Issue - meetings

Cllr Watson – Work experience was discussed in depth last year at the CCTOC. We spent a lot of time talking about the reasons why work experience was important and why some schools found it more difficult to deliver valid work experience for every student. Having spent time doing that, there was a need to do an in-depth review. Those of us who work in education could see why it was very valuable to have work experience but understand the challenges associated with it for schools, who would really like the whole year group out at once. This would mean needing 200/250 places for each small area of Rotherham that students would want to look at, so actually this would mean 400-500 work experience placements for a sensible choice. Schools tend to want to do it towards the end of year 10 – so it becomes more of an issue if six schools were all choosing the same two weeks, meaning you would really need 3000 places at the same time. So it was viewed as problematic even though those of us who had been on work experience and those who worked in education had seen the value of work experience on attitudes to learning when people returned. We knew it was really valuable but it was about making it work and the spotlight review was very helpful.

Jon Stonehouse - Reiterating some of Cllr Watson’s comments, Pepe and I met with Youth Cabinet a few weeks ago to talk about how to progress some of the recommendations that had been made. We talked about central Government education policy and difficulties that it presented in meeting all the recommendations made.  We spent a considerable amount of time discussing variability of current provision and what might be done through Rotherham Education Strategic Partnership and the new Skills Plan to advocate on behalf of young people to increase and improve work experience. We heard personal experiences of Youth Cabinet Members in respect of the responsiveness of schools to their desire to be involved in work experience, which presented a varied picture. We agreed to think about how we can promote good practice that exists in the borough with a view to encouraging all schools to adapt this and take it on. We are very happy to continue ongoing dialogue with Youth Cabinet as we attempt to take this work forward.

Cllr Sansome – The Employment and Skills Plan cannot just be around public sector employers, it has to capture all employers across the borough. “Blue Flag” employers should be involved.

Paul Woodcock – That is exactly right and one of the reasons for recommendations to put this in the Employment and Skills Plan is that the plan goes through the Employment and Skills Board and the Growth Board. A sub-set of which is business led around employment and skills. It is pleasing that they are engaged across the field.

Last week was one of the biggest events with young people –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 200

Report of the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services

Recommendations:-

1.    That the Cabinet’s response to the spotlight review of work experience under taken by the Rotherham Youth Cabinet be approved.

Further to Minute 37 of the meeting of Council held on 25^th July, 2018 consideration was given to the report which responded to the findings and recommendations from a spotlight review undertaken by Rotherham Youth Cabinet under the auspices of the Children’s Commissioner’s Takeover Challenge regarding improving access to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 122