Developing traineeships for young people not in education, employment or training (NEET): Executive Summary July 2017

Transcription

1 Developing traineeships for young people not in education, employment or training (NEET): Executive Summary July 2017 learningandwork.org.uk

2 Learning and Work Institute 2017 Published by the Learning and Work Institute 21 De Montfort Street Leicester LE1 7GE Company registration no Charity registration no Learning and Work Institute (L&W) is an independent policy and research organisation dedicated to promoting lifelong learning, full employment and inclusion. We strive for a fair society in which learning and work helps people realise their ambitions and potential throughout life. We do this by researching what works, influencing policy and implementing new ways to improve people s experiences of learning and employment. We believe a better skilled workforce, in better paid jobs, is good for business, good for the economy, and good for society. Follow L&W on This report has been funded by the Department for Education [DfE], but this does not necessarily represent their views.

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Learning and Work Institute (L&W) was commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) to research how the flexibility of the traineeship programme is being tailored to effectively engage and support young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). This executive summary accompanies a full report, which presents the findings of research undertaken between November 2016 and February 2017, a summary of the key findings and a series of case studies. This executive summary will be of interest to providers who are currently delivering traineeships or planning to deliver the programme. For more information about L&W s work on traineeships please contact Nicola Aylward at nicola.aylward@learningandwork.org.uk. 3

4 KEY FINDINGS The main reasons why providers develop traineeships for young people who are NEET are to create pathways into existing apprenticeships, provide additional opportunities for young people, meet identified gaps in local provision and broaden employers recruitment base/support the recruitment of young people from diverse backgrounds. When recruiting young people who are NEET to traineeships, providers experience a number of challenges including lack of awareness of traineeships among this cohort and a degree of reluctance to undertake unpaid work experience. To overcome these challenges providers utilise a range of approaches to recruiting young people who are NEET. Recommendations for practice Providers should: q Develop strong partnerships to encourage referrals from specialist support agencies and intermediaries. q Offer traineeship places to young people who have been unsuccessful in applying for apprenticeships. q Undertake a range of marketing activities to raise awareness of traineeship programmes, including events, posters, newsletters and social media. q Offer financial incentives and rewards. Effective recruitment of young people who are NEET requires clear messaging which highlights that a traineeship can provide a direct pathway to an apprenticeship or employment. In addition, messages should be targeted at particular groups of NEET young people and tailored to their needs. Effective initial assessment, holistic and flexible support, and the creative and engaging delivery of functional skills are all crucial elements of traineeship provision for young people who are NEET. Work preparation training is important in enabling young people who are NEET to develop employability skills and appropriate workplace behaviour. This is often carried out through embedding practical activities throughout the programme. Recommendations for practice Providers should: q Give trainees real responsibility, experience and insight into the world of employment. q Allow a trainee to take on a variety of tasks and develop their responsibilities. q Provide support for trainees throughout their placement. Providers have used a number approaches to maximise the progression of young people who are NEET into apprenticeships and employment 4

5 Recommendations for practice Providers should: q Build sector-specific qualifications or accreditation into their traineeships. q Develop clear long-term pathways. q Provide post-traineeship support. The main challenges experienced by providers in developing traineeships for young people who are NEET include: q Funding the intensive support that young people require. q Convincing partner organisations of the value of a traineeship. q Engaging employers willing to offer work experience placements for young people who are NEET. Conclusions and recommendations One of the key strengths of the traineeship programme is the flexibility afforded to providers and employers to design individual programmes. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of tailored traineeships in providing holistic support to meet the wider needs of young people who are NEET. By developing targeted and effective traineeship programmes, providers are able to create pathways for young people who are NEET to progress into apprenticeships or employment. This not only benefits young people, but also enables employers to broaden their recruitment base and bring a range of untapped talent into their organisations. 5

6 The following recommendations will help providers to develop effective traineeships for young people who are NEET: Development q Organisations that provide specialist support to specific groups of young people who are NEET should consider developing traineeship programmes. The flexibility of the traineeship programme means that providers can offer young people personalised support to progress towards employment, alongside holistic support to address a young person s wider needs. This enables young people who are further from the labour market than others to benefit from integrated support and overcome a range of challenges. q Providers and employers should consider developing traineeship programmes for young people who are NEET to create a clear progression pathway to their existing apprenticeship programmes. This will ensure these young people have the same opportunities to move into an apprenticeship as their peers, as well as creating a diverse talent pipeline for employers. Recruitment q Providers should consider different ways of marketing traineeships, to raise awareness of the programme amongst local young people who are NEET. This may include running and attending events, and using posters, flyers and social media to engage young people. q Providers should consider offering trainees an incentive payment for participating in a traineeship. This can help to motivate trainees and add a sense of value to the programme. q To effectively recruit young people who are NEET, providers should identify local partners who can make referrals and offer support. This might include Jobcentre Plus, or more specialist organisations, such as homeless services, youth offending teams or organisations that offer support to care leavers. q During the recruitment stage, providers should develop tailored messaging, and use a variety of communications methods to effectively target young people who are NEET to participate in their traineeship programme q Marketing and recruitment messages should be focussed around traineeships providing a direct pathway to an apprenticeship or employment, and upon the wider support that individual trainees will receive. q Providers should consider identifying and arranging work experience placements for young people who are NEET either before they begin their traineeship, or during the very early stages. q Providers should ensure young people who have been unsuccessful in applying for their apprenticeship programme can participate in a traineeship and are supported to progress. 6

7 Delivery q Initial assessment of a trainee s holistic needs is crucial if they are going to succeed in their traineeship. The assessment should be undertaken in a supportive and encouraging manner and may involve input from other services and professionals who know the young person. It is important that the outcome of the assessment shapes the delivery model and the support offered to a trainee. q To achieve positive traineeship outcomes for young people who are NEET, providers should develop personalised programmes that address individual needs. The support model should be holistic and tailored to their needs. q Providers should consider assigning each trainee one named member of staff. This person should provide continuity of support and be able to address any concerns or problems that arise. q One-to-one and mentor support is important in enabling trainees to talk openly about any concerns or problems that they would not wish to talk about in a group setting. q Providers should ensure that functional skills training is delivered in flexible and creative ways, and that it is engaging and relevant to young people s lives and employment goals. This could be through contextualised activities or delivery in the workplace. q Trainees should receive support during work experience placements. This support should be balanced with opportunities for young people to be autonomous, try new roles, take on responsibilities and gain real insight into the world of work. q Providers should explore the support which can be offered to both the trainee and the employer during the work experience placement to ensure it runs smoothly for all parties. Progression q To enhance progression opportunities for young people who are NEET, providers should consider building sector-specific qualifications or accreditation and employability training tailored to the needs of both the young person and the employer into their traineeship model. q Providers should consider developing a post-traineeship offer for trainees who complete the programme. This could support trainees in sustaining any apprenticeship or employment outcome, as well as those who don t immediately secure a positive outcome. 7

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