Early School Leavers Report

ReStart
Innovative Approaches
to Early School Leaving
in England and Wales
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABBREVIATIONS
1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 The research brief

1.2 A note on terminology
1.3 Aims and objectives of the study
1.4 Methodology
2. EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT IN EUROPE? 5
3. EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN ENGLAND AND WALES 7

3.1 Qualifications and Skills
3.2 Earning and Learning
3.3 Getting a job (employment)
3.4 Other options
4. THE CURRENT SITUATION OF EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 11
5. INTERVENTIONS: 15
5.1 National level
5.2 Local level
5.3 Case studies
Future Theatres Company
Tricycle Theatre Company
Kids Company
One hand Cant Clap
Black Boys Can
5.4 The Needs of Young People and the Gaps in Provision
6. AREAS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH 22
7. CONCLUSIONS AND KEY LEARNING 25
8. APPENDICES 26
Topic guide (case study/strategic)
Contact detail of case study organisations
9. REFERENCES 29
10. USEFUL LINKS 30

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As the Project Manager at Olmec responsible for delivering this project I would like to
express my appreciation to a number of key individuals in helping to deliver this report.
Firstly, I would like to thank all the organisations that were willing to participate in this
research as case studies and appreciate the time their staff spent providing the
information required. I would like to thank Baljinder Virk and Kaybinder Gill who compiled
the research and produced an initial draft of this report. Finally, I would like to thank
Yasmin Jennings who ploughed through numerous drafts of this report, editing and
researching the gaps that led to this completed product.
Jagroop Kaur Dhillon

ABBREVIATIONS
DfES Department for Education and Employment
EMA - Educational Maintenance Allowance
ESF European Social Fund
e2e Entry to Employment
GNVQ General National Vocational Qualification
LSC Learning and Skills Council
NEET Not in Education, Employment or Training
NDYP New Deal for Young People
NVQ National Vocational Qualification
OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
SEN Special Educational Needs
SEU Social Exclusion Unit
VCS - Voluntary and Community Sector

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Research Brief
This project arose as a result of a call for proposals for trans-national co-operation and
exchange projects to combat social exclusion. The theme of this project is Early School
Leaving.
This research project, ReStart; Early School Leavers is a project co-funded by the
European Union. There are nine European partners that have come together to learn from
each others issues, interventions and good practice. This mapping exercise will feed into
a larger trans-national study due to be produced by QeC-ERAN, the managing body based
in Brussels.
This report presents a mapping exercise that looks at the situation in England and Wales.
Whilst this is not an extensive mapping exercise due to the limited resources available for
the project, it aims to provide a national, regional and local snap-shot of the interventions
that are available to young people who have either left school early or at risk of social
exclusion due to educational under-attainment.
This study highlights the main findings, together with some conclusions arising from a
study of interventions available for early school leavers and underachievers in England
and Wales. The report explains the methodology that was adopted in order to address the
aims and objectives of the research (which are set out in section 1.3), and outlines the
main results that emerged from the research.
This section presents the definition of the terminology used in the report; the aims and
objectives of the study; and the methodology used in order to carry out the research.
Chapter 2 explores the importance of early school leaving in a European context and in
particular begins to look at the issues that contribute to young people leaving education
early. Chapter 3 goes on to outline the UK context, the education system for England and
Wales as well as the various training options available to young people. Chapter 4 begins
a more in-depth exploration of the factors and issues involved that lead young people to
leave education and provides a snap-shot of the data. Chapter 5 maps some of the
interventions that have been designed to retain young people in education and a wider
spectrum of learning. It also examines some of the challenges that locally based initiatives
are faced with. Chapter 6 then goes on to explore some of the other issues that need to
be considered providing a wider context. Chapter 7 presents the conclusions and looks at
some of the main learning points.
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ReStart- Innovative Approaches to Early School Leaving in England and Wales
1.2 A note on terminology
The definitions of the nomenclature in this area of work are complicated and complex.
Though the official school leaving age for the UK is 16 (currently under review with
proposals to extend to 18), those who leave mainstream education before this age may be
doing so voluntarily or as a result of exclusion. An important distinction must be drawn
between formal exclusion (temporary or permanent) and informal forms of exclusion,
including truancy or treatment in the classroom that can result in early school leaving.
Early school leavers can therefore include:
Positive leavers: they may have chosen to take up employment, an

