Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Economic Development.

The Chairman thanked the Economic Development Manager, Graham Wood and the Strategic Manager - Progression and Learning, Linda Bailey who were in attendance to give an update to Members in relation to the recommendations from the review of Increasing Young People’s Employment Opportunities (18-24) within County Durham (for copy see file of minutes). 

The Economic Development Manager reminded Members of the Overview and Scrutiny review carried out in 2012/13, which was a result of Members noting an underperformance in the indicator looking at the number of young people aged 18-24 claiming JobSeekers Allowance (JSA).  Councillors recalled a number of recommendations were made following the review and update on progress was attached to the agenda papers as an appendix. 

The Committee were reminded that 10 of the 14 Area Action Partnerships (AAPs) had listed young people and employment as a priority, the AAPs providing significant funding for employment training, mentoring and towards the County Durham Apprenticeship Programme.  Members learned that since the Programme started in November 2011, approximately 700 young people had been provided with apprenticeship positions, with Business Administration being the most popular with 150, engineering had 109 and electrician apprenticeships numbering 43.  It was noted that engagement with new employers was good, mostly SMEs, and funds from the AAPs, combined with that from the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), Coalfield Regeneration, DCC (Regeneration and Economic Development, RED) and other sources meant there was a total of £1.5 million supporting the businesses in County Durham.

It was explained that there were 400 employers involved across the county, representing a good geographical spread and that other options such as volunteering and social enterprises were noted.  Members were reminded of pre-employment training, and the recent presentation to Committee, and of the Targeted Recruitment and Training (TRT) programme that would look to include social value clauses within development and procurement processes.  Examples were given of apprenticeships that had been secured at DCC and with partners including: decent homes works with Durham City Homes (DCH), Dales and Valley Homes (DVH) and East Durham Homes (EDH); road surfacing works; and within the corporate telephony. 

Members were reminded of the visit the Committee made to South West Durham Training (SWDT), and noted that the facility had recently received an “outstanding” rating from Ofsted.  It was explained that there was a formal partnership between SWDT and Bishop Auckland College (BAC) to develop a fully comprehensive portfolio of vocational progression routes that responded to the range of training needs of employers, young people and adult learners.  The Economic Development Manager referred Members to apprenticeship participation figures and funding information, noted the ending of Youth Contract wage subsidies in August 2014.

The Strategic Manager - Progression and Learning explained that there was an Education/Business Partnership looking at preventative measures, getting young people prepared for work and that it was one of the few such partnerships left in the region.  It was noted that the number of work experience placements had decreased, and the Education/Business Partnership would look to identify additional resources to support that agenda.  It was noted that next steps would be to look to use European Social Fund (ESF) in areas where gaps had been identified, supporting vulnerable young people and those that were Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET).  The Committee learned that 440 vulnerable young people had been engaged so far, with organisations such as Mencap, DISC and Sunderland AFC being involved.  It was noted that funding was in place up to July 2015, with additional funding being applied for.  It was added that the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), as reported to the Committee at a previous meeting, picked up where the ESF funded scheme left off and that the YEI represented a great opportunity to help young people.

The Chairman thanked the Economic Development Manager and the Strategic Manager - Progression and Learning and asked Members for their questions on the report.

Members asked questions relating to: support by the Education/Business Partnership and funding; TRT; CEIAG traded services; and whether there was clear direction at parent evenings of the alternatives to further and higher education, namely apprenticeships and employment.

The Strategic Manager - Progression and Learning explained that there was support to ensure the needs of businesses, to stimulate demand and to ensure that there were enough people with the necessary skills to meet those demands. 

The Economic Development Manager explained that TRT, Targeted Recruitment and Training, was a way of securing benefit via: planning applications, in terms of having Section 106 monies allocated towards work experience and apprenticeship places; and via Council Procurement, as set out within the Sustainable Procurement Strategy.  It was explained that the TRT programme had been developed subsequent to the Government’s Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, with Cabinet agreeing 2 years ago how TRT would operate.  It was noted that the programme was very successful in attracting voluntary undertakings from companies.  It was added that County Durham was one of the first Local Authorities to use TRT with local businesses keen to be involved.

The Strategic Manager - Progression and Learning noted that CEIAG was Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance which had moved 3 years ago from being the responsibility of Local Authorities to being the responsibility of Schools themselves.  It was added that Local Authorities still undertook CEIAG for vulnerable young people, and that it was encouraged that schools would look to provide independent advice in terms of being good for their pupils and would be a credit to any school in terms of performance.  Members noted that the Local Authority could provide information for schools, including a Carers Guide and a Good Practice Guide and Toolkit.  Members noted that where a young person is at risk of not being able to enter employment or education post-statutory education, then individuals can be referred to the One Point Service, with the Council’s Children Adults Services (CAS) directorate providing support for individuals with learning difficulties.  The Strategic Manager - Progression and Learning explained that the ESF Project “LA7 Youth Participation Project” targeted vulnerable young people and those furthest from the labour market and individuals would be provided with an “Education Care Health Plan”, though there was support for vulnerable young people from a number of schemes, for example the YEI.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.