Widening Participation - It matters

The Widening Participation Challenge

Widening Participation Matters Only 7% of the population attend independent schools, but the privately educated account for more than half of the top level of most professions (51% of Medical) Only a quarter of boys from working-class backgrounds get middle-class (professional or managerial) jobs Only a quarter of boys from working-class backgrounds get middle-class (professional or managerial) jobs Estimate that approximately 30% of current bands 1-4 workforce in the NW doesn’t have a level 2 qualification 8.93 million people of working age are economically inactive in the UK. Just under 1 million year old people unemployed 15% are NEET: A comprehensive school student with A-level grades BBB for example is likely to perform as well in their university degree as an independent or grammar school student with A-level grades ABB or AAB – i.e. one to two grades higher perform as well A comprehensive school student with A-level grades BBB for example is likely to perform as well in their university degree as an independent or grammar school student with A-level grades ABB or AAB – i.e. one to two grades higher perform as well This is a gap of 39.9 percentage between A level students from state schools going to most selective universities compared to those who attended independent schools.

Widening Participation Matters The diversity profile of the current workforce in England is not representative of the general population that it seeks to serve Only 2.4% of NHS staff have a declared disability compared to 17% in population The diversity profile of those employed by the NHS is not representative across the key staff groups Discontinuation rates for male students a third higher for Speech Science, Nursing, Midwifery, and Radiography than compared to females Approximately a third less students on medical programmes attended a state school compared to students on other healthcare programmes For some healthcare programmes more black students discontinue their studies compared to students from other ethnic identities

Widening Participation Matters Health: Compelling evidence that work has an inherently beneficial impact on an individual’s state of health – the risk of joblessness Economic: Better educational attainment, improved employability and earning potential. Improved social mobility and better for UK PLC Ethical: Significant Social Responsibility Role – NHS organisations a key factor in local economies. Equality: Access to good jobs depends on merit, not unfair advantage Cultural Sensitivity: 13 per cent (7.5 million) of the resident population of England and Wales were born outside the UK, compared to 4.3 per cent (1.9 million) in (India, Poland, Pakistan, Republic of Ireland and Germany). 46% of population change since 2011 due to inward migration.

What is Widening Participation? Key Principles A commitment to equity Raising aspirations Increasing awareness of education and its benefits Enabling fair access to development opportunities for education, learning, training employment and further career development Targeting the increase in education and employment opportunities, particularly for underrepresented groups so that representation in either education or the workforce is representative of the broader population Promoting achievement Supporting progression Requirements Recognition that there maybe/ are inequalities that need to be addressed for social good. Active and focused planning. Commitment and partnership working between a range of stakeholders at national, regional and local community level to address the issues of concern. Further development of policies, strategies, systems and processes to enable fairness and/or appropriate positive action to tackle any inequalities identified.

Inclusion remains an issue Snowy white peaks – ‘The depressing fact is that are only 5 BME directors – from 170 NHS organisations. This is about 2.5%, yet 20% of NHS nurses are of black or minority ethnic origin’ Lord Crisp decrease in the number of staff from BME backgrounds in senior positions within the NHS. (Kline 2014) Inequality and inclusion issues for overseas nurses Supportive staff engagement & inclusive approaches have been found to be enablers for predictors of good quality healthcare

The NHS and Widening Participation – Key strategic needs NHS needs to be reflective of the community it seeks to serve Continued under representation by some equality target groups Recognition that access to healthcare professions has improved but progress slow for some professions – Medicine, Sciences Importance of Social Mobility increasingly a national and international concern Structural, economic and cultural barriers preventing progress Range of initiatives in development and place but require further specific application to NHS, Impact assessment. NHS needs to punch to its weight

Widening Participation Strategy – key priorities Improve monitoring and reporting of widening participation activities: How- baseline on programmes, protocols for data collection, common recording. Enhance further the visibility and targeting of Health Careers Information, Advice and Guidance: How: More engagement with schools, partnership organisations such as STEMNET, Career Academies. Increase, through research and evaluation, the understanding and evidence of what works in relation to widening participation developments in healthcare education and workforce development. How: Directory of best practice, evaluation framework, commissioning evaluations. Increase collaborative approaches in supporting Outreach Activities: How: Investment, local agreement and partnerships Stimulate and increase the capacity of healthcare organisations in being able to expand and support work or work related experience opportunities. How: Work Experience Commitment and Ambassador Commitment

Teachers, Careers Information and Guidance Advisors, Employers Primary and Years 7-9 Years Years 11-13Beneficiaries Achievers Focused network Events, CPD Topical Issues Webinars CIAG Toolkit, Access to specialist education resources Tell the Story Hands On Explorations Regional events i.e. Big Bang Ask the Expert/Guru sessions Skill Clubs E mentorship Visits and Tours Conference Regional events i.e. Big Bang Visits and Tours, Taster Days Work experience & Volunteering, Internships, Mentorship, Application & Interview Support, Residential Camps Bridging Programmes Become an Ambassador Become a mentor Aims of Intervention Target Groups Type of Interventions Partnerships for Delivery National Careers NHS Service Employers STEMNET Further/Higher Education Providers National Skills Academy STEMNET Further/Higher Education Providers Employers Classroom Medics-NHS Shows STEMNET Further/Higher Education Providers Employers Career Academies Classroom Medics-NHS Shows STEMNET Further/Higher Education Providers Employers Third Sector i.e. Social Mobility Foundation/Sut ton Trust Career Academies STEMNET National Skills Academy Further/Higher Education Providers Securing Our Future NHS Workforce: Promoting Ambition & Engaging for Shared Success Raising Awareness & Capability Promoting Ambition Engaging and Nurturing Supporting for Achievement Sustaining Involvement

Final thoughts Widening Participation is about …Not setting an impossible task

Final thoughts Widening Participation is about … Some may have a longer journey to go Not about giving others more advantage compared to others All have a right to be there Fair to make reasonable adjustments