NEET's

Thursday August 28th 2008, Lions Court Conference Centre, London, 09:30 - 14:00

Getting Those 'Not in Employment, Education or Training' (NEET) into Work Through Partnership

“The message we want to give to young people is that they are expected to work for their money. Many young people have never experienced the world of work and this often works against them when looking for employment. We want to break down the barriers that young people often face. Everyone has a talent, something to offer their community, by making work part of the deal for getting their benefits we can help them realise their potential.”

Rt. Hon James Purnell MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, February 2008

Overview

At a time that Welfare Reform remains high on the Government’s agenda, a growing number of young people in Britain face the prospect of being left behind. The problem of the “NEET” generation - young people (aged 16 to 24) 'not in education, employment or training' - threatens to undermine the Government at a time of relatively low unemployment and the launch of a number of new welfare reforms. This lost generation has grown by 15% since 1997 and any failure to address them could undermine social cohesion, damage the economy and place extra pressure on the exchequer. A Prince’s trust report (April 2007) estimated the cost to the country at £3.6bn a year.

This generation has fallen victim to an education system that has thus far not adequately catered for their differing aptitudes. However, the Government is committed to tackle this problem head-on in the hope of breaking a cycle of deprivation that disproportionately affects deprived communities.

In February, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, James Purnell, announced that out-of-work 18-year-olds will have to undertake at least four weeks of full time work or face losing their benefits. From next April, every young person who has not been in employment, education or training for at least 26 weeks by their 18th birthday will be fast tracked to the intensive, Jobcentre Plus led, support and sanctions regime. They will have to prove that they are actively looking for work and engaging in work related activity - if they don’t their benefits will be stopped.

If they fail to find work during the next six months, they will be referred to a specialist provider from the voluntary or private sector, who will ensure that they undertake a minimum of four weeks full time work-related activity relevant to the individual. There is no choice for the young person, who will have to seek work or face losing their benefit.

This work related activity will be tailored to the customer’s individual needs to help prepare them to enter the workplace and may include work on a project of benefit to the local community, work experience or a work placement. This is an important new initiative to connect young people to the world of work and ensure that they learn basic skills such as team working and work related disciplines including timekeeping.

Agenda

09:30	Coffee and Registration
10:30	Opening Remarks by Chair Roy Blatchford, Director, National Education Trust & Former Her Majesty’s Inspector of Schools
10:45	Moving NEET Strategy Forward National perspective on the NEET agenda Setting out progress to date Outlining the key elements of the national NEET strategy launched in November last year Wider 14-19 reforms Challenges involved in implementing the strategy Importance of partnership working Jo Thomas, Head of Post 16 Targets Unit, 14-19 Reform Group, Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCFS)
11:00	Not Just Dead-End Kids in Dead-End Jobs, Young People in Jobs Without Training Professor Jocey Quinn, Professor of Education, Institute for Policy Studies in Education, London Metropolitan University
11:15	Engaging with NEET Stakeholders Engaging with key partners to ensure evidenced local government perspectives impact on policy development Contributing to the leadership and interpretation of the Children and Young People agenda at national and regional level securing the agency Securing the agency programmes in engagement with specific local authorities on particular elements of the Children and Young People agenda Steve Walker, Principal Consultant: Children and Young People, Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government (IDeA)
11:30	Enabling those Not in Education, Employment or Training School issues Curriculum changes Diplomas and curriculum meeting the needs of all students Early identification of potential NEETs Support and guidance (IAG) Personalisation (what it means in schools) Coordination of services (from a school’s perspective) Malcolm Trobe, National Council Member, Learning and Skills Council (LSC)
11:45	Case Study: Tackling Youth Disadvantage in the UK Julie Skipp, Head of National xl Programme, The Prince's Trust
12:00	Coffee Break and Networking
12:15	Questions and Answers Session
13:00	Lunch
14:00	Close

Audience

Delegates will be drawn from education and children services communities, local authorities, welfare groups, private sector employment service providers, local, regional and national employment initiatives, social inclusion officers, Jobcentre Plus, LSPs, central government departments & bodies, regional development agencies, equality and diversity officers, social inclusion officers, youth offending teams, children’s trusts, corporate policy officers, trade unions, businesses and employers, academia and voluntary sectors.