The European funded Inspire 2 Work and Inspire to Achieve programmes are co-ordinated by Blaenau Gwent for the region and delivered locally by Blaenau Gwent Youth Service. In Blaenau Gwent to date 500 young people have been supported who are, or at risk of being, NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). Young people are supported in and out of school by youth workers, through one-to-one support and group work, helping them overcome any barriers to reaching their potential.
And with news that funding for the schemes has now been approved to 2022, there are plans to enhance the scheme further taking into account the mental health and wellbeing of young people and the impact this can have on them accessing further education, training or work.
The Council’s Education Scrutiny Committee was updated on the success of the projects so far when they met this week.
Councillor Clive Meredith, Blaenau Gwent Council’s Executive Member for Education says
“It is wonderful to see these European funded projects supporting our young people at a time when they need it most and helping them to overcome barriers into education or work. We are now working with our partners to make some positive enhancements to the projects which will really focus on the mental health and wellbeing of the young people we are working with, especially at key transitional phases in their lives.
“I’m delighted that we have dramatically reduced the number of young people who are NEET here in Blaenau Gwent over the past few years. We now have more economically active young people and most importantly young people who have been given the help to reach their full potential.”
The overall targets for the lifetime of the projects are:
● Inspire 2 Achieve (11-16)
- Total number of young people supported: 1,316.
- 92 young people gaining qualifications
- 263 young people supported into Further Learning or Training
- 658 young people presenting with a reduced risk of becoming NEET (improvements in attendance, attainment, behaviour and wellbeing)
● Inspire 2 Work (16-24)
- Total number of young people supported: 780
- 390 young people gaining qualifications
- 156 young people supported into Further Learning or Training
- 156 young people supported to gain employment.
For more information on Inspire 2 Achieve go to – http://www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk/en/resident/schools-learning/youth-services/inspire-2-achieve/
For more information on Inspire 2 Work go to - http://www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk/en/resident/schools-learning/youth-services/inspire-2-work/