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Report to: |
Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability
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Date of meeting: |
28 November 2022 |
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By:
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Director of Children’s Services
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Title: |
Re-tendering of the Youth Employability Service (YES) |
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Purpose: |
To seek the approval of the Lead Member to commence re-tendering the Youth Employability Service contract (Advice and Guidance). |
RECOMMENDATIONS: The Lead Member is recommended to:
1) approve the recommissioning of the Youth Employability Service contract to be awarded in May 2023 with a start date of 1 September 2023; and
2) delegate authority to the Director of Children’s Services to take all necessary actions, including contract award, to give effect to the implementation of the above recommendation
1.1 Local authorities have statutory duties to encourage, enable and assist young people to participate in education or training. Specifically, these are:
1.2 Local authorities have a critical role to play in supporting young people to access education and training – and therefore in understanding the characteristics and current activity of the young people in their area. The Department for Education (DfE) monitors the performance of local authorities in delivering their duties, and specifically in their tracking and supporting of 16 and 17 year olds, (and up to 25 year for those with an EHCP) using data collected by authorities monthly and submitted to the National Client Caseload Information System (NCCIS). The NCCIS system at East Sussex County Council (ESCC) is referred to as ‘Aspire’ and a team is commissioned to oversee and support this work.
1.3 The Youth Employability Service (YES) contract helps ESCC meet these statutory duties, particularly in relation to providing direct support which will encourage, enable, or assist vulnerable young people to participate in education or training, as well as tracking, identifying and supporting those who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). YES also help to promote participation as well as identify and inform gaps in provision locally.
1.4 The Youth Employability Service contract value is £2,517,285, based on £503,457 per annum for three year, plus the option to extend the contract by 2 x one year. Given ESCC budget uncertainties and the pressure on the Mid Term Financial Plan (MTFP) going forward, some flexibilities to the amount and/or term of the contract are to be included within the contract agreement.
2.1 YES currently provide support to over 3500 vulnerable young people per year who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET from Year 11 until the end of the academic year in which they turn 18. YES also support some over 18s on EHCPs or Care Leavers with agreement from those specific Children’s Services teams. YES provide different levels of support dependent on the needs of the individual young person. The majority of YES advisors are Level 6 qualified in Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) some at Level 7 and a few at level 4 working toward level 6. YES also have some specialist advisors who are co-located with ESCC specialist teams.
2.2 YES utilise the ESCC Aspire database to record all their activity and interventions, which enable a a robust monitoring and reporting mechanism. YES Key Performance Indicators (KPI) are reviewed quarterly by ESCC. The latest KPI review indicated good outcomes as a result of YES specialist advisor support, particularly for Looked After Children (LAC)/Care Leavers.
2.3 ESCC Contract Management meets fortnightly with the YES management team for wider joint working discussions. YES deliver more than just the specified contract requirements; they work jointly with Children’s Services on other projects, initiatives and events. They are very much seen as part of the wider Skills Education, Employment and Training team and, crucially, they are the direct link to 3500 young people on the ground.
2.4 The YES contract is currently delivered by the charity CXK, who provide support, advice and guidance to help young people and adults to find work, or move into learning or training, and in doing so improving their life chances. CXK are a well-established charity who have delivered several large national and regional contracts, currently including the National Careers Service for the South. Children’s Services have also partnered CXK on several bids including most recently to Youth Foundation Fund, which will also align well with the Early Help Team bid for Youth Investment Fund.
2.5 There is no option to further extend the YES contract to CXK so this will go out to competitive tender next year.
2.6 ESCC will work with all relevant specialist teams throughout the re-tendering process to ensure young people are actively involved.
3 Conclusion and reasons for recommendations
3.1 The Youth Employability Service help meet ESCC’s statutory duties to encourage, enable and assist young people to participate in education or training. The service provides good quality support to a significant number of vulnerable young people, ensuring they have the opportunity to progress into and through post 16 education, training or employment improving their life chances and choices.
3.2 The Lead Member is recommended to:
1) approve the recommissioning of the Youth Employability Service contract to be awarded in May 2023 with a start date of 1 September 2023; and
2) delegate authority to the Director of Children’s Services to take all necessary actions, including contract award, to give effect to the implementation of the above recommendation.
ALISON
JEFFERY
Director of Children’s
Services
Contact Officer: Caroline McKiddie
Tel. No. 07769 164170
Email: caroline.mckiddie@eastsussex.gov.uk
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