YOUTH EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE PROGRAMME 2016-2018

BACKGROUND

In January 2013, the European Commission created the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) Programme in order to tackle the high levels of youth unemployment across member states. EU funding will be specifically targeted at regions in which the youth unemployment rate exceeds 25%. The initiative will have a budget of €6 billion for the programme period from 2014 to 2020. Of the funding, €3 billion will come from a dedicated Youth Employment budget line complemented by at least €3 billion more from the European Social Fund.

The Tees Valley qualifies for additional funding under the EU YEI and has a notional allocation of £10.9m, which has been equally matched by £10.9m from the Tees Valley ESF allocation. The ESF element of the funding needs to be locally matched and due to the Tees Valley’s Transition Region Status we are required to match the ESF element at 40%, which equals around £7.2m. This means that the total programme budget will be around £29m.

The overall Tees Valley YEI aims to support 9,510 young people aged 15 to 29 years over the lifetime of the programme across the Tees Valley with progression into education, training, employment and self-employment. The programme commenced on 1st October 2015 with all delivery needing to be complete by 31st July 2018 (with three months for project closure to 31st October 2018).

This funding will positively contribute to tackling the longer-term causes and consequences of child and family poverty by preventing young people from becoming long term NEET by supporting them into a positive destination of education, employment, training and self employment/business start up.

The Tees Valley Pathways Programme will support 8,698 young people aged 15 to 29 across the Tees Valley who are unemployed or inactive with the aim of progressing them into Education, Employment, Training or Self-Employment.

The programme is delivered by a consortium of organisations from the Public, Private and Voluntary Sector. The overall contract value is £25.38m with £9.52m from European Social Fund, £9.52m from Youth Employment Initiative and £6.34m of Match Funding. It is part-funded by the European Social Fund and supported under the Youth Employment Initiative.

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY CONSIDERATIONS

This funding will provide opportunities for young people, particularly amongst vulnerable groups such as those shown below: –

  • Looked after children and care leavers;
  • Young offenders (including those leaving the secure estate);
  • Teenage parents;
  • Young carers;
  • Young people with specific learning difficulties and/or disabilities;
  • Young people with mental health issues, and;

 Catcote Academy proposal

This programme aims to develop employability offering the tools to ensure the skills developed are achievable and transferable with ‘real life’ experiences to aid a successful transition into further education/training or employment, which can be sustained after the programme has been completed.

The programmes will be personalised to the individual needs of each Y/P, with a direct focus on their required outcomes of their programme.

The programme will be delivered over 2-3 days including a work-based placement, which will cover between 161/2 hours and 18 hours per week.

Young people will be based in the new P19 building offering dedicated space and facilities.

During the initial meeting of the Y/P a destination/action plan will be put together to include education levels, interests and past experiences of education& work. This will inform and focus the plan to engage and progress the Y/P.

Employability: will include CIAG and work based skill challenges at the appropriate level.

Enterprise: will include entrepreneurial skills, Enterprise challenges and experiences.

Life skills: will include elements the Y/P would like to improve and develop within running a home, personal safety & care, travel within the community.

First Aid & Food hygiene courses will also be incorporated into this area where requested and relevant.

Vocational: will include challenges in the vocational interest of the Y/P to ensure focus of career pathway.

Work Experience: Placements will be sourced and supported to allow for ‘real life’ work experience in the vocational area of interest to the young person.

Catcote Academy aims to develop employability and transferrable skills of young people to improve access and integration into the world of work, in particular those who have a learning difficulty/disability.

This will be reinforced by the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) to expand and develop existing programmes of study to build the skills young people need to enable and empower them within training and supported employment. This proposal is to develop and deliver tailored educational/training route for young people to develop and compliment their existing skills, aged 16-29 years, to successfully enter the employment sectors.

 

Timeline of cohorts

Cohort 1
Start date
End date
Course details
  05/09/16 13/01/17 5/9,12/9,19/9,26/9

3/10,10/10,17/10,24/10,

31/10,7/11,14/11,21/11,

28/11,5/12,12/12,19/12,

2/01,9/01,16/01

 

 

 
 
Cohort 2 16/01/17 29/05/17    
 
Cohort 3 05/06/17 13/10/17    
 
Cohort 4 16/10/17 23/02/18    
 
Cohort 5 26/02/18 06/07/18    
 
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