Youth Employment and Training Initiatives meeting (YETI)
Minutes and Actions
Area: (e.g. Stevenage & North Herts)
Date and Time
Present / Alfie Macaree / DWP, StevenageClaire Feenan / Youth Connexions
Corrin Burdis – Chair / Apprenticeship Services Academy (ASA)
Corrina Sims / Youth Connexions, Stevenage Team Leader
Hazel Brown / Youth Connexions Hertfordshire
Helen Pardoe / Youth Connexions
Justin Hessing / Solveway
Katrina Dougherty / North Herts College
Keith Swain / Solveway, Stevenage
Laura Dabner / John Laing Training, Apprenticeship Co-ordinator
Lisa Steeples / YMCA Bedfordshire - Prince's Trust, Stevenage
Mandy Watson / DWP, Letchworth
Matthew Harvey / EYS, Stevenage
Sukhi Gill / SPS Training, Stevenage
Anna Morrison / Beds & Herts Provider Network
Apologies / Emma Clark / Youth Connexions
Aimee Wilson / Seetec
Natalie Arculli / Tchc
Caroline Goodchild / Apprenticeship Services Academy
Anne Ferrari / DWP
Louise Burnage / DWP
Item / Minutes and Actions / Who/when
1 / Minutes of the last meeting (12th June 2014)
Corinna updated that:
NCS in the Autumn half term
18 young people from Stevenage, 12 from North Herts
3 nights Mersey Island residential
There will be another programme in Feb half term. Any young people in under 18 are welcome to attend. This is for those in education/training as well as NEETs
Laura (John Laing) offered that JLT can offer work experience for sales and admin for all ages, including Yr 10s and Yr 11s.
Action: Helen to pass to John McBride to contact Laura
Mandy updated that Eureka are starting a Bedrock course for JCP customers
Letchworth 8th December (20 weeks or more)
Stevenage 25th November (26 weeks or more)
Alfie updated that the Lone Parent event in Stevenage was very successful. Approximately 60 attended to find out about Apprenticeships. 95% were female.
JCP Apprenticeship event in July was successful. Hoping to hold another one in July 2015.
Fresh Horizons was held, was a successful. Not sure if it will be held again in 2015. / Helen P
2 / NEET data
Claire F provided more up to date NEET data
North Herts = 123 16-18 (4.42%) + 43 19 yr olds
This also includes those who are NEET, but have a start date etc.
15 = 16 yr old
40 = 17 yr old
68 = 18 yr old
Vast majority of these have been NEET since July
86 = 0-3 mths
40 = 3mths +
A few are long term, but this is very small.
In terms of what they are looking for, the most popular choices are:
- Building / construction
- Office
- Retail
- Care
- IT
16 yr olds – No particular theme to what they are looking for
17 yr olds – Construction / practical / care / office
Stevenage =
The new Greys Academy Group Dry Walling course in Hitchin although they have to find transport costs into Barking. Supported by CITB.
North Herts College are looking at how the offer can be expanded to offer other elements, not just dry walling.
Stevenage
16-18 available NEETs (slight reduction from last year) = 97
Twice as many boys as girls
11 = 16 yr old
49 = 17 yr old
40 = 18 yr old
19+ = 49
Majority of those looking are under level 2 – looking for level 1
53 are unavailable = 43 unavailable are young parents, pregnant or unable to work due to illness)
JCP 18-24
Overall 18-24 are reducing, it’s the lowest it’s been for 7 years
Action: Alfie to link Work Programme providers to this group
Around 1/3 of 18-24s are work programme returners, generally have quite serious issues. Bedwell Ward tend to have the highest numbers, a lot of the barriers are attitude and the challenge of getting them to ‘want’ to participate in something / look for work. They tend to look at low level positions e.g. warehousing, manufacturing, packaging etc.
The Eureka programme is aimed at Work Programme returners. It is linked with North Herts College for Flexible Support Fund and Adult Skills Budget.
Eureka www.eureka4L.co.uk
/ Alfie
3 / Apprenticeship Week 2015
The ‘digital enabled’ agenda with JCP will influence what they are doing with their client group.
Action: Alfie explained that he thinks the JCPs will focus on registering candidates on AV. He is open to support from providers and would encourage people to contact him.
Mandy explained that there is building work starting at JCP in Letchworth next week to open out the top floor. There will be a couple of computers up there to support Apprenticeship Week activities.
Action: Mandy to keep everyone informed
The event held at Fearnhill was really successful which was aimed at parents.
Corrin explained that there was a high number of young people who did not have a personal email. AM added that the majority apparently use twitter to keep in touch with each other.
Alfie suggested that twitter could be used and focussed on during Apprenticeship Week.
We discussed the different ideas of how to contact target groups. For example:
Parents have email
Young people use twitter, facebook, instagram, vine
AM explained that there will be a guide for Apprenticeship Week created for 2015. It will be circulated to schools and widely across Beds and Herts.
Action: Please notify everyone to please complete the template and plan events/activities as early as possible. / ALL
ALL
4 / Gaps in Provision
Construction / practical
- Roll on / roll off provision
- Something that leads to the CSCS card at the end, current most local offer for CSCS is Southgate House in Stevenage
- Need something local, any kind of transport reduces attendance
- Something that starts fairly short, but can be built into a longer programme. E.g. three months maximum or something like we used to have through pre-e2e
Behaviour/attitude adjustment
- Something like Eureka but for younger 16-18 yr olds
- Motivation / something to encourage them to ‘want’ to participate in studying or finding a job
- Issue would be – how are we going to get them to the provision, 16-18 don’t have the hook of ‘mandated’ provision like JCP do
- Could there be incentives e.g. paid taster vouchers like the £25 + travel used to work
- Could it be frontloaded into the beginning of the provision? E.g. Upside Out where it was embedded within the programme
- The 16-18 group have a lot of anxiety issues and if it’s too overwhelming they cannot make the commitment
Ways to avoid this are not overloading them with papework
- Lisa explained that she is starting a new job in January at Highfield school, supporting those who are struggling to participate – Groundwork, 15-16 yr olds who have no motivation
Mental health issues
- This covers learning difficulties / disabilities as well as anxiety / confidence issues.
