ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCILCOMMUNITY SERVICES

DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT TEAM

28th May 2012

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT

1. SUMMARY

1.1 This report outlines the proposed action plan for delivering the Scottish Government’s policy Opportunities for All across Argyll and Bute, with its key focus of tackling disengaged/disaffected young people.

This report will also inform DMT of the proposed development for delivering the Argyll 100 Agreement, which aims to secure appropriate Level 2 Modern Apprenticeship opportunities for our unemployed and disaffected young people within local authority departments.

2. RECOMMENDATIONS

2.1 To approve, endorse and support the Argyll 100 Agreement and remit it to the SMT for ratification.

3. BACKGROUND

3.1 OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALLThe focus of Opportunities for All is to improve Argyll and Bute’s young people’s participation in post-16 learning, training or employment through appropriate intervention and support between their 16th and 20th birthdays.

The local authority will deliver this focus by implementing the Scottish Government’s policy Opportunities for All. This policy is committed to offering a place in learning or training for every 16-19 year old who is not currently in employment, education or training.

The estimated size of the 16 – 19 year old Argyll and Bute cohort who are currently not in employment, education or training is 127.

The long term aim is to enable all our young people to access and progress in their learning; be equipped with the skills to participate and

progress into employment; improve their life chances through the provision of

3.2

3.3

learning and training opportunities; and give them access to the personal support they

require to achieve these aims.

PARTICIPATIONA young person is deemed to be participating in Opportunities for All when they are actively engaged with an organisation for the purpose of learning, training or work. Participation will include:

remaining at or returning to school; taking a course of Further or Higher Education; undertaking a National Training Programme –

modern Apprenticeship, Get Ready for Work or Training for Work;

engaging in an Activity Agreement; participating in Community Jobs Scotland participating in provision offered by third Sector

Providers; participating in provision offered by Community

Learning and Development Volunteering Work and some other volunteering

activity; Work Experience Participation in the DWP Single Work Programme Training and support offered by Job Centre plus; and Being employed or self-employed.

TRACKING, MONITORING AND ENGAGEMENTThe Local Authority has signed an agreement with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) that allows both organisations to share data on our young people. SDS is responsible for administering the Data Hub. Each secondary school enters information onto SEEMIS with regards to the proposed destination a young person has indicated on their school leaver form. This information is then uploaded once a month to the Data Hub and matched to the information held by Skills Development Scotland.

The information that is shared between the local authority and SDS includes:

Client’s personal details; Client’s academic achievements; Client’s proposed destination Destination information states whether or not this is

an actual firm offer, a conditional offer or the option the client would like to purse.

The Data Hub allows current data to be shared between partners to allow them to target their support to

those who need it most;

3.4

when they need it most; and in a cohesive and collective manner.

Currently Skills Development Scotland, the Education Department, CLD and the local colleges are all or will shortly be feeding data into the data hub.

The information held on the Data Hub forms the basis of the information that is gathered by SDS on behalf of the Scottish Government and collated in the School Leaver Destination Report in September and March each year.

The Data Hub will allow us to track and monitor young people on a monthly basis, along with the monthly youth unemployment report produced in partnership between SDS and JobCentre Plus. By sharing data and the reports we will have access to far more robust and valid information on individual Argyll and Bute young people and the barriers they face to moving into a positive destination. For example: we will be able to track and monitor Looked After and Accommodated Children (LAAC) as they move from secondary school and progress in their initial destination.

LOCAL AUTHORITY MULTI-AGENCY PARTNERSHIPEducation Services, its schools and partner agencies are now systematically planning transitions for young people leaving post-16 compulsory education. This partnership will be widened to take account of the larger cohort group and the longer time span (16th to 20th birthday).

Partners involved in this multi-agency approach include Education Services, Community Learning and Development (CLD), Skills Development Scotland (SDS), Social Work – Children and Families and Adult Services, local colleges, Job Centre Plus and the third sector.

All partners will work together to ensure sufficient appropriate, high quality learning/training opportunities and support is available across Argyll and Bute.

This partnership working contributes to the Community Planning Partnership’s Single Outcome Agreement for progressing the National Indicator 10 to “increase the proportion of school leavers (from Scottish publicly funded schools) in positive and sustained destinations (FE, HE, employment or training)”.

