis or advice.