Meeting documents

Apologies of absence were received from John Chilver.

To declare any Personal or Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.

Margaret Aston declared an interest in Item 3 as she is a School Governor at Aylesbury High School and a Trustee at Haddenham Youth Centre.

To receive oral evidence from Lucy Pike and Emily Dover – Duke of Edinburgh Awards

The Committee received oral evidence from Lucy Pike and Emily Dover Youth Service/Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

The Committee considered and noted the report ‘Youth Service/Duke of Edinburgh Award’.

The following evidence was provided:

·       Ms Pike acts as the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Manager and there is a team of officers who carry out the day to day work

·       Ms Dover acts as the DoE Co-ordinator

·       Page 3 of the report gives an overview of the work of the Youth Service (YS) to get young people to a place where they are work ready

·       The key strands of work are listed in page 3 of the report.

·       The YS provides an Employability Offer.

·       The YS’s Employability offer is focused on supporting young people to gain skills, qualities, attributes to prepare them for work.

·       It adopts an informal education approach that uses 1:1 and groupwork processes.

·       Example projects include ‘Raise your Game’ and ‘Project X’

·       Project X falls within the child poverty strand and there is intensive work with the young person. At the end of the intensive 7 day programme, the young person has the opportunity to bid for £300 to invest in their own personal action plan to bridge the gap between being Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) and In Education, Employment or Training (EET). Outcomes of Project X are highlighted in page 5 of the report.

·       The DofE provides a framework to develop skills in young people

·       The DofE is recognised by employers and in Buckinghamshire is valued by employers. Chiltern Railways enrol their apprentices onto the DofE gold award as they feel it equips staff with the skills they need

·       Only 10% of people nationally have successfully completed the DofE

·       The Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC) holds the Operating Authority License for Buckinghamshire and schools and businesses can affiliate themselves to the Council. There are some independent centres such as Aylesbury High School and Sir William Ramsey but this tends to be where the setting has a very well organised and established programme.

·       The Council provides support, verification and approval to affiliated groups and holds responsibility for young people’s safety during the expedition section. On an expedition young people need to be unaccompanied by an adult and remotely supervised.

·       The Youth Service  also deliver open award sessions for young people who are not able to, or prefer not to do the Award through their school

·       Completion rates are low in Upper Schools (approx. 7%) and are significantly higher in Independent and Grammar Schools (approx. 38%). There may be various reasons for this figure. It could be that some schools value DofE more than others or staff who support DofE may not be given time to deliver the programme or children may not be as motivated.

·       There have been some resources directed to work with Upper Schools to increase completion rates.

·       There will be a new project aimed at NEET young people or those at risk of becoming NEET. The project will involve intensive work with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To note the next meeting of the Young People Ready for Work Select Committee Inquiry on 5^th December 2013, 2pm.   

Members noted the next meeting of the Young People Ready for Work Select Committee Inquiry on 5^th December 2013, 2pm.