3.5

3.6

THE ENGAGEMENT MODEL

18 to 24 year oldlong term unemployed –

DWP(WorkProgramme)/JCP in lead –supported by SDS

In school16 years or less-Local Authority,

Education. in lead

supported by SDS

Transition from school16 to 18 year olds

Young people with no positive designations-

SDS in lead

18 to 24 year oldJob seekers; 9 months or less unemployed –

JCP in lead –supported by SDS

In school16 years or less-Local Authority,

Education. in lead

supported by SDS

Transition from school

16 to 18 year oldsYoung people with no positive designations-

SDS in lead

KEY ELEMENTS OF OPPORTUNITES FOR ALL

Employment Modern Apprenticeships - provide young people with

vocational training linked to their employer. Apprentices are supported with training that is appropriate to the level of the job and relates to the industry area. In addition apprentices will develop a range of 'soft skills' including sound communication, teamwork and problem solving skills, and improved numerical and IT skills. In most cases, apprentices work towards SCQF 5 (SVQ Level 2) or above to gain their MA qualification.

Permanent/temporary jobs Argyll 100 Agreement (see below)

Training National Training ProgrammesGet Ready for Work: is a pre-employment course aimed at 16 to 19 years olds that will improve young people’s vocational and core skills, whilst filling knowledge gaps. The programme is aimed at boosting a young person’s overall employability.Get Ready for Work staff work closely with the young person for up to six months. Then, once they feel ready to put what they’ve learnt into practice, they are given a temporary work experience placement with a

business relevant to their interests and skills.– Targeted Pathways

Further Education Non advanced courses up to National Certificate

level delivered within FE Colleges

Higher Education Specific courses delivered within FE Colleges –

Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma

Degree courses delivered within universities

Activity Agreements Individual activities and programmes for those young

people who need additional support to be able to move into a positive destination. Activity Agreements are led by the Local Authority and are delivered by CLD and voluntary sector organisations.

4. THE ARGYLL 100 PROPOSAL

4.1 BACKGROUNDEach September the School Leaver Destination Return (SLDR) is collated by Skills Development Scotland. The return is based on a follow-up of young people who leave school between the 1st of August and the 31st July in each academic year. The data produced in the return is used by the Scottish Government to report against national Indicator 10 – to increase the proportion of school leavers in positive and sustained destinations.

Overall the percentage of leavers entering a positive destination from the Argyll and Bute local authority area 2010/11 cohort is 88.9%, a rise of 2.1% compared to 86.8% in 2009/10. This is the highest level of positive destinations Argyll and Bute has reported since the new School Leaver Destination Report came into being and gave us a ranking of 10th place against the other 32 local authority areas.

The percentage of leavers reported as unemployed and seeking has fallen to its lowest level area at 9.6%, a fall of 1.7% since 2009/10.

The Scottish Government has given each local authority additional funding and resources to develop and support the More Choices, More Chances agenda along with the

4.2

16+ Learning Choices initiative. The Scottish Government monitors the progress that each local authority has made to implementing and developing local policy and practice to move forward these areas of work. In March 2011, Argyll and Bute Council was ranked in 32nd place. We re-examined how we were working both at a strategic and operational level and appointed a Lead Officer to move this agenda forward. At our recent review meeting with the Scottish Government we were told that we had made significant progress and improvements in our work and were now ranked in 16th place and as a low risk authority continuing its improvement.

However the Council should not be complacent about these significant positive changes that have been made. Argyll and Bute still has a core group of unemployed young people who are seeking employment but due to a variety of barriers they are unable to find and sustain a job opportunity. Consistently we have around 100 young people who are unemployed and seeking work and it is this group who we require to focus upon and make a concerted effort with in order to change their negative destination into a positive employment experience.

THE ARGYLL 100 PROPOSAL

Argyll and Bute Council is looking to create work-based opportunities for our young people.

It is proposed that the Council will establish 10 brand new, Level 2 Modern Apprenticeships from August 2012. In doing so, the Council wishes to send out a clear message about its wider corporate commitment to tackle poverty and youth unemployment in our area.

This initiative is built around short-term training placements using the Level 2 Modern Apprenticeship qualification route. Argyll and Bute Council would employ the young people for a period of 9 months. During this period they would embark on a Level 2 Modern Apprenticeship and would be paid a training allowance of £100.27 per week.

The refreshed skills strategy, Skills for Scotland: Accelerating the Recovery and Increasing Sustainable Economic Growth (Oct 2010), makes clear the Scottish Government’s commitment to training and skills and sets out flexible, responsive partnership approach to meeting Scotland’s skills needs at a crucial point in our economic recovery.

