www.londoncouncils.gov.uk

ESF Working Arrangements26 May 2011

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Ensuring successful delivery across clusters

Mary Vine-Morris, Director, London Councils

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Ways of Working

• Not contractual

• Advocating a sensible alliance of partners with a mutual interest – young people who are sustained in learning and progress

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Opportunity to maximise contract performance

• 2 successful contractors in each cluster, 10-100 schools, training providers, colleges…

• An opportunity to compete or collaborate

• Mutual dependency

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Targeting

• ESF provides up to £2,400 per young person in addition to the £2,000 to £5,000 mainstream funding

• A significant investment - must be targeted at the young people who need it most

• Urgency: some of the cohort leave school in a few weeks (destination?)

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Referral

• Which schools, colleges, training providers to approach?

• Which support services to link with to ensure a joined up approach

• Young people must be assessed as eligible (at risk of becoming NEET) by Connexions or an organisation external to the project

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Relationships

• Key strategic relationship with cluster groups

• Key working relationship with individual local authorities and 14-19 partners

• Key operational relationship with education and training providers

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Adding value to institutional responsibilities

Supporting Mainstream

• Programme designed to support young people to stay in mainstream education, training or employment

• Close working - but should not provide an alternative programme to mainstream

• It does not replace existing responsibilities for support – and destination – of young person

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Adding value to institutional responsibilities

Filling Gaps

• Programme should not deliver activities or support that are already being delivered for the young person in the area targeted

• Projects should work closely with the local authority, 14-19 partnership and providers in the area to ensure the programme complements other local provision

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Adding value to institutional responsibilities

One-to-one• Mentors - key to the success of projects

• Must have relevant qualifications in careers advice, guidance or youth work or be supervised by someone who has these

• Should be in contact with the young person from the start of the programme to 26 weeks after the young person has finished the programme – looking for sustained outcome

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Adding value to institutional responsibilities

Employer links

• Address key issues that employers identify as barriers to employing young people

• Focus on supporting young people to access jobs or apprenticeships particularly in London and surrounding areas

• Olympic area project must work with Olympic Borough Host Unit

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Partnership Working with Local Authorities

Jo Baty, Senior Officer 14-19 Commissioning, LB Redbridge

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Facilitating working arrangements (14-19 Partnerships)

14-19 Partnerships well developed with:• Representation from all key local providers;

Schools, Colleges, Connexions, Voluntary Sector, key Local Authority Services (Integrated Youth Support Services, Regeneration, Children Looked After etc.)

• Planning, reporting and accountability for NEET activities/targets has historically 'sat' here, ultimately reporting into Children's Trust Partnership Boards & Local Strategic Partnerships

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Facilitating working arrangements(14-19 Partnerships) cont..

• The landscape may be changing at a local level (Health and Well Being Boards etc.)

but ..

• A huge focus for 14-19 Partnerships and for the wider Local Authority and its partners now is Raising the Participation Age

• NEET (and preventing NEET) will remain high on the agenda

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Knowledge of local need

• Hold much of the data around the pre-NEET cohort, where they are, what programmes best suit them

• Are aware of the sensitivities of previous delivery of ESF and other programmes for pre-NEET

• Can ensure that ESF Contractors are aware of the context within which they are working - what role Connexions play etc.

Local Authorities and their 14-19 Partnerships have a wealth of information around what's needed at a local level; what has been tried and tested; what works locally and what doesn't and:

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Knowledge of local need

• Ensure ESF Contractors do not waste time approaching Schools and other Providers who do not require their services

• Ensure ESF Contractors add value and avoid duplication and above all..

• Ensure the ESF delivery is well communicated, well coordinated and successful in meeting the needs of local providers and young people themselves

Local Authorities and their 14-19 Partnerships also know what is already happening 'on the ground' for the pre-NEET cohort and hence can: