Developing successful multi-agency working to create educational opportunities and raise academic aspiration for care experienced young people

Aims of today To know more about the Reaching Wider ‘Diamond Project’ To understand why multi-agency working is important To know how successful multi-agency work can be developed in order to raise academic aspiration for care experienced young people

Reaching Wider Widening Access project Organise events and activities to raise aspiration & raise attainment South West Wales (Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthen, Pembrokeshire) HEFCW funded project

Reaching Wider Priorities Communities First areas – South West Wales Under-represented groups: People from some black and ethnic minority communities People studying through the medium of Welsh People with disabilities People with protected characteristics Groups defined as ‘hard to reach’ Care experienced young people and Care Leavers

Partnership members Careers Wales Carmarthenshire County Council City and County of Swansea Coleg Sir Gâr Gower College Swansea Neath Port Talbot College Group Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council The Open University in Wales Pembrokeshire College Pembrokeshire County Council Swansea University University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Who am I?

Why is it important to raise educational aspiration? Young people and the adults around them 7% ‘GCSE’s are a , not a . ‘ - Sonia Jackson (NNECL conference 2015) Wider benefits of HE Listen

Diamond Project Working with care experienced young people from across South West Wales in years 5 – 13 Raising academic aspiration, confidence and awareness of Higher Education Statistics: Sept 2016 – Nov 2017 84 individual care experienced participants 756 contact hours Training delivered to 178 adults (Foster Carers & Social Workers) 1002 contact hours

Diamond Project University taster days e.g. Creative Writing, Criminology, Engineering, Media, BioScience Residential experiences Individual bespoke academic programmes Foster carer & Social Worker training The Fostering Network collaboration Cross-institution collaboration Young Persons guide to FE & HE guide

Bespoke programmes Meeting with Elwen Evans QC at the College of Law and Criminology, Swansea University 1:1 engagement within the College of Law and Criminology, Swansea University

Activities

Partnerships in multi-agency working Why are strong partnerships so important? Underpins the successfulness of multi-agency working No one person or organisation can provide everything a young person needs Flexibility Resilience 50+ Partnerships developed through the Diamond Project so far

From challenge to Success LACES – From No to Yes Schools – A reward for poor behaviour to university undergraduate Foster Carers – What’s the point? Money, Money, Money! Diamond @3

Key factors to successful multi-agency working Relationships - a key factor to success Communication Embracing different agendas

Feedback “Going to the university has really improved things for me and made me feel that I can have a better future. It has made me feel good about myself. I feel comfortable at the Uni”. KW

Feedback "Feedback from our young people is always positive and the benefits of the experience  are apparent, they always want to go back“ Emma Jones, LACES Swansea

Feedback The child in our care is at present doing his A-levels and has become more and more reluctant to achieve his academic best. We felt our guidance to steer him in the right direction was certainly not enough. He attended a bespoke Applied Medical Science day with Reaching Wider at Swansea University and without any doubt, I can honestly state that this has not only done him the world of good, he returned to us focussed, enthusiastic and more importantly determined to pursue the direction of going to university next year. Foster carer

Every child deserves a champion Rita F Pierson – TED Talk ‘The value and importance of human connection – relationships’ ‘Everyone in this room has been affected by a teacher or an adult’ ‘Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like’ Raise aspiration – not just pupils but teachers/social workers/parents/foster carers Raise attainment – goes hand in hand with raising aspirations

South West Wales Reaching Wider Partnership Contact South West Wales Reaching Wider Partnership www.swansea.ac.uk/reaching-wider/ @reachingwider 01792 602128 h.c.davies@swansea.ac.uk