To achieve this vision local policy on developing young people’s skills should focus on 4 priority themes:

Empowering People to ensure they have the opportunity to access the right advice, support and opportunities to acquire the skills and attributes to both contribute to, and benefit from, future economic success;

Supporting Employers by better understanding and assessing the skills they need for future success, and ensuring that the supply of skills, training and qualifications is responsive to this;

Simplifying the skills system to ensure that it is more coherent and easy to understand for individuals and employers; and

Strengthening partnership and collective responsibility between public, private and third sectors to help improve skills and the contribution they make towards achieving Scotland’s social and economic aspirations.

Empowering Our Young PeopleLevel 2 Modern Apprenticeships are enhanced supervised training places with a recognised qualification. Ten young people will be given the opportunity to acquire new skills, be motivated and experience the world of work. On successful completion of their Level 2 the young people may wish to progress to the Level 3 qualification, although this would be dependent upon them securing appropriate employment.

These 10 opportunities will keep young people active; provide a qualification and a pathway for progression onto further training, education or full-time work. Participants would also receive job search support delivered in partnership with Skills Development Scotland as they near the end of their apprenticeship programme.

Supporting Our EmployersThis approach to Level 2 Modern Apprenticeships would allow Argyll and Bute Council to consider new opportunities as part of our future workforce planning. The apprenticeships will also create staff opportunities for CPD, in first-line management and supervision.

Simplifying Our Skills SystemAll Level 2 apprentices within the project will be working towards a Modern Apprenticeship qualification. These qualifications will be delivered across a wide range of skills

sectors but will cover the core employability skills our young people need to succeed and flourish in their future careers.

Strengthening Our PartnershipsThe Council is demonstrating a clear sense of direction and leadership by recruiting 10 local young people to complete the Level 2 programme and experience a 9-month period of paid work activity. For the initiative to be successful, all Council departments will need to actively commit to participate in the programme. Each department is asked to identify service areas where young people could be placed that will allow them to experience the relevant sector skills set for a Level 2 qualification.

The Council will also seek to target placements in service areas where some recruitment difficulties have been experienced such as supply and bank janitorial posts and social care posts to maximise the potential for those successfully completing their apprenticeship to gain employment and reduce recruitment risks to the Council.HR will play a pivotal role in the recruitment and placement of young people within the authority and will be instrumental in advising on legal terms and conditions of this unique cohort. Initial discussions have begun with HR who are keen to support this new initiative.

Council staff will supervise and support the young person during their time on the Modern Apprenticeship programme. The estimated cost of the 10 Level 2 apprentices will be approximately £39,000. Skills Development Scotland, Job Centre Plus and external training providers will offer relevant help and support to the young people as they work towards their Level 2 qualification.

There are a number of potential strategic, financial and reputational risks associated with creating and delivering these 10 apprenticeship positions. The risks outlined below will be mitigated by the actions proposed in this paper:

Failure to create adequate new apprenticeship and work based opportunities will have a negative impact on the skills, confidence and well being of our young people in Argyll and Bute.

Failure to link new apprenticeship places with departmental workforce planning and those industries identified as growth sectors in the Economic Development Strategy will reduce the prospects of future full-time employment opportunities.

Failure to grow our own pool of apprentices will have a negative impact on our reputation as a Council and

4.3

in the media.

The Level 2 apprentices will not have a direct commitment to long-term employment at the end of the training. However, they will be offered the opportunity of attending for interview should a vacancy arise within their chosen skill set.

We are proposing to use approximately £40,000 from the ABC Youth Employment budget in order to run Argyll 100 during this current financial year. We would then evaluate the Argyll 100 initiative to see what impact the initiative has had on youth unemployment. If Argyll 100 proves to be successful we would wish to continue with the initiative and would require the local authority to continue to offer support in the future.

To date £125,000 has been allocated to the Youth Employment Initiative in the 2012/13 revenue Budget. If the Argyll 100 proposal is approved, it will achieve part spend in 2012/13, an early request for earmarking the balance into 2013/14 will be made to continue the running and operation of the Argyll 100 initiative.

Once this initial tranche of placement is up and running the Lead Officer: Opportunities for All will then begin to work to secure other partners involvement in the Argyll 100 initiatives.

We believe that additional opportunities may be secured through the following subsequent workstreams within the Argyll 100 initiative:

Extending the initiative to our CPP partners. By using the same model as the local authority we would hope to secure a minimum of 10 placements from the NHS, HIE , Police, Fire and Rescue etc.

