Pathways Through Transition: Participants who are NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) or in a vulnerable position Rachel Hewett and Graeme Douglas VICTAR Department of Disability Inclusion and Special Needs, University of Birmingham Sue Keil RNIB

Overview  Labour Force Survey  Participants who are NEET  Participants who are ‘churning’

Labour Force Survey  Estimate that 42.8% of year olds with a visual impairment which impacts on their day to day life could be described at NEET  This compares with 21.7% of year olds in the general population

Participants who are NEET/in vulnerable positions  10 of the 61 participants who took part in the autumn 2014 interviews were NEET at some point during the previous academic year  Key characteristics: –Gender: 6 male; 4 female –Cohort recruited into: Y9 3; Y11 7 –Registration type: blind 3; partially sighted 2; not registered/unsure 5  Based on LFS can anticipate others becoming NEET once they leave education

Length of time participants have been NEET Total (N)Total (%) Less than 3 months440.0% 3-6 months220.0% 6-12 months00.0% Over 1 year440.0% Total % Length of time participant has been/was NEET  Participants who have been NEET for over 1 year: –3 registered blind and 1 partially sighted –Highest qualifications: Level 2 (x 3); A-level; –None have had previous paid employment

Activities whilst NEET  To fill their time whilst NEET, the participants would: –Look for work –Course in employability skills –Spend time with friends –Do voluntary work –Hobbies –Relaxation

Careers support and guidance  Only one participant careers support in the past year  One participant spoke of how he actively avoided careers advice following previous negative experiences: –Researcher: Was it just that one person that you had who gave careers advice? Participant: No, I have had a few people over the years, but it’s just been garbage like normal. So I just said in the end, they said “oh [name removed] we have brought in another person to see you”, and I said “there’s no point, I am not going to bother”.  Important that high quality careers advice is provided when in education and also available when required

Support: local job centre  Only half of the participants had registered with the job centre  Spoke negatively about their experiences  One participant automatically reports being put on ESA but not referred to any work programmes:  P: “I am on employment support allowance…but I have not really had many dealings with the job centre at all.” R: “[..] have you had any support in terms of getting into employment? I know they have things like work programmes to help rehabilitating into work.” P: “No I had no… well obviously I had an idea, but no, no one has told me nothing about anything like that.”

Participants: unemployed > 3 months  What would help you get a job? –Not having VI; jobs relevant to skills and level of VI; employers having different attitudes to VI; support in looking for work; putting mind to it  What stops you getting a job? –VI; general health; travel options; attitudes of employers  External focus – discussed further in employment presentation  How likely are they to find paid work in next 12 months? –One participant felt that it was ‘likely’; two participants felt that it was ‘unlikely’

Churning  Recurrent theme  Participants repeatedly taken courses at the same level (or even lower levels) and not progressed  Mirrors findings by researchers at Manchester University following the transition experience of young people with hearing impairment (Young et al, 2015)

A case study to illustrate churning  “Toby” is registered as partially sighted.  Desire to be as independent as possible, and to be “normal”.  Since completing GCSEs enrolled on three different types of course - leaving two prematurely.  Resisted support which would make him feel conspicuous, such as by straining to read small text.  Hints this impacted on his decision to drop out in the second year of two of the qualifications he was taking, when the courses became more theoretical, and text based.

Case study – cont.  Was looking at very vocational courses - reflects back that at 16 he did not feel prepared to make such decisions about his future  Eventually identified a potential career. Unfortunately he had been in education for too long and found that there was no available funding for him to take the next level of the qualification which he would need.

Examples of churning  Participant at university who had significant difficulties completing the course (many of which he attributed to poor access arrangements), and has instead gone back to complete FE course  Two participants who had completed level 3 courses, and have gone back to take additional level 3 courses  One participant taking a level 1 course having already completed a level 3 course. He wanted to do an apprenticeships in a particular sector, but needed to have this particular qualification first

Better outcomes?  Participants who are NEET – encourage to take some responsibility? E.g. explaining to employers how they could perform in the workplace  Participant at university – improved with better self advocacy skills? E.g. communicate to university support needs, and challenge if support agreements/university responsibilities are not met  Participants taking additional FE courses and not progressing – improved with better careers advice and transition planning? E.g. working alongside YP as they both prepare and make their next transition