Warehouse / forklift
- This is an area that is increasing (logistics) and is missing since Ridgemond closed. Next closest venue is Luton.
- NHC are looking at some wider logistics / international provision
- Typically the jobs will be out of town centre venues, which can also bring an issue in cost of getting to work
Job availability
JCP: Current trends are Care, catering, retail
Apprenticeships: Solveway: 15 in IT trying to fill
JLT: Finance
We are missing the sought/notified data that we used to receive as we are looking at gaps, but we need to look at the gaps in employment.
A lot of vacancies are in Hospitality/Catering
- Hours are long/hard
- Depends on the individual and what they are looking for
- Not seen as sexy
- Too inspired by the television
Katrina (NHC) updated that as part of the estates strategy for NHC, they are looking at hooks into careers and what might be able to be done in Letchworth. Possible links with a celebrity Chef.
English & Maths provision
- Need something local an quick
- Either didn’t do so well in GCSEs or are stuck at level 1 functional skills
- Some are really quite low (E1,2,3), some just missed it (grade D)
- Individuals want ‘just’ English and maths – especially where they can see that it is a requirement for the course e.g. plumbing / electrical entry requirements
- A big issue is finding the tutors to deliver it
- Issue of GCSE examination dates in the summer – it does not fit with roll on/roll off provision
- We need better initial assessment to be able to support the individuals (YCXs and JCP)
Work experience
- Not all schools offer work experience
For those seeking work, work experience is often needed.
5 / What’s Coming Up
Hazel explained that there is already a monthly providers meeting which is a template that gets circulated through the ‘local providers group’
They are also looking at a new shared facebook page (being organised by Keith) and an e-book and e-flyer for provision.
To begin with, this will be a private group and will see how it goes. Alfie explained that JCP are not allowed access to facebook.
Hazel explained that any providers are welcome.
Action: If you would like to attend, please notify Hazel
Next meeting is on the 4th December
The spreadsheet is for staff use only, not for circulation to clients.
It has the name and address of the provider, what they are offering and who the main contacts are.
There are also going to be useful contacts for other agencies.
Action: Alfie to see if he can circulate a list of provision from DPT. / ALL
Alfie
AOB / Princes Trust
The next Princes Trust programme will start at the end of January 2015. Recruitment to the programme may be difficult because of Christmas in the middle.
Any suitable young people, refer through Youth Connexions and JCP
SPS Training
Plenty of provision for 19+ learners and advanced learning loans for L3+. Also offer IAG level 4.
NHC
Lots happening at NHC. Numbers are looking fairly similar to last year. KD is carrying out some economic profiling and looking at the last 3 years and the types of jobs people are going into.
KD said that she is happy to share this with the group.
Action: KD to share with AM who will circulate
JCP
Mandy updated that she has been working in Youth Connexions for 1 day per week which has been successful in signing individuals off. This has worked well for building relationships between JCP and YCXs. There is also a job club on a Friday morning.
Alfie updated that Eureka ran 3 group sessions in Stevenage (10 in each). EYS work out of the JCP office on a Friday.
Alfie shared that the best method they have found is to have a short period of time between referral from JCP and starting the course. EYS are there on a Friday and JCP will introduce the individual to the member of staff from EYS so that the fear is removed
Action: If other providers would like to have a presence at the JCP office, please let him know
Action: Alfie to keep KD informed of the impact of In Town Training being removed from the venue next to the JCP
John Laing Training (JLT)
Laura confirmed that someone from the JLT team are always happy to attend any events or activities. JLT still run the interview / assessment sessions every Wednesday.
JLT have accreditation for recruitment and property sales for new Apprenticeships. This is at level 2 and level 3. Plus finance as a new offer.
JLT have also launched a higher apprenticeship at level 4, working with Sansetsu and Ricoh.
Laura said she might start the e-newsletter again.
EYS
Matt updated that the Study Programme is going well at the moment. It is roll on/roll off and also looking at bringing in a new retail offer for the new year.
EYS have also started offering some security training linked to HS2. This is for 19+ age group and is the Level 2 in door supervision. If they are offered a job then EYS will pay for the full licence.
In the new year will be offering a 12 week employability course with Seetec.
Solveway
Level 3 IT Apprenticeship is going really well. Hoping to produce a level 4 for progression early in 2015. IT User Apprenticeship pilot with Liebherr for internal staff completed a few weeks ago.
IT User Apprenticeship for 16-24 year olds, l2 / l3 in Microsoft office products.
YCXs
Plus 1 (young parents 16-18) is starting in Stevenage this week.
It is a 30 week programme being run from the Ridgemond Training premises (nursery on site). Parents can access Care to Learn for childcare, they achieve a L1 employability and also access work experience. This is a Youth Connexions course.
Apprenticeship Service Academy
Corrin explained about the issue of GCSEs affecting Childcare Apprenticeships. There was a discussion about entry requirements for different programmes and Apprenticeships – there is no blanket approach – it is important that you research it.
ASA are offering Childcare, Health & Social Care and also some pre-apprenticeship programmes through the Children’s Centre which is a level 1 programme. / ALL
Plans for the next meeting:
Time / 10am – 12 noon
Venue / Stevenage JCP
Chair / Vina Patel