A further 10 placements would be sought through HIE Account Managed businesses.

Plus 10 placements through using the Community Benefit Clause when procuring new/additional services.

Placements based on volunteering activity within the 3rd sector in conjunction with AVA.

Argyll and Bute Covenant for Youth

We would like to develop an Argyll and Bute Council accreditation scheme that would acknowledge local employers who have committed to the Argyll 100 initiative and taken on an unemployed young person through this

scheme.

Other local businesses may not be able to actually host a young person on a placement but may still be keen to be involved with Argyll 100. These organisations would be able to contribute to the scheme through the Argyll and Bute Covenant for Youth Employment whereby they could make a donation to the Argyll 100 initiative. In essence this would establish charitable fund contributed to annually and which would be used to fund future apprenticeship placements. For each £4,000 raised we would be able to finance a young person completing a modern apprenticeship at level 2 which may be placed with any Argyll 100 accredited business that is able to support an apprentice placement. In return for the covenanted donations, the business would be able to publicise their affiliation using the scheme logo.

A separate paper will be presented to expand on this initial concept proposal for Council consideration. It is thought to be unique in concept and the Council should seek to maximise the positive exposure of the initiative and if possible lever in some enabling funding from the Scottish Government.

Marketing and PublicityA communication plan will be developed to promote the Argyll 100 initiative across the local authority and with partner agencies. We will require a campaign that raises awareness of this new initiative and that also seeks departmental and business support.

Within the local authority work has already began on a leaflet explaining what Argyll 100 is and what the initiative hopes to achieve. The leaflet will direct staff to an online application form to complete if a department believes that they may have a potential opportunity that would suit a modern apprentice.

Argyll 100 should generate a great deal of positive publicity for the local authority, as we show that we are leading the way and supporting our unemployed young people to secure vocational training via an in-house modern apprenticeship scheme.

The Lead Officer: Opportunities for All will work closely with ABC Communication team to promote and market the Argyll 100 campaign.

4.4

4.5

COLUMBA 1400Columba 1400’s fundamental belief is that all young people, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to maximise their potential, the confidence to seize opportunities and the wisdom to realise the importance of giving back to society. For far too many young people, this is not happening.

Columba 1400 will work with 2 schools in Argyll and Bute to develop the Ambassador Leadership programme. There will be 3 programmes run in each of the schools.

The ABC Youth Employment budget will contribute £30,000 to the programme. Additional costs will be met by Education Services and through Columba 1400.

Ambassador’s Leadership AcademyWorking with school students and teachers, Columba 1400’s programme team supports young people come to a fuller appreciation of their values, qualities and strengths so they can effect changes in their own lives, extend their contribution to the life and ethos of the school and their wider communities.  The programme engages teachers as learners, looking to them to help facilitate young people’s learning as well as providing teachers with opportunities to reflect on and learn from their own experience.

Pupils involved in this programme will be between 12 and 16 years of age and will be accompanied by the teachers who work most closely with them. Pupils will be identified using the Risk Matrix that is completed by Guidance Staff for each school pupil, on SEEMIS. This highlights those young people who have disengaged from learning or face other barriers that may impact on their transition post-16.

At the introductory stages of the programme Columba 1400 and schools develop a shared understanding about the context of the school, its improvement and development goals, aims and aspirations for young people and relate the aims for any programme to these.

At the transition stage of the programme, Columba 1400 maintains an ongoing dialogue with schools to ensure that the programme progresses in line with the set aims and expectations, to provide practical guidance, offer support as needed and to explore learning and experience as it arises.

PROGRESSION ROUTES TO ARGYLL 100Young people who are furthest removed from holding down employment are currently offered one-to-one Trusted

Professional support on the Activity Agreement programme that is hosted by the local authority. An Activity Agreement can last for anything between 6 weeks to a year, dependent upon how far removed and disengaged a young person is.

Once the young people feel more confident in themselves and in their abilities they can then progress to pre-vocational training.

Help Ltd offer a 12-week pre-vocational training programme that assists young people in developing their employability skills and their life skills. Over the course of the project young people work with a variety of community organisations and complete a number of short certificated courses. The Help project is currently only available in Cowal and Bute however the organisation is looking at extending the employment and training project to other areas across Argyll.

From here young people can progress onto the Get Ready for Work programme discussed earlier in this paper. Involvement in GrfW can last for a period of up to 6 months.

