04/04/2014 - Permalink

New provision to support Shropshire’s young people

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Shropshire Council has successfully won an 18-month contract to support young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs).

The bid for the European Social Fund (ESF) funding was led by Worcestershire County Council in partnership other councils, and covers the adjoining areas of Hereford and Telford & Wrekin.

Nearly £500,000 will be spent to support around 260 young people across these areas between the ages of 14 and 18.

The contract will be delivered by Shropshire Council’s ‘County Training’ and ‘Shropshire Youth Information’ (advice and guidance) teams who have a vast experience working with young people.

Under the new contract, which started in January 2014, 14- to 16-year-olds who are struggling at school will be motivated to continue learning.  Encouragement will be provided to keep them engaged and support their progress into further education or employment with training.

Under this new provision, 16- to 18-year-olds who have left school and are finding it a challenge to gain employment will also be offered a package of support. This will be geared around remotivating them and helping them to achieve a positive progression path.

Activities will be designed to help young people gain a greater understanding of their own abilities, learning needs and the range of opportunities available to them.  This will include support with:

  • One-to-one mentoring, assessment and information
  • An individual programme of support and training
  • Advice and guidance sessions to identify any problems with learning
  • Literacy, numeracy and ICT skills (where appropriate)
  • Work experience with interviews and career planning support
  • Motivational work activities to develop soft skills
  • Work preparation /employability skills.

Ann Hartley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children’s services – transformation and safeguarding, said:

“This is great news for young people in Shropshire.  These are very challenging times for young people, and ensuring that they don’t lose out on education or training opportunities is a real priority.  This new contract will enable us to work closely with those most in need to improve their prospects and help them to develop the necessary skills to compete for employment.”

If you know a 16- to 18-year-old who is currently unemployed and lives in Shropshire and would benefit from this support,  please contact either County Training on 0345 678 9023, email: countytraining@shropshire.gov.uk, or Shropshire Youth: 01743 258850, email:  info@shropshireyouth.com.