Tuesday 23rd March 2010, Central London, 08:20 - 16:05
Enabling Social Mobility: Breaking the Glass Ceiling
“By making the right choices today and investing in tomorrow, Britain can be poised to create a great wave of new opportunities as the global economy recovers and grows.
And whereas in the past young people were held back by limited chances and limited room at the top, in today’s global economy there is no longer a national limit to the number and quality of jobs that will be available to the British people”
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Foreward to New Opportunities: Fair Chances for the Future, 13th January 2009
Overview
With up to seven million more professionals likely to be needed in Britain by 2020 as the global economy expands, the report published in July 2009 by the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions, Unleashing Aspiration: The Final Report of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions, says that elitism in the professions and a lack of focus on careers in schools is denying talented young people access to professional jobs.
Following the release of the white paper, New Opportunities, in January 2009, the eighteen member panel was commissioned by the Prime Minister to review the processes and structures that govern recruitment into the professions.
Although the panel did not examine some of the wider factors that may drive social mobility and which were addressed in the New Opportunities white paper, it found that bright people face, not only financial obstacles, but also social and cultural barriers to pursuing a professional career despite having the aspiration and talent required. The panel made over 80 recommendations that covered, advice and guidance on careers, rules regarding internship programmes, access to the professions and the education sector from primary through to higher education.
As the global economy recovers from the economic downturn, and to ensure that Britain’s economy is better able to compete, the report says that this and future governments must make social mobility the number one social policy to ensure that all children have opportunities to fulfill their potential and achieve their aspirations.
With tomorrow’s professionals growing up in families that are better off than 7 out of 10 families in Britain, and the strong probability that 9 in 10 of all new jobs created in the future will be professional roles, this forum will provide delegates with the opportunity to examine and discuss both the proposals in the New Opportunities white paper and the recommendations made in the final report, Unleashing Aspiration, published by the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions.:
Agenda
| 08:20 |
Registration and Coffee |
| 08:55 |
Chair’s Welcome Address
Howard Glennerster, Professor Emeritus, Social Administration and Co-Director of CASE (Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion), London School of Economics (invited) |
| 09:00 |
Keynote Address: Unleashing Aspiration
- Competing in a globalised economy: social mobility a key success factor
- Britain 2020: 7 million more professionals needed by 2020
- Breaking the glass ceiling: tackling elitism in the professions
- Drivers for social mobility: setting-up of a social mobility commission to advise government
- A roadmap for change:
- Social Mobility Bonds projects
- Exemplar employer:
- civil service must publish data on the background of entrants to the senior civil service
- professionals should review their recruitment and internship practices
- Universities should publish more detailed data on university admissions
- Universities should offer modular degrees and flexible learning opportunities
- No-fee degrees
- Student finance should be available for part-time students
- Individuals to be given ‘Lifelong Skill Account’ worth up to £5,000
- Careers advice to begin in primary school
- Every state school to provide communication and soft skills training
- Ofsted should inspect schools on their extra-curricular training provision
- Raising attainment: parents should have the right of redress
- Reform of the Gifted and Talented programme: career mentoring programme
- Making better use of technology in learning and teaching
The Hon Mr Justice Vos, was a member of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions (2009), Chairman, Social Mobility Foundation (CONFIRMED)
|
| 09:25 |
Questions and Answers Session
The Hon Mr Justice Vos, was a member of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions (2009), Chairman, Social Mobility Foundation (CONFIRMED) |
| 09:35 |
Ending Disadvantage and Deprivation
- Social mobility: the need for change
- Economic change: “towards an equal start and an open road”
- Providing affordable housing
- Wealth redistribution
- Removing health inequity and health inequalities
- Breaking down social barriers
Lord Hattersley, former Deputy Leader, Labour Party (CONFIRMED)
|
| 09.55 |
Enabling Social Mobility
- Towards a new society: removing barriers to social mobility
- Mobilising potential, promoting innovation: why social mobility matters?
- UpRising: future leaders programme
Geoff Mulgan, Director, Young Foundation (CONFIRMED)
|
| 10:15 |
Becoming a Solicitor: Extending Pathways into the Profession
- Understanding the barriers to entry into and qualification from the profession
- Why equality and diversity matter?
