fairness

Workshop notes - enjoying and achieving (from the big flip charts...)

What is young people's experience?:

Not enough! There is not enough face-to-face contact with young people and decision makers. Young people want to learn and want to work towards qualifications to hemp them progress. Young people value the progress they make in confidence, people skills and team working.

Where are we falling short for children and young people?:

We’re not investing in our young people. We’re not commissioning quality services; not recognising so called ‘soft outcomes’; not offering appropriate opportunities to develop emotional intelligence/literacy. We’re not “grabbing attention” in schools.

Why are we falling short?:

There is too much commissioning for convenience and people are unwilling to go the extra mile around consultation. There is too much time spent on securing funding and not enough on young people. We’re not engaging with schools effectively and are unable to sustain initiatives.

What needs to be changed or put in place?:

Cross-government engagement.
Effective evaluation of provision.
Sustainable funding to enable longer term provision and planning.
Focus on gender - break down stereotypes and open up opportunities.

Focus on achievement of hard outcomes can distract from ‘enjoying’.
We need to have effective consultation with young people.
There are issues about the fairness of the EMA - means testing young people, being unaware of what’s available and what they want to do - they need support.
The importance of fun in learning.
The importance of ‘soft outcomes’.
Gender equality.
Funding issues - time consuming, short-term, limits opportunities for young people.