An Advantaged Thinking Approach
All young people have the potential to thrive given the right conditions. The Advantaged Thinking approach focuses our collective effort in creating those conditions.
Traditionally, services systems have focused on ‘fixing’ the problem, yet nobody wants to be understood as a problem to be fixed. Advantaged Thinking shifts the narrative in leaving care, challenging deficit-thinking and asking us to do more than addressing immediate needs. This approach requires us to also invest our time and energy into young people’s talents and aspirations.
What is Advantaged Thinking
Watch Colin Falconer, the founder of Advantaged Thinking, discuss the importance of shifting from a deficit-focused model to an Advantaged Thinking approach.
Why Advantaged Thinking?
Advantaged Thinking is about seeing the potential in young people and creating an environment where they can identify their aspirations and access the opportunities, networks and resources for a better future. This approach is woven into every aspect of our work, guiding practitioners in how to effectively coach and support young people towards a sustainable livelihood.
The narrative about young people was predominately negative. Too often, we knew more about what young people couldn’t do than what they could. We talked about the need to help people cope, without always understanding or caring that people also need to thrive.
- Colin Falconer, creator of Advantaged Thinking, Foyer Federation UK
How Advantaged Thinking is Embedded in the Better Futures Service
The Better Futures service is distinct in its commitment to nurturing the talents, aspirations and potential of young people, shifting the focus from immediate needs to long-term, sustainable outcomes. Here’s how this is achieved:
At the heart of the Advantaged Thinking approach is coaching. Rather than ‘managing’ young people, Development Coaches work alongside them, using open-ended questions to help young people explore their goals, aspirations and pathways to success. This strengths-based relationship fosters self-determination and agency.
Better Futures Development Coaches are trained in Advantaged Thinking and use this framework to guide their practice. They recognise young people as the experts of their own lives and support them to take the lead in their journey to independence, helping to identify opportunities, set meaningful goals and access the resources they need.
In addition to Development Coaches, Community Connectors play a crucial role in linking young people to their wider communities. They help build connections between young people and local resources, networks and people who can support their journey, whether through education, employment or community engagement. This holistic approach ensures young people are connected to meaningful, real-world opportunities.
The Better Futures service prioritises holistic planning that goes beyond addressing immediate needs. Development Coaches help young people set goals and develop plans that cover key areas such as education, employment, housing, health, and wellbeing.
Advantaged Thinking is fundamentally person-centred. The service is built on the belief that young people are the experts of their own lives. Through coaching, young people are encouraged to lead their own planning, with support tailored to their individual circumstances and aspirations.
Better Futures actively involves young people with care experience in shaping and evaluating the service. The CREATE Youth Expert Advisory Group (YEAG), made up of care-experienced young people, ensures that services are grounded in the real-world experiences and insights of those they are designed to support.
The Better Futures service is constantly evolving through the collaborative efforts of the Community of Practice (CoP). This network of service providers, government and lived experience advisors works together to share best practices, drive innovation, and ensure that the Advantaged Thinking approach remains central to all service delivery.
Learn more about the Community of Practice
The Better Futures Community of Practice (CoP) unites government, services and lived experience under an Advantaged Thinking approach.
Young people at the centre
Involving young people is at the heart of the Advantaged Thinking approach. People with care experience are the experts. They have unique insights and first-hand knowledge of the system’s policies and practices and understand what it takes to open pathways form care to a good life.
The Better Futures Community of Practice ensures care-experienced young people are central to shaping the service. The Youth Expert Advisory Group (CREATE) are key drivers in how we run CoP activities, training and drive informed policy.
Practice resources
Our suite of resources is designed to equip practitioners with the tools and knowledge necessary to deliver the Better Futures service using an Advantaged Thinking approach.
‘How we involve people’ – Advantaged Thinking services see young people as an opportunity. They believe that the experiences which have challenged young people also offer their own set of insights and qualities that can shape a positive future. Which is why it is essential to involve and support young people in both creating the solutions to their lives and offering their expertise to assist others.
- Colin Falconer