- Outreach work:
- Diversity Access scheme
- Mentoring scheme
Pat Corcoran, Head, Corporate Responsibility, Equality and Diversity, Law Society (CONFIRMED)
|
| 10.35 |
Widening Access to the Medical Profession
- Widening participation: raise aspirations and encourage academic attainment
- Promoting the medical profession: working with schools, students and career advisers
- Entry to the medical profession: explaining clearly the selection criteria to schools and prospective students
- Assisting potential candidates to secure work-place experience
- Encouraging a diverse range of applicants: easing the financial cost of studying
Kirsty Wadsley, College Liaison Officer, St George's, University of London (CONFIRMED)
|
| 10:50 |
Questions and Answers Session |
| 11:15 |
Coffee and Networking |
| 11:40 |
Boosting Life Chances Throughout Life
- National Apprenticeship Service: a vision for 2020
Coordinated, coherent strategy: national service, locally delivered
Key options: incentives to reengage with learning or training
Realising ambitions, raising attainment: employer, learner and
web-based matching service
Strengthening the local and regional economy
Jaine Clarke, Director – Business Development, National Apprenticeship Service (CONFIRMED)
|
| 12:00 |
Speaking Out: Strategies to Enable to Social Mobility
- Advocates for change: what do young people and their families tell us they need?
- Improving intergenerational mobility: better provision of learning, childcare and tailored individual support schemes
- Capacity building: providing voluntary organisations with long-term, sustainable support to build expertise and resource base
- Beyond the classroom: improving skills, training and employment experience opportunities
Faiza Chaudary, Head of Policy and Communications, NCVYS (National Council for Voluntary Youth Services) (CONFIRMED)
|
| 12:20 |
Removing Boundaries to Social Mobility
- Improving life-chances for young people and their families:
- education, employment and skills
- welfare reform
- health inequalities
- housing
- childcare facilities
- integrated transport
- Removing barriers, transforming lives: interrelated problems require a coordinated integrated response:
- living wage
- fuel poverty
- free school meals
Terry Rooney MP, Chairman, Work and Pensions Select Committee (CONFIRMED)
|
| 12:40 |
Questions and Answers Session |
| 13:00 |
Lunch and Networking |
| 14:00 |
Improving Life Chances: Tackling Health Inequity and Health Inequality
- Differences in life expectancy
- Comparators: health inequalities data from the EU
- Health impact of low income, low educational attainment, poor housing, poor environment, joblessness
- Equity and social justice
- Improving life chances: education, employment, benefits, housing, environment, healthcare
- Marmot Review: purpose, scope and key areas of study
Dr Jason Strelitz, Senior Research Fellow - Health Inequalities Post 2010 Review Global Health Equity Group, University College London (invited)
|
| 14:20 |
Welfare Reform and Social Mobility
- Working age benefits system: reforming a complex system
- Responding to flexible employment marketplace: the need for radical reform
- Improving social mobility by ending the poverty trap: what might a reformed benefits system look like?
- Advantages of a reformed benefits system
Paul Gregg, Professor of Economics, Centre for Market and Public Organisation, University of Bristol (CONFIRMED)
|
| 14:40 |
Questions and Answers Session |
| 14:55 |
Coffee Break |
| 15:15 |
Panel Debate: Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Providing Fair Access to New Learning, Training and Employment Opportunities
With children expected to compete in the new global economy throughout their working lives, and the strong likelihood that 9 in 10 new jobs created in Britain in the future will be professional jobs, are the proposals in the white paper, New Opportunities, and the recommendations in the final report Unleashing Aspiration the best ways to advance and improve opportunities for social mobility in Britain?
- How can the professions ensure fair access to all? How will openly advertised internships assist this process?
- With the 2010 target to reduce child poverty by half likely to be missed, what further steps must the government take to ensure that England is the best place for children to grow up?
- What measures must be put in place to improve health inequity and health inequality?
- What are the best means of improving school performance and raising attainment in our schools? Are golden handcuffs a sufficient incentive to improve school performance? What role could technology play in achieving this aim?
- With more students than ever before applying to study at university, how can the government and governments in the future best support the universities and the HE sector?
- What degree of prominence should be given to the role of parents, families and carers in a strategy to advance social mobility?
- What measures need to be in place to ensure that social origin will neither thwart ambition nor prevent an individual from realising their ambition to pursue a professional career?
- To what extent are improvements in social mobility the key to Britain being a successful global economy in the future?
- What type and level of support needs to be given to further education colleges to maintain and expand the provision of lifelong learning opportunities?
Senior representative, Social Mobility Unit, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (invited)
Dr Tessa Stone, CE, The Brightside Trust (CONFIRMED)
Faiza Chaudary, Head of Policy and Communications, NCVYS (National Council for Voluntary Youth Services) (CONFIRMED)
James Turner, Policy Director, Sutton Trust (invited)
Steve Higginbotham, Vice President, Institute of Career Guidance (ICG) (CONFIRMED)
|
| 16:05 |
Chair's Summary and Close |
Audience
Delegates who attend this conference will be drawn from: elected members; police officer and fire officers; head teachers and lecturers; careers advisors; health professionals; admissions officers; widening participation officers; employer organisations; welfare rights officers; lawyers; youth and social workers; senior representatives from professional organisations; senior officials from trade unions; leaders of youth, cultural and sports organisations; the third sector; policy analysts; academics; and librarians.