On completion of Get Ready for Work the young person could then apply for a place on the Argyll 100 initiative and secure a 9-month placement, putting into practice the employability skills that they have developed through completing some or all of the progression routes outlined here.

By offering clear progression routes and pathways the local authority will be contributing to ensuring that our young people have the skills and beliefs to sustain and remain in a positive destination and move on to secure full-time permanent employment

5.CONCLUSIONThe proposals outlined in this paper will make a difference to our disengaged and unemployed young people here in Argyll and Bute. The local authority will be leading our partner agencies in initiatives that will tackle our hardest to place young people. We will be offering these young people opportunities that will make a difference not only now, when they are aged 16 – 19 years of age, but through giving them the chance to build a firm foundation we will be helping

6.

them to develop life and employability skills. In doing so we will be giving our young people of Argyll and Bute the tools they require to make a difference to their future lifelong employment prospects and allow them to achieve positive and sustained destinations and contribute to their local economy and community.

IMPLICATIONS

Policy: ABC CPP2: We realise our full economic potential with more and better employment opportunities for our people.3: We are better educated, more skilled and more successful, renowned for our research and innovation.4: Our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.8: We have improved the life chances for children, young people and families at risk12: Our people have the skills, attitudes and achievements to succeed throughout their lives.

Financial: Argyll 100:Funding of 10 Modern Apprenticeship places

£100.27 per week per place Level 2 takes 9 months to complete

£39,105.30 plus on costs.

Columba 1400:£30,000 contribution towards the Ambassadors Leadership Academy.

Marketing and Publicity:£2,000 to cover marketing leaflets and posters and the production of Argyll 100 certificates.

Personnel: Argyll 100:Would require help and support from HR with recruitment and placement of young people; and for advice on legal terms and conditions.

Each young person will require a supervisor within the department that they are placed who will offer help and support.The overall operation of the scheme would be carried out by the Lead Officer: Opportunities for All and her central team.

Columba 1400:Will be led by a member of the Quality Improvement Team and supported by specific teaching staff in each of the chosen schools.

Equal Opportunity:

For further information contact: Aileen GoodallLead Officer: Opportunities for All

Telephone 07748584998

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS:Scottish Government Opportunities for All policySchool Leaver Destination Report (Feb 2012) extract

SLDR EXTRACT

Argyll and Bute compared to Scotland (2010/11)

DESTINATIONS BY SCHOOL ARGYLL AND BUTE 2010/11

School

Tot

al

Leav

ers

Hig

her

Ed

uca

tion

Furt

her

Ed

uca

tion

Tra

inin

g

Emp

loym

ent

Vol

un

tary

W

ork

Act

ivit

y A

gree

men

ts

Un

emp

loye

d

Seek

ing

Un

emp

loye

d

Not

See

kin

g

Not

Kn

own

% P

osit

ive

Campbeltown Grammar

84 27.40% 26.20% 2.40% 34.50% 0.00% 0.00% 8.30% 1.20% 0.00% 90.50%

Dunoon Grammar School

185 33.50% 28.60% 4.90% 23.20% 0.00% 0.00% 9.20% 0.00% 0.50% 90.30%

Hermitage Academy

247 43.30% 21.90% 2.80% 17.40% 0.80% 0.40% 13.00% 0.40% 0.00% 86.60%

Islay High School

32 18.80% 9.40% 0.00% 53.10% 0.00% 0.00% 12.50% 6.30% 0.00% 81.30%

Lochgilphead High School

87 36.80% 13.80% 0.00% 42.50% 0.00% 0.00% 6.90% 0.00% 0.00% 93.10%

Oban High School

202 35.10% 16.80% 4.00% 34.20% 0.50% 0.00% 8.90% 0.50% 0.00% 90.60%

Rothesay Academy

83 36.10% 41.00% 3.60% 9.60% 0.00% 0.00% 8.40% 1.20% 0.00% 90.40%

Tarbert Academy

31 38.70% 12.90% 3.20% 38.70% 0.00% 0.00% 6.50% 0.00% 0.00% 93.50%

Tiree High School

9 33.30% 11.10% 0.00% 55.60% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 100.00%

Tobermory High School

25 32.00% 24.00% 0.00% 44.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 100.00%

Argyll & Bute Council

98535.90%

22.60%3.00%

27.80%0.30%

0.10%9.40

%0.60%

0.10%

89.80%