Youth Employment and Training Initiatives meeting (YETI)

Welwyn Hatfield & Borehamwood

16.11.2015

Present / Anna Morrison (Chair) / B&HPN
Anne Ferrari / DWP
Chris Boreham / Qube Learning
Colin Marsh / Jobcentre Plus
Kate Morrison / LHAA
Lynda Harwood / Youth Connexions
Rosie.Connor / John Laing Training
Christine Sharman / KEITS Training Services Ltd
Apologies / Karen Cox / Haydon Training
Jackie Eyles / Haydon Training
Item / Minutes and Actions / Who/when
1 / Actions from the last meeting
Since we met, Hatfield has gone live with Universal Credit. We are now moving into tranche 4.
Action: Annie offered to speak to Peter Newman regarding the presentation on UC and the webinar slides for the 30th November.
Numbers on UC are relatively small. On average, 2 – 3 new claims per day are coming in. There will be no changes to couples or families for another 12 – 24 months.
With 16-24, the advantage is that part-time work and short-term contracts are more attractive as they can keep a greater proportion of their UC until they meet the threshold.
With young people going onto an apprenticeship, UC can be used to top up.
A webinar is being organised for providers on 30th November at 3pm specifically to look at the impact of UC on apprentices.
To register please click here
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8866698531921543426
There is also a calculator on the gov.uk website that can help.
https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators
Q. Can individuals ask to be put onto UC early?
A. They would need to sign off of JSA. Then go to gov.uk to the calculator, then speak to a UC work coach. The key message is that it is for those who are in work as well as those out of work.
Q. How do apprenticeships affect Child Tax Credit?
A. If someone is claiming child tax credit for their son/daughter and they then become an apprentice, then the child tax credit will stop.
We discussed the issue of child tax credit affecting apprenticeships Action: Anna to take back to the B&HPN to see if we can get some figures as a network
Q. Is there a concern that employers might catch onto the UC top-up offer and keep salaries low?
A. It’s down to the provider to manage this locally with their employers. / Annie
Anna
2 / JCP 18-24 NEET data
At the moment Hertsmere is around 185 NEETs (18-24). The labour market is buoyant. Hatfield is catching up, a new Wetherspoons has opened in Hatfield, Peacocks. Ocado took on 180.
Hatfield = 185
Borehamwood = 70
St Albans = 75
There is a big mix of need from this group.
University leavers, school leavers, short-term unemployed
Harder to help, lack of education, homeless/hostel, personal barriers
This group are less-likely to go for apprenticeships due to confidence issues, low salary
Even the seasonal jobs are mainly coming through as permanent opportunities so we’re not expecting a jump in figures post-Christmas. The aim is to have at least one employer in the jobcentre each day e.g. Ocado, MacDonalds, Peacocks etc. so that individuals are in front of employers instantly.
There are quite a few traineeships happening through North Herts College and this has gone really well.
Youth Connexions 16-19 NEET data
Lynda updated that NEET figures can look high because of how the data is captured.
Overall for Welwyn Hatfield we’re at 5% = 92
Hertsmere is 4.11% = 85
The approach of ‘go and see the employer now’ is working really well. They’re not panicking about what to wear, how they’re going to get there – it’s working really well.
We discussed how the approach of providers being on-site at the JCP offices could work. Princes Trust do something similar where they come in and engage with individuals who are waiting in the queue – don’t wait for them to come up to the desk.
Action: Annie to liaise with Kate (LHAA) and Rosie (JLT) Chris (Qube) Christine (KEITS) re: a schedule of visits to have desks from January ‘16 onwards to promote traineeships and apprenticeships.
There were lots of ideas about doing something interactive with customers so that it’s not just an information desk. Something a bit different, engaging and fun.
Providers are supplementing the Find an Apprenticeship website with their own websites, Reed, UJM and Get My First Job (which is booking currently). JLT are using Get My First Job. Qube are using Workable.
