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Initiating and accessing work experience opportunities in Bristol City Council


		11-16 schools

		6th form schools

		Colleges

Summary

Before the key stage 4 engagement programme, accessing any work placement opportunities within Bristol City Council was difficult. As a result of strong partnership working and commitment at the very highest level, 35 young people had work placements with Bristol City Council as part of the programme. As a large employer, the council has the capacity to provide a good range of opportunities, with the chance to embed work placements as a permanent feature of its work.

Introduction and background

Bristol is close to the bottom of the Achievement and Attainment table for achievement at A*-C grades at GCSE, and the council is working to improve educational outcomes for young people. The Connexions development manager was seconded to the children's and young people's service at the council, and secured commitment from the chief executive of the council to support the key stage 4 engagement programme by offering work placements. Staff from the Connexions service and the council worked together to co-ordinate and manage these placements, including the provision of support for the young people and their work placement supervisors.

Approach

Despite good relationships between the Connexions service and Bristol City Council, it was difficult to set up a systematic process for arranging work experience opportunities for young people due to the autonomy of different council departments. This was addressed by starting with a presentation to the chief executive's senior management team to ensure that each department offered work placement opportunities. This was followed by meetings with departmental managers and identification of supervisors prepared to host young people on regular placements.

Training workshops for council staff were provided to help overcome any concerns about the time involved and skills required for successful work placements. The co-ordinators worked together to match suitable young people identified by schools to individual work placements. The co-ordinators also ensured that on-going support was available for mentors and learners where necessary, either by mobile phone or though visiting. If there was reluctance by the young person or supervisor, a taster (accompanied morning) was offered and in most cases resolved any fears.

For each placement, young people are issued with a work experience logbook for recording evidence. The logbook provides a quality structure and framework for a set of agreed targets. The targets were individual depending on the young person, and range from turning up on time each week to producing a leaflet design. After the placements, a celebration lunch was held in the city centre and certificates presented by the chief executive. Some young people had family members attending as they were so proud of their achievements.

Signs of success

All young people completed a soft skills audit and each supervisor returned an employer evaluation. All were generally positive with the young people feeling they had improved their confidence and communication skills. Some had achieved travelling independently for the first time and the majority felt being treated like an adult was crucial to discovering the world of work. In the light of their work experience each young person had the chance to reflect on their individual future plans for Year 11 with an engagement worker.

All pupils have either re-engaged full time at school or are continuing their council work placement alongside other provision made by the school such as early college placement. Four-fifths completed their logbook, leading to a certificate and 3 credits towards an ASDAN Certificate in Personal Effectiveness.

Conclusions

The council, schools and the Connexions service all felt this project was highly successful in its first year. The key things that made the project a success were:

commitment at the very highest level
strong partnership working
responsiveness and flexibility
good support for supervisors and trainees