apprenticeship or alternative career path.
Opportune leavers: they have not decided on a career path, but leave to
take up a job, an apprenticeship or perhaps a relationship in preference to
school.
Would-be leavers, or reluctant stayers: they prefer to leave but lack
opportunities beyond school.
Circumstantial leavers: they are those who leave school for non-educational
reasons, for example, family need.
Discouraged leavers: they are those who have not had success in their
schooling, and who have low levels of performance and interest.
Alienated leavers: they are those whose needs may be similar to the
discouraged students, but which are more difficult to meet.
(Defined in the Restart: Project proposal for Community Action Programme 2005, pp 3-4)
The rhetoric at policy-making level within the UK is focused on underachievement,

whether due to truancy, absenteeism or individual disengagement, rather than early
school leaving. The government has introduced policy measures which are directed at
preventing young people from falling into a state of economic inactivity and ending up in
the NEET category. Due to these policy measures, there is national data available on the
number of young people that are part of the NEET category. For the purposes of this
report, underachievement is viewed as synonymous with early school leaving.
1.3 Aims and objectives of the study
The aims and objectives for this research exercise were to produce:
An outline of the educational system in England and Wales

Information on the extent of the problem in terms of underachievement and
disengagement
Mapping of the different types of interventions on national, regional and local
level
Case studies of innovative initiatives/programmes
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This research will be used to share practice across Europe and will form part of an overall
report that brings together eight other such perspectives to find the common issues and
different interventions across the participating countries. It will be available on the QeC-
ERAN website (www.qec-eran.org ) and on the Olmec website at (www.olmec-ec.org.uk ).
The report will also be disseminated as part of a workshop to be hosted by Olmec and
Presentation.
The report will be a good starting point for education practitioners looking at the various
interventions that have been designed and delivered to young people to enable them to
realise their maximum potential. It will also analyse the intersection between public
governmental approaches and local innovative, small-scale approaches. These local
models often have a creativity and innovation that can be replicated in other European
member states. Local approaches tend to be issue based, reflecting local needs and
priorities rather than heavily reliant on national policy contexts, making solutions easier to
replicate. Highlighting examples of best practice in these approaches will therefore be the
most beneficial in terms of sharing learning with EU partners.
1.4 Methodology
This study was conducted over a 10 month period between April 2006 and March 2007.
It involved the compilation of the interventions for early school leavers and those who
underachieve (do not achieve to their potential) through web and literature research.
Further information was gathered through telephone interviews with key informants and
seven in-depth interviews in order to form case studies.
The research methodology employed in this mapping exercise therefore included:
Desk research
- Various search engines and gateways for interventions
- Sourcing research on underachievers and those who are classed as NEET
- Extensive literature review
Telephone interviews with key informants in order to identify interventions and
their views on the gaps in provision and policy issues
In-depth interviews with organisations delivering interventions in order to form
the case studies for this report
Five initiatives were identified in order to carry out detailed case studies. Site visits were
made and interviews were conducted with key personnel, who were asked to provide in-
depth information on some local interventions; to highlight the creative methods that are
being used; the issues they experience in trying to keep their client group engaged in
some form of learning and personal development and whether reintegrating them back
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into mainstream education was more effective than providing alternative opportunities for
learning.
This report focuses on the interventions in England and Wales only, due to the different
educational system in Scotland. It should be noted that this is a short mapping exercise,
and is by no means a comprehensive study, largely due to the limited resources available
to this project.
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2. EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT IN EUROPE?
Early school leaving is a fundamental contributing factor for social exclusion in later life.
Even school leavers that complete compulsory education and obtain the minimum
qualifications face problems of decreasing job availability and access. They are further
disadvantaged by lack of work experience and the increasing casualisation of the labour
market. In the case of early school leavers these problems are even more magnified. The
wider social and economic implications of a high proportion of early school leaving are of
great concern to European governments seeking to drive economic growth as economic
and social instability; likely growth of homelessness; unemployment and poverty are
attributed to low levels of skills and education amongst the work force.
Levels of early school leaving vary greatly across EU member states, ranging from 5% to
35%. The average rate across the 15 member states is 18.3%.
Stronger evidence is emerging which demonstrates the dangers of marginalisation; of

labour market exclusion and lack of job security that threaten those who have not
received adequate preparation; who have not had educational opportunities, or whose
qualifications are inadequate. In the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) countries young people aged between 20 and 24 who have
received higher education and training are three to four times less likely to be
unemployed than those who have only basic training.
It is increasingly recognised by European governments that failure in schools can be

