The core aims of this project, namely to increase Post 16 participation rates and to reduce the number of young people not in training, education or employment (NEET), support strategies and targets identified by the Government and local organisations responsible for education and training.
The Learning and Skills Council (North) Annual Plan 2005-6 includes within its priorities the need to both improve retention, achievement and progression for young people and the need to reduce the number of young people not in training, education or employment.
The Haringey Council's Children and Young Peoples Plan 2006-9 recognises these aims as a key priority. Whilst noting significant improvements in achievement, retention and training in recent years continued progress and new approaches to working with young people likely to become at risk are essential. The report states that the number of young people falling into the NEET category has reduced to 13.9%, a considerable improvement, it is still a long way from the national target of 8.6%.
The implications of these percentages become a stark reality when converted to numbers. The number of young people in the NEET category, aged 16-18 was 598 in Nov 2005 and this number increases as young people leave compulsory education each year. It is a large and significant number of young people in a small Borough such as Haringey. As a local strategy group stated in a report, Worklessness in Haringey, “High levels of worklessness within Haringey brings a cost to the borough, resulting in a weaker economy, high levels of ill-health, crime, substance abuse, low levels of attainment at school, and family breakdown leading to higher demands for social housing and social service support.”
A possible intervention strategy suggested in the report was a collaborative approach between schools, LEA, Connexions, HEBP and employers - the basis of this submission
As illustrated above many organisations and professionals are current working on these aims, this project seeks to add a new dimension to the task by directly involving young and successful young business people in mentoring and supporting identified students who are at risk. These young business people know the ‘Keys to Success' they can highlight how to succeed and act as excellent role models.
2. Aims and Objectives
Keys to Success will aim:
- To develop mutually beneficial partnerships between young people, parents, schools, business and the wider community,
- To provide enhanced support for a group of young people who are underachieving and at risk.
Specific Objectives include:
- To engage, through mentoring and careers planning strategies, with nominated students in Year 11 who are at risk of exclusion and/ or at risk of NEET post 16
- To appoint ‘Business Associates' (young business people from the local community) to act as mentors and role models to the target group. It is recognised that business some business people will have difficulty in meeting a weekly commitment. To overcome this problem ‘reserve mentors' will be recruited to cover unforeseen circumstances.
- To develop and deliver alternative careers education and vocational opportunities that will engage and seek to improve motivation to learn throughout Year 11
- To provide personal development opportunities within the mentoring programme.
- To work closely with nominated schools throughout the duration of programme
- To track and support the students into EET post 16 in Sept 2007 eg training, modern apprenticeship, college etc.
- To provide MI to evidence the number of participants engaged in EET from the programme
- To provide MI that will enable Connexions to update the EET destination of participants on our database
- To monitor and evaluate the project
3. Project Schools: Alexandra Park, Gladesmore and Park View Academy
4. No of students: 20, Year 11 students per school, mixed gender.
Target group, mixed gender, will be young people identified by the school as ‘at risk of underachieving and falling into the NEET category. The School will need to provide data/evidence to support their student nominations.
It is recommended that the young people most likely to be influenced/benefit from the Keys to Success project are neither the academically successful nor the totally disaffected, but an in-between group of students. Students who, with the right kind of intervention at the right time, could change their motivation and raise their level of achievement and interest in further education and training. Keys to Success will focus available resources on the specific needs of these students. Young people with major social and educational problems are already supported by organisations with the necessary specialist training and funding.
The HEBP and recruited employers have to ensure that the scheme utilises their particular skills and abilities in a range of strategies that meet individual employer, school and student needs.
5. Main Project Activities
The project will include the following main students activities:
- weekly mentoring sessions for each student (20 – 30 minutes) by a Business Associate, working to agreed goals and targets
- visits to local businesses and colleges to prepare for transition and promote retention
- training sessions focussing on college/job application, search and interview skills
Key organisational activities to include:
- establish clearly defined criteria for ‘underachievement' and selection onto the scheme,
- develop, with Business Associates /mentors, strategies for supporting the young people,
- ensure that support programmes fully utilise the skills of businesses and the ‘mentors',
- organise a structured scheme with clearly defined activities, goals and targets,
- organise training and support mechanisms for ‘mentors' involved in the scheme,
- monitor and record project outcomes.
