Agenda item

7.1  Jane Bailey, assistant director ;11-19 services and youth, presented the report circulated with the papers entitled: ‘Overview of provision of education, training and apprenticeships for 14-19 year olds’.

7.2  The assistant director spoke about plans for young people at 14 onwards where school was not enough. There would be a number of opportunities to learn hair dressing, plumbing and car maintenance from September. Southwark council has also been trail blazing apprenticeships.

7.3  The provision of education, training and apprenticeships for 14 to 19 year olds was coordinated by the Southwark 14-19 Partnership. The partnership was made up of the local authority, all secondary schools, academies, Southwark College and work based learning providers. It was a sub group of the Children’s Trust and progress was regularly reported to the full trust.

7.4  Southwark was commissioning small voluntary providers to work with young people on the edge of the formal offer to do softer activities so that young people got work ready. Young people got a small activity allowance for attending; this was not bigger than the EMA allowance they got for attending college.

7.5  Members raised concerns that every young person was followed up and that the service was linked in with the benefit office, for example. The assistant director commented that if a young person did not tell their education provider their plans it could take time to link to the Connexions service. There were links between Connexions and job centre plus and there had been some moves to identify more young people through the benefit service and the council was working on this.

7.6  A member asked what leverage Southwark had to ensure a broad offer? The assistant director explained that the council had a role in the commissioning process; this was more of an encouraging and cajoling role. There were good relationships and Southwark was able to influence provision.