addressed to prevent social exclusion. Underachievement is not so much a phenomenon
which occurs within any individual educational system, but a major social problem to
which there can be solutions, providing that the causes are accurately identified.
Addressing the causes of early school leaving or underachievement is complex: there is

no such thing as a typical early school leaver. Not all young people leave school early or
underachieve for the same reason and their reasons are not always negative ones.
Furthermore, there is no standard predictor for those individuals who are more likely to
leave early or underachieve, although there are some who are considered more at risk
than others. Groups identified as being at risk include children from low-income families,
some ethnic minorities, students from rural locations, truants, children looked-after by the
state, homeless young people and those residing in areas of concentrated disadvantage.
In addition, there is an on-going difference in retention rates between male and female
students.
Certain factors affecting individuals are commonly associated with early school leaving:
Psycho-social, behavioural and physical

Family (structure, functioning, separation, socio-economic context)
School (organisation, curriculum, climate)
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Socio-economic and ethnic group
Lack of literacy, numeracy and study skills
A major problem for both early school leavers and those at risk of underachieving is a lack
of understanding of programmes, initiatives and services available to them, either to gain
support with continuing education or to undertake training as a path to employment. This
is due to the fragmentation, geographical disparity and variance of local level services in
addition to a number of barriers including financial constraints.
Interventions are provided by a variety of government, community, voluntary sector and

private sector agencies. The nature and types of programme vary greatly between
regions, Member States and change over time. There is no or little co-ordination of the
various services and it is often difficult to map them. The ReStart project makes a start at
mapping these interventions and aims to share information on a European-level, in
particular of innovative, non-mainstream projects, and to highlight gaps in local service
provision identifying the needs of individual early school leavers.
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3. EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN ENGLAND AND WALES
This section outlines the educational and training system in England and Wales. In
particular it looks at the main training and employment options available to early school
leavers and supportive measures that are in place.
In England and Wales education is compulsory up to the age of 16, which is the age at
which most young people take their General Certificate in Secondary Education (GCSE)
level examinations. The choices beyond GSCE for school leavers include a number of
options:
Further education at a college or sixth-form (qualifications and skills)

Government-supported training (learning and earning)
Employment (getting a job)
Other options (such as volunteering)
Although this is the official system of education, not all school leavers are retained until
the age of 16. Alternatives to the options mentioned here must be made for those affected
by or at risk of temporary or permanent exclusions. These will be discussed in section 5.
3.1 Qualifications and Skills
Post compulsory qualifications can be either vocational i.e. career specific and possibly
combining work placements and study, or general. General qualifications post - 16
include Advanced (A) Level certificates available in a wide range of subjects which are
counted towards entry requirements for university admission and are worked towards
within a school or college setting.
Vocational qualifications include:
Applied A - Levels across career fields such as leisure and tourism, hospitality and
catering, allowing individuals to develop knowledge and skills required for specific
jobs
National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) available in broad vocational areas
including: art and design, business, construction, health and social care, and travel
and tourism. There are no examinations for NVQs, the student will instead
produce a competency-based portfolio.
General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) designed to give students
knowledge and understanding of a vocational area. However, GNVQs are being
phased out and replaced by other vocational qualifications.
Edexcel BTEC qualifications nationally recognized occupational qualifications. They
are offered at many different levels from First Certificates and Diplomas to Higher
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National Certificates and Diplomas. The entry requirement for this qualification is
some GCSEs at grades D-G for entry at First Certificate and Diploma level.
City and Guilds qualifications City and Guilds qualifications are nationally
recognized and can be taken in a wide variety of work areas.
The entry requirements for general qualifications and some vocational qualifications are
five A*-C grades at GCSE level. Although this has become the National base-line standard,
some schools and colleges offer students who achieve lower grades in English and
Mathematics an opportunity to re-sit the examinations during their first year of study at
further education level. This opportunity benefits those who have remained engaged to
some degree in mainstream education and have made a choice to continue further study
and school/college based training. Financial incentives are also given for students to
continue study in the form of a means-tested Education Maintenance Allowance.
Provision for vocational qualifications and the incentives mentioned above are successful
in retaining young people in education beyond the school leaving age to an extent, where
they may otherwise fall into the NEET category. However, their effectiveness in
enhancing employment prospects is questionable: employers often prefer to provide on-
job training than to employ those with classroom based qualifications.
Alternative provisions are made for those who are disengaged and have either not
completed their compulsory education or may have remained in the system but not
achieved the necessary grades for further study. For these individuals provisions are
made to engage them in some form of training or employment.
3.2 Earning and Learning
Work based learning offers an opportunity for individuals to embark on a restricted range
of occupations through working towards a recognised qualification whilst earning money.
This is most widely available in the form of apprenticeships which combine the
development of occupational competence, knowledge and transferable skills. There are
several types of apprenticeships including young apprenticeships for 14-16 year olds, pre-
apprenticeships, and advanced apprenticeships.
The government seeks to encourage young people not engaged in any form of
employment or training to undertake apprenticeships through advisory, information and
support services, some of which also offer advice to businesses in the benefits of offering
apprenticeships and support delivery.
Further support is available for young people aged 16-25 through the governments Entry-
to-Employment work scheme which provides financial support and advice for young
people who require preparation for a full apprenticeship through the development of Key
Skills (communication, IT and applied numeracy), vocational, personal and social
development.
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The Works 4 me website is designed for young people to access information about the
world of work, to dispel stereotypes about male and female work and also provides a
work placement search facility for young people to find contacts in various industries.
The effectiveness of government training schemes is limited by employers reluctance to

