Youth Engagement and Progression Strategy Consultant

Descriptions

Cardiff Council is committed to increasing the engagement and progression of young people in education, training and employment. It is a key part of the work of our schools, colleges and training providers to improve outcomes for young people and break the link between poverty and attainment.There has been a steady improvement year on year in the proportion of young people who are engaged in education, employment or training at age 16 but there remains scope to increase the numbers who secure a positive destination after leaving school. We recognise that there will always be young people age 16+ who struggle with the transition to adulthood and who will require high quality support to enable them to make that transition a positive one. Hence, our strategy to increase the numbers of young people progressing to ongoing education, employment or training includes the provision of highly personalised packages of support. It also recognises that the journey to successful progression from school to the world of work begins way before the young person is 16.Thus intervention at school before disengagement and disaffection set in is an essential part of the Youth Engagement and Progression strategy. This strategy also aligns to the wider preventative agenda, including early years, parenting and family support and the Council’s Early Help Strategy.Cardiff Council is determined to build on good practice already embedded, learn from other areas, create opportunities and improve the participation rates for young people in the county and in particular for our most vulnerable groups. The key to successful implementation of Cardiff’s Youth Engagement and Progression Strategy will be strong leadership and a whole system approach in which roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and all stakeholders collaborate to deliver better outcomes for young people.Cardiff Council is seeking to appoint an external provider to undertake specific consultancy works to provide an audit and action plan on youth engagement and the progression of young people in education, training and employment.It is proposed that the works are undertaken over a period of 2-3 months commencing from the first week of September and would include an audit of youth engagement, a workshop with relevant Council departments and organisations to understand activity and finally to provide an action plan making recommendations on the development of the Council’s youth offer in delivering the Cardiff Commitment. To progress this, the Council is seeking to appoint consultants to undertake these key activities.OUTPUTS REQUIREDTo undertake an audit of those departments in the Council and organisations outside the Council working with young people who are currently providing a youth offer whether through establishing a apprenticeships and / or trainerships, with experience opportunities or bespoke partnering with young people and schools.Bringing those departments and organisations together in a workshop to examine how the current level of activity can be better co-ordinated, aligned and integrated across the various stakeholders to ensure that young people in Cardiff make a successful transition into Education, Employment or Training and how this activity in Cardiff can be aligned to the Welsh Governments commitment to the development of apprenticeships.The development of an action plan to show how the Council could use its role as a major employer and influencer through partnerships to scope and develop the Cardiff Commitment to Youth Engagement and Profession Strategy, by building on best practice from other cities (please see Edinburgh Guarantee). This should also include how the Council should engage with local employers and obtain a commitment to develop their youth offer, through establishing an apprenticeship, work experience opportunities or bespoke partnering with schools and young people.The purpose of this notice is to get an understanding of who in the market place would be interested in this opportunity.NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at http://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=50032.