Children's social care and Motiv8 host summer BBQ to bring young people together

Callum Murphy

Senior Campaign and Events Officer

General News

29 July 2025

A vibrant community BBQ hosted by Portsmouth City Council and Motiv8 brought together 25 young people at the Canoe Lake in Southsea for an afternoon of food, fun and friendship.

The event aimed to reconnect old friends and spark new relationships among young people from across the city.

Motiv8, who co-organised the event, is a group set up to create safer communities, where young people feel heard, use their voice and develop new skills through different opportunities.

Hollie Ryan, youth voice, influence and participation lead at Motiv8 said:

"This event was a valuable opportunity for young people to come together, enjoy games, and reconnect with friends during the summer months. It highlights how local organisations, and the council can work in partnership to create meaningful experiences.

"The hope is that the event will continue to grow each year, supporting more care-experienced young people cross Portsmouth and surrounding areas. Young people have told us they would like more social events like this, giving them the chance to connect with each other, share challenges and offer mutual support’’

Motiv8 provided the equipment, while Portsmouth City Council’s children’s social care team supplied food and refreshments.

Sam Mitchell, team leader at Portsmouth City Council said:

"We were thrilled to be able to offer this event to our young people as an opportunity to catch up and have fun at the same time. Our young people loved the event to the point where we didn't leave until 6pm!

"Friendships are an important part of growing up, providing chances for young people to form connections that can last a lifetime. Strong relationships are known to improve life chances and resilience, strengthening communities in the process."

Young people were able to play giant Jenga, tennis and football during the BBQ.

Sam Bushby, deputy director at Portsmouth City Council said:

"A huge thank you to everyone who was involved in organising the summer BBQ which was a great afternoon, in a beautiful setting, and enabled young people to come together and have fun in a safe environment."

With plans to celebrate the achievements of care-experienced young people in October at Spinnaker Tower as part of National Care Leavers Month, Portsmouth leads the way in supporting their young people.

If you are an experienced social worker looking to take your career to the next level, view vacancies in children's social care today!