Project Outline

The People and Work Unit

The aim of this project is to develop a model of best practice in training that both qualifies disadvantaged young people in skilled trades and prepares them to be effective members of their community.

Introduction

Since 1997 the Ladder project has worked with young adults in the South Wales Valleys. The project, and the research that has been done alongside it, has shown that a) a major barrier to disadvantaged young people finding secure employment is their lack of qualifications and b) these young people have additional needs which are not addressed within current national training programmes.

The target group for this project rarely finishtraining schemes and, even when they do, gainno qualifications. For example, in the Ladder research although 24 of the 54 young people involved had been on Youth Training only 4 had gainedeven an NVQ Level 1 qualification .

From previous work we recognise that for these young people to have a chance of gaining good qualifications they need:

• Literacy and numeracy support
• Trainers who have the skills to motivate and support them
• Top quality, customised vocational training.

And in addition, opportunities to develop:

• Self respect
• The confidence to resist conformity and the safety of ‘doing nothing’
• The resilience to take set-backs and cope with problems.

We want to develop a programme that provides the best chance to gain qualifications as well as the opportunity to build a symbol of regeneration in the heart of their community.

The Plan

We have invested 5 years in developing a quality partnership with the Ebbw Fach Development Trust, the Penywaun Enterprise Partnership and Bryncynon Community Revival Strategy. All of these organisations are concerned with the regeneration of their communities and committed to working with young adults to achieve that regeneration. The project also involves three key new partners. These are the United Welsh Housing Association, the Rhondda Housing Association and the Treherbert Partnership (a community initiative in the Rhondda working in Treherbert).

The housing associations will buy at least one old property in poor repair in each partner area (possibly more depending on the speed of progress). These will be bought with social housing grants from the National Assembly for Wales. They will provide the technical expertise and employ contractors for major construction work. These contractors will also provide ‘apprentice’ type placements for the young people recruited to the project. The houses will be refurbished into homes with the participant’s involvement. Participants will develop their skill in their chosen trade through work with the contractors.

The People and Work Unit will recruit, from within the local community, 4 team leaders with potential to become informal educators each based in a partner area. These people will develop and run ‘Build It’ in their area and work collaboratively with each other across the partnership. In the first year they will undertake the YMCA George Williams College Foundation Studies in Informal Education course to develop their skills in working with young people. In the second and subsequent years they will be able to follow further education or training courses to develop their skills as trainers and community leaders.

Outcome: 4 local people with informal education and community work experience and qualifications.

The People and Work Unit will recruit three apprentices from each of the 4 partnership communities. These young people will be aged 18-25 years and will have no previous qualifications beyond NVQ Level 1 or equivalent (that is below the Government’s school leaving target of 5 GCSEs at grades A-C). Typically they will be young people who, as they come to the end of their teenage years have started to realise the disadvantages they face in having no qualifications and who are ready to try again but who lack the self-esteem and basic skills to do so.

With the team leaders, these 12 will form the core ‘Build It’ team. The team leaders will provide personal development and basic skills support, encouraging the apprentices to become involved in their community. Each will also be apprenticed to a skilled tradesperson employed by the housing association contractors. After an induction period in year 1 when they will try different trades, in years 2 and 3 they will complete the CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) accredited National Traineeship Programme, or equivalent, (to NVQ Level 2) and in year 4 and 5 the Modern Apprenticeship programme, (or equivalent) (to NVQ Level 3). We know, from previous work, that an NVQ Level 3 is the minimum requirement to make a lifelong difference to a young person’s employment potential. The project allows for participants to take longer over achieving their qualifications than an apprentice would normally need to allow for work on their personal development and basic skills. However, each apprentice will have a personal programme written for them which will enable them to develop at their own pace and we would expect some to achieve their qualification in year 4 or even 3. Our aim is to ensure that they stay with the project until they have their qualification.

At the same time they will receive on-going personal development support (including residentials, outdoor education, arts projects) and literacy and numeracy support. They will meet with the apprentices on the other ‘Build It’ projects for joint activities and undertake ‘community challenges’. In the final year the apprentices will all receive training in business skills and prepare a business plan. 

Outcome: 12 young people fully qualified and experienced in a skilled trade to NVQ Level 3 and informed, active members of their local community. Each young person will be a role model within the community, demonstrating how through hard work and commitment they have been able to win back opportunities lost when they were at school.

In each partner area the project will provide a highly visible symbol of regeneration. People will see young people growing into professionals, trained by others from the community. They will witness their work on the houses and other work in the community. Partner organisations will build relationships with new families and new agencies in the community and be able to showcase the work that ‘Build It’ does. Partners will also be able to work with the ‘Build It’ initiative and local colleges to negotiate short courses through New Deal, Youth Training and Employment Zone programmes to involve local people in skills training.

Outcome: 40 young people each year achieving basic qualifications in skilled trades (200 in total).

Refurbished and/or new buildings in the community, making a significant additional contribution to the regeneration of the partner communities.

Local young people leading ‘community ‘Build It’ challenges’.

Management and Partnership

People and Work Unit – co-ordination and overall management

Responsible for employing the team leaders and apprentices; managing their training; agreeing workplans; project administration and budgeting; additional fundraising; evaluation and reports.

United Welsh and Rhondda Housing Associations –

Responsible for buying the houses; developing refurbishment plans; supplying technical expertise; awarding building contracts; managing the houses once finished.

Ebbw Fach Development Trust, Bryncynon Community Revival Strategy and Penywaun Enterprise Partnership, Treherbert Partnership-

Responsible for day to day support for team leaders, apprentices and other young people; assisting in the recruitment of project staff and participants.