Developing a local model of partnership, working to address HE and FE’s corporate and community engagement responsibilities around Looked After Young People (LAYP) and Care Leavers

 Arron Pile – University of Salford, Student & Graduate Diversity Officer ;  Jonathan Fairclough – Chair of Salford CAN & Social Work student at the University of Salford  Lynsey Merrick – The Lowry Arts Centre, Participation & Learning Manager ;  Emma Curran – Board member of Salford CAN & Nursing student at the University of Salford

 Inform you about one local model, Salford CAN – how it works, its objectives and its plans for the future  Get you thinking about how to set up a similar model in your local area if appropriate  Discuss advantages and barriers to working with multiple organisations in the context of raising LAYP and care leaver aspirations  Discuss the importance of local universities taking the lead in such partnerships

 The national & local context of supporting LAYP and care leavers via local multi-agency partnerships, including corporate and community engagement responsibilities  An overview of Salford CAN  Group discussion  Importance of engaging with young people  Delivery plans  The future of Salford CAN  Any questions

 65,520 children were looked after at 31 March 2011, an increase of two per cent on 2010 and the highest number since 1987 (Direct.gov 2012)  Proportion of care leavers nationally not in education, employment or training has increased from 32 per cent in 2010 to 33 per cent in (Direct.gov 2012)  Buttle UK, Care Leavers Association, Shelter, UCAS, NCAS, Catch 22 etc operating with a presence at a local level  National measures to measure LAYP & care leavers in education, training and employment  Local organisations are encouraged to accept corporate responsibility via national strategy

 360 LAYP in the care of the City of Salford  Approx 200 of these children are being educated in Salford Schools: 160 of these children are out of authority and are likely to remain out of authority upon leaving care  Of last years (2011) 173 care leavers: 79 in college, 14 in university, 23 in employment, 9 in apprenticeships  48 NEET care leavers leaving care in 2011  Salford has one of 3 virtual schools teams in the UK which introduces a multi-agency approach towards LAYP  This multi-agency approach is maintained as LAYP leave care as key organisations within the city accept corporate responsibility and ‘buy in’ to a collaborative approach

 University has a commitment to support its diverse student population and community.  iCAN uCAN conference (February 2011), worked with NCAS on an employability conference. 80 care leavers across the North West attended  Salford University and Salford City Council - decision to work in partnership to improve the opportunities of care leavers in employment and education  Local employer partners, education partners, Job Centre Plus, The Lowry and most importantly – care leavers were invited to join the board.  We recruited two care leavers who are now instrumental to the project, one of which is Chair. It is essential that care leavers are involved in the decision-making and strategy of the group.  Clear this was a project that could genuinely make a difference to LAYP and care leavers in Salford.

“ The members of the board will work together to tackle social exclusion and raise aspirations by agreeing and delivering opportunities to support the employability and education of care leavers” (extract)

 Agreed, that we should take advantage of the skills of key partners in their specialised fields by setting up two strategic sub boards – employability and education (all board members sit on one or the other)  This allows us to drive our duel focuses forward more efficiently.  Sub groups are user led, and our care leavers are fully involved in the decision-making process.  The sub-groups meet bi-monthly to develop delivery plans and to ensure plans are delivered on time; sub groups feed back their progress to the main board at our quarterly strategic board meetings

 Resolute as a board that our future agenda would be driven by the needs and wishes of Salford’s young people.  Care leaver board members designed the survey that was distributed across our partnerships in Salford.  Expanded our network; gaining committed partners from Further Education, Connexions, Children’s Rights Services, employers and additional partners over the year.  We have grown from a formative group to a group with clear delivery plans, identifying key projects we hope to implement to improve opportunities for Salford’s Looked After Young People and those who have left care.  University gained the Buttle UK Quality Mark in Feb 2011, and for a further two years this year. Salford CAN embedded into this. The Vice-Chancellor has also taken a keen interest in what Salford CAN hopes to achieve.

Each group to discuss the question written on the flipchart… 1. Identify the barriers in starting up a local partnership in your area modelled on Salford CAN? 2. Identify the benefits in starting up a local partnership in your area modelled on Salford CAN? 3. How would extending corporate responsibility and community engagement activities to LAYP and care leavers in your local area benefit your organisation? 4. Identify the types of organisations and key partners that you could work within your local community to raise aspirations of LAYP and care leavers into both education and employability

Each group to present the main issues brought up in your group discussion

 Priority was to ensure that projects developed by Salford CAN were developed from what LAYP and care leavers in Salford wanted.  Short survey was developed for LAYP and care leavers years old to understand their education and employment aspirations. 93 responses.  What are you doing at the moment?  What do you want to do in the future?  Do you work (FT or PT)? If so what do you do and do you enjoy it?  What would your top 3 jobs be?  Would you be interested in apprenticeships?  What sort of advice and guidance would you need to fulfil your potential?

General  Uneven support – those that live independently require most support  Higher number of females are NEET (one third), most between Education  More males attend college and more females university  College attendees are all between – older than usual  50% had thought about college; 25% about university, but current participation doesn’t reflect this.  80% suggested they would like to do more education  Those in education, over half wanted help finding a job Employability  Only 3.3% worked full time, most enjoyed it.  All 20+ not looking for work; 50% of 18 years olds were job seekers  Four times the number of young people were interested in doing an apprenticeship than were actually doing them  Over half of NEET care leavers wanted help finding a job

Employability: 1. Pilot a project aimed at school aged LAYP to promote apprenticeships and vocational training 2. Pilot a project aimed at NEET year olds aimed at giving them extra support and mentoring in finding employment 3. Pilot a project aimed at university students to provide them with graduate skills Education 1. Pilot a project aimed at sustainable long term mentoring from school to graduation and beyond 2. Pilot an aspiration raising project based on a tier 4 level module at university with UCAS credits attached

 Vision or dream is simply to raise LAYP and care leaver aspirations and in turn increase the percentage of care leavers reaching college/university and/or employment within Salford.  Care leaver/ LAYP led.  Work with partners to deliver a three year action based delivery plan.  Strengthening partnerships between businesses and institutions  Long term benefits locally

For more information please contact Arron Pile  Tel: 