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1
Routes into Training and Employment
DURHAM UNIVERSITY
School of Applied Social Sciences
2
Introduction
Promoting the employability of parents is one of the four core Sure Start service targets for the period 2003-04 to 2005-06
It represents the contribution of Sure Start Local Programmes to the general strengthening of communities
3
Research Questions
Which courses did parents attend? Why did parents attend courses? What difference did attending a Sure
Start course make to parents? Which factors promoted access to
courses?
4
Evidence Base Data from 3 programmes Survey
96 questionnaires returned Interviews with parents
25 Interviews with service providers
Job Centre Plus College of Further Education Local employer
5
Survey: Pattern of Response
0102030405060708090
100
women men
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
<25 26-30 31-40 >40
Gender
%%
Age
6
Mapping Courses to Sure Start Targets
49 courses across 3 programmes Improving social and emotional development
Parents Matter Personal Development Indian Head Massage Time Out Committee Skills Young Parenting
7
Improving Health Chill out and Change Healthy Eating Food Hygiene Baby and Child Lifesaver Drugs Awareness Outdoor Health and Safety Community Health St. John’s Ambulance First Aid: Early Years Anatomy and Physiology Level 3
8
Improving Ability to Learn Christmas Crafts Top Tots Story Sacs Jollyphonics workshop Introduction to Childcare (Fathers/male
carers) National Tests: Maths and English NVQ 3 Childcare and Early Education
9
Strengthening Families and Communities
Digital Photography Plumbing Counselling OCN Family History Aromatherapy: levels 1 and 3 Computer course: level 1 Childcare: level 1 NVQ 3 Childcare and Early Years Education
10
05
101520253035404550
Reasons for Course Attendance
I thought going on the first aid course would help me as a
parent, you know if anything
happened to my child, an accident
%
11
Perceived Benefits
05
10152025303540
%
I am a lot more confident around people and my
child is a lot more happy meeting other people
12
Hopes and Benefits
Most parents attended courses to gain a qualification and benefit themselves as parents
Only 25% of parents took up courses with the stated aim of helping them into employment – (consistent with NESS findings)
However, on completing the course most valued gaining confidence and learning new skills more highly than gaining a qualification
13
Promoting Access to Courses: What Works
Localised
Staged
Responsive
Flexible
14
Promoting Access to Courses: What Works
Course development: user led Information sharing: diverse local strategy Progression routes
Taster: Glass Painting; Computing; Reflexology Leisure: Salsa; Christmas Craft Semi-formal: Jolly Phonics; Committee Skills;
Personal Development; Healthy Eating Formal – Food Hygiene; Child Care, NVQ Levels
1, 2 and 3, Aromatherapy, levels 1, 2 and 3; Computer (CLAIT level 1)
15
Promoting Access:What Works
Provision of free child care 54% of all respondents had used child care
facilities
Sure Start offer crèche facilities – it’s a big incentive
The child care is wonderful - if there was no child care , I wouldn’t be able to do a course
16
Promoting Access:What Works
Course timing Male carers: evening and weekend Female carers: school hours
Transport In-course support
Learning Mentors
17
Volunteering
Volunteering was seen as an opportunity to build confidence and gain work experience across programmes Parent representatives and mentors
(supported by training): 70 parents across 6 programmes
Peer support: breast feeding Planning and delivering activities
Helping out with Sure Start has given me confidence,
I've gone on to do interviews and given speeches, I'd
never have done that before
18
Value of Volunteering
A strong culture of volunteering brings with it confident individuals, empowered communities which are
safe and friendly places to live, better services, local and national
government which is more responsive and a more vibrant
economy
David Blunkett, 2001
19
Partnership Working
Job Centre Plus Local delivery (attend Young Parents
group, CAB Drop in sessions) Sign posting parents on to Sure Start
courses Action Teams for Jobs Local colleges of Further Education
I'll attend courses like childcare, just to meet the parents in the coffee break. I can chat to them
over coffee, so it's informal.
Job Centre Plus
20
Local Employer Perspectives
A large local employer identified a clear link between using Sure Start and/or attending its courses and employability
21
Local Employer Perspective
If a parent has used Sure Start and their activities or courses or has become a parent
volunteer, this tells me, the employer, that this person has shown initiative. They have made a
decision to go through the door. If they are doing courses, it doesn’t really matter which ones, they have the basic skills we require.
These are all skills we would look for to deliver effective customer service, so we would be very
interested in that person.
22
Key Findings Relatively high numbers of parents engaged
in training courses, compared to programmes studied by NESS (2004)
High level of father involvement in one programme and young parents in another
Only 25% of parents took up courses with the stated aim of helping them into employment – (consistent with NESS findings)
Growth in confidence was the greatest perceived benefit from course attendance
23
Recommendations
Develop informal monitoring systems which track parent progress and outcomes
Ensure clear progression routes from taster/introductory courses to advanced level 3 NVQ courses
Explore the introduction of Individual learning plans to assist parents in planning their own learning goals and possible learning routes