The changing landscape of NEET policy Jo Hutchinson j.hutchinson@derby.ac.uk

1. The changing landscape of NEET policyJo Hutchinsonj.hutchinson@derby.ac.uk www.derby.ac.uk/icegs

2. Background • Collaboration • Vanessa Beck and Tristram Hooley • Builds on previous research – focussed on policy enactment and young person’s voice • Adds new interview data • Links to career guidance policy enactment • New(ish) government - new approach? www.derby.ac.uk/icegs

3. Outline • Profiling NEETs • Persistent • Multi-faceted socio-economic issues • Label of convenience • Policy themes under previous government • Skilling the supply side • Diversionary activities for the hard to reach • Subsidies to encourage demand side • Connexions service to connect the two • Coalition government policy • What is it? • What has changed? www.derby.ac.uk/icegs

4. Profiling NEETs • The problem of youth unemployment became a NEET problem after 16 – 18 year olds could no longer qualify for the dole (1988) • Journeys into and through NEETness are complex • At school issues such as bullying, dropping a grade, changing homes, bereavement etc all impact on attainment and progression • After school transitions well supported - while many young people have a period of NEETness - only a small minority are continuously NEET • Issues for NEET aged 16/17 are different to issues for NEET aged 19/20 • NEETs have now by definition got older (RPA) • Builds on September and January guarantees • Difficult journeys persist in times of economic boom and bust www.derby.ac.uk/icegs

5. NEETs by age 1999 - 2011 DfE 2012 NEET Statistics – Quarterly Brief, November 2012, available at: www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001099/sfr31-2012.pdf (accessed 13 December 2012). www.derby.ac.uk/icegs

6. Policy themes • Which department is responsible for NEETs? • DfE – because NEET starts at school? • DWP – because NEET is about transitioning into work? • BIS – because NEET amelioration can be the result of skill enhancement? • DCLG – because NEET is a failure of local economic management? www.derby.ac.uk/icegs

7. Labour government • Themes • “Education education education” • …..and Skills (TECs evolve into LSCs) • …… …and Social Exclusion (Social Exclusion Unit) • Policy enacted through: • Individual Learning Account then Education Maintenance Allowance • Increasing supply of learning opportunities (e.g. E2E then Foundation Learning) • Connexions: a youth transition support service • 47 companies and £450 million investment • Impartiality – visibility – advocacy • Demand side – increasing apprenticeships & wage subsidy “Future Jobs Fund” • Benefit conditionality – 18+ New Deal for Young People and EMA www.derby.ac.uk/icegs

8. Coalition government • Austerity and double dip recession provides background • Payment for outcomes informs key policy enactment • Party manifesto’s and the coalition agreement • Skills for employability • Encourage young people to stay in education (kept RPA) • Individual investment in education and training (scrap EMA and raise tuition fees) • Rapid expansion of ‘apprenticeships’ • From social inclusion to social mobility • Policy documents • Opening Doors Breaking Barriers (HM Govt 2011) (Nick Clegg) • Supporting Youth Employment (PMs Office, May 2011) • Building Engagement Building Futures (DfE, DWP & BIS, December 2011) www.derby.ac.uk/icegs

9. The Five Government Priorities • Raising educational attainment in school and beyond to ensure that young people have the skills they need to compete in a global economy; • Helping local partners to provide effective and coordinated services that support all young people, including the most vulnerable, putting us on track to achieve full participation for 16-17 year olds by 2015; • Encouraging and incentivising employers to inspire and recruit young people by offering more high quality Apprenticeships and work experience places; • Ensuring that work pays and giving young people the personalised support they need to find it, through Universal Credit, the Work Programme and our Get Britain Working measures; and • Putting in place a new Youth Contract worth almost £1 billion over the next three years to help get young people learning or earning before long term damage is done. www.derby.ac.uk/icegs

10. Youth Contract • Launched in April 2012 • Aimed at the 18-24 age group (with contracts for 16 – 18 years) • The key elements are: • the promotion of Apprenticeships, • incentives for employers to train and employ young people, and • initiatives to help young people to develop employability skills through placements. www.derby.ac.uk/icegs

11. Policy enactment for NEETs • 3 priorities • Prevention through attainment • Localism • Employability skills • Prevention through attainment • EBacc and qualification reform • Former Cnx PAs working within LA to target vulnerable families • RONIs • Localism • Local Authority resumption of responsibility for provision – lottery? • Funding issues associated with austerity & Education Funding Agency • Some issues associated with data intelligence • Local Economic Partnerships and their priorities www.derby.ac.uk/icegs

12. Policy enactment for NEETS • Employability skills • Youth Contract - Work Programme • Work related learning – work placements • Expansion of apprenticeships (but concerns over quality) • Role of guidance has changed from advocate to officer www.derby.ac.uk/icegs

13. Labour policy themes Skilling the supply side Diversionary activities for the hard to reach Subsidies to encourage demand side Benefit conditionality Connexions service to connect the two Coalition themes Attainment for skills for the global economy Diversionary activities locally managed Employer engagement (with incentives) Making work pay Work programme advisers All change? Differences? Rhetoric e.g. social inclusion morphing into social mobility Infrastructures - greater use of commissioning Absence of profile – by removing Connexions the government has removed the need to address reports from Connexions www.derby.ac.uk/icegs