Agenda item

Report CEF23071

The Committee welcomed Linda King, Youth Support Programme Manager (Universal) who shared her expertise in the area of Youth Support and the support of young people who were not in education, employment or training (NEET), including mentoring and work experience opportunities.

A Member observed that Bromley Youth Support Service had been asked to make £125k savings for both the 2024/45 and 2025/26 financial years and queried whether this was achievable. The Assistant Director: Specialist Services clarified that the service was looking for ways to work more effectively rather than cutting its provision and spoke of the recent launch of the Good Work Bromley Exchange as an example of innovative partnership working to support young people into employment, including those with additional needs.  A Member asked how the Bromley Youth Support Programme encouraged young people who were NEET to engage with Information, Advice and Guidance and was advised that an individualised approach was taken which could include one-to-one or group employability work and other mechanisms for support and encouragement.  The Youth Support Service had strong links with a range of partners including schools, voluntary sector youth groups and health partners such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and Bromley Y.

With regard to work experience, a Member queried why 22 young people had refused an offer of work experience with the Local Authority in 2023/24.  The Youth Support Programme Manager (Universal) explained that some young people applied for several work experience opportunities and other young people were limited by time as to which offers they could accept.  Work experience opportunities with the Local Authority were promoted across all secondary schools as well as via the Bromley Education Business Partnership.  A Member described the work experience model used at London Biggin Hill Airport in which young people rotated between different departments and the Youth Support Programme Manager (Universal) explained that whilst the Local Authority tended to place work experience students in a single team, participants were encouraged to use a careers tool to choose a placement linked to their interests and ambitions.  A Member asked whether any of the young people who had undertaken work experience with Bromley had gone on to work for the Local Authority, suggesting that this could be beneficial for shortage areas such as planning and social care work.  The Youth Support Programme Manager (Universal) advised that the majority of work experience students were still attending secondary education, but the Local Authority did employ a number of staff or apprentices who had prior links to the Local Authority, including work experience or as Children Looked After.  Young people accessing Information, Advice and Guidance services in Bromley were also encouraged to consider shortage skills areas for their future career.

In considering other areas of service provision, a Member highlighted the benefits of mentoring programmes and encouraged all Members to become mentors and to promote this opportunity across their own networks.  Another Member suggested that care leavers be prioritised to participate in the Bromley Mentoring Initiative.  A range of supportive internship models were delivered in partnership for young people who were NEET or had special educational needs or disabilities and a Co-opted Member emphasised that suitable work experience and preparation opportunities should be available to young people of all abilities.  The Co-opted Member underlined the need for an expansion of further education for young people with special educational needs and disabilities, including those of high ability, and for the Local Authority and its partners to be ambitious for this cohort by providing more specialist further education, training and employment opportunities.  In response to a question from a Member regarding the Youth Support Service’s mobile buses not being ULEZ compliant, the Youth Support Programme Manager (Universal) advised that the service had been able to offset other grant funding to help fund a replacement vehicle to undertake mobile and detached youth engagement.  Existing service users were being consulted on how to fit out this vehicle and this included reviewing similar provisions by other local authorities and charitable organisations. 

The Chairman led the Committee in thanking Linda King for sharing her expertise.

RESOLVED: That the thematic session be noted.