Providers waste a lot of time:
-  Waiting for the vacancy to go live
-  Re-wording adverts
-  It’s boring for 16 year olds to use
-  It’s not on the home page of gov.uk – you have to search for it
Youth Connexions signpost young people to visit the JCP office.
Action: Annie to identify a Youth Connexions Single Point of Contact (SPOC) within the JCP
In Borehamwood, Lynda is hoping to have provider mornings where providers can come into YCXs and meet with local young people.
Action: Lynda to let B&HPN members know via Anna / Annie
Annie
Lynda/Anna
3 / The future of YETI 2016-2017
Q1 – Current set up?
It’s a useful forum – keep it the same. 3 is fine, but if we were going to increase it then 1 a quarter would be better.
Q2 – Is it the correct membership?
For three meetings per year – it would be better for people to attend regularly. For those of us who cover more than 1 area, we have to attend a lot of meetings. Bigger meetings might be better to join everything up – e.g. Welwyn, Hatfield & Borehamwood could be merged with another area.
Create 3 new areas:
Stevenage and North Herts merge with Welwyn & Hatfield
St Albans, Hemel, Borehamwood and Watford
Waltham Cross & Broxbourne
We feel confident that less meetings will get better attendance.
We could do 1 annual NEET conference for central information and then local areas after that.
Q4 – Challenges
Consistency of attendance. Carry over from actions from meeting to meeting. Action reminder – people need to give updates.
Group needs to remain at 20 or below.
Rotating chair is fine, it just depends on who is hosting etc.
Common agenda works well for consistency.
4 / Gaps in provision
Not ready for work
We discussed not being ready for apprenticeships/traineeships. It doesn’t feel like there is a lack of provision, because there is strong networking and referrals. E.g. Youth Connexions, SPS, Progression 2, Princes Trust etc.
Functional Skills
There is provision available that is non-apprenticeships through Progression 2 in Hatfield and SPS in Borehamwood. Initial assessment and then modular learning which is really flexible.
Action: Anna to introduce Rosie and Kate to Progression 2
Action: Annie to check on English & Maths provision in Borehamwood
Chris explained that they can offer traineeships to support the development of English & maths.
We discussed how a referral could work from for example, John Laing, to Qube, who could then deliver the traineeship and give the learner back to JLT to progress them onto an apprenticeship.
Construction
There is no appropriate provision available in Borehamwood for learners who are interested in Construction.
E.g. JLT deliver Grass Roots at West Ham in London
Harlow College are delivering a course in Stevenage re: CSCS
There is Gas Fitters in Stevenage. But not a ‘try it out’ type thing.
We discussed whether a kind of ‘pop-up’ construction activity might be needed to get people to come along and have a go. This could be led by an employer possibly.
Action: Anna to discuss with James from CITB / GoConstruct
Action: Anna to speak to Groundwork
Hayden Training have been picking up a lot of young people to work on behaviour / life skills / interview etc. / Anna
Annie
Anna
Anna
5 / NAW 2016
LHAA
LHAA will have a series of open events for students and parents
Action: Kate to submit events to www.bedsandherts.com/naw2016
Qube
Are attending the MK Apprenticeship Show on Mon & Tuesday
Action: If anyone is interested in attending the MK Apprenticeship Show, please see this link www.nationalapprenticeshipshow.org/
John Laing Training
Action: Rosie will confirm the plans for JLT
KEITS
Action: Christine will confirm the plans for KEITS
JCP
Action: Annie will confirm the plans for JCP
Youth Connexions
At the moment, there is group work planned in schools. It might be worth doing something at 96 Shenley Road (community building) within the library, museum service etc. /
Kate
All
Rosie
Christine
Annie

Plans for the next meeting:

Date / Thursday 24th March
Time / 10am – 12noon
Venue / John Laing Training Welwyn
Chair / Annie Ferrari, JCP

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