buy-in: businesses are often not convinced of the benefits of employing unskilled
individuals to train on the job. With over 1,000 vetted individuals awaiting
apprenticeships, the statistics suggest that access to apprenticeships is in short supply
and by far, unable to meet demand. The disproportionate popularity of some trades above
others also contributes to longer waiting lists.
Individuals who do complete their training are increasingly vulnerable to shortages in

demand for labour arising from patterns of modernisation that demand knowledge of
more modern skills in some areas such as plumbing, and result in exportation of labour in
others, such as construction.
3.3 Getting a job (employment)
Young people can work full-time at 16, but the law specifies that there are some places
they cannot work. At 16 they are entitled to get the national minimum wage, though this
is at a lower rate than for those of 18 years and above.
Government legislation currently obliges employers to recognise and support the right of
16 and 17 year olds who do not hold post-compulsory qualifications to paid time off work
to study and train (Time Off for Studying and Training).
Employers often find that employees or potential employees who possess the national
minimum qualifications are not equipped with skills they require in the work place. Even
where employment under these circumstances is secured it is vulnerable to changes due
to factors such as market trends. Those who have not completed their compulsory
education are at greater risk of unemployment or undertaking poorly paid work. This
tends to be menial and insecure, with little potential for development.
Current policy measures aiming to equip young people with the necessary skills to
improve their chances in the labour market will be discussed in the next section.
3.4 Other options
Other options available to early school leavers seeking to enter employment include
volunteering; this can help develop skills and provide work experience that early school
leavers may lack. The government is seeking to encourage young people to volunteer
through initiatives such as Millennium Volunteers. This programme offers 16-24 year olds
the opportunity to gain work experience at the end of which they are given an MV
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Award recognized by employers. The programme also aims to facilitate links with
prospective employers through its website.
The effectiveness of government initiatives in creating viable opportunities for young

people to enhance their employability varies greatly. Many young people will also be
excluded from this option by financial barriers, as volunteering is unpaid.
Further government directed interventions available to support early school leavers into
training and employment and details of agencies providing services to young unemployed
people will be discussed in detail in Section Five.
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4. THE CURRENT SITUATION OF EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING
This section presents a broad outline of the situation of early school leaving and
underachievement in England and Wales. It looks at factors which commonly contribute to
early school leaving; its implications for individuals, and offers a brief explanation of policy
measures seeking to effect a reduction in the proportion of young people who are not in
education, employment or training.
The majority of young people in England and Wales now undergo extended transitions
into adult life involving some form of post-16 education or training and longer periods of
family dependency (Coles, 2000). This is as a result of the range of policies aiming to
address different factors that affect young peoples life chances (Jones and Bell, 2000).
It is important to recognize that despite this fact, the NEET category encompasses a
substantial number of young people who have spent some time in post-compulsory
education, but have subsequently not spent any time participating in training or
employment activity.
The issue of multiple disadvantages is fundamental to any analysis of this situation: under-
achievement in education cannot be viewed in isolation. Such disadvantages include
housing disadvantage, poverty, risk of exploitation and abuse. Whilst these may impact
upon early school leaving, the fact is that early school leaving will diminish the chances of
an individual overcoming these disadvantages and a cycle thereby ensues. It is therefore
recognized that equality of outcomes in education for young people of all circumstances is
essential in making a society of equal opportunity and social inclusion a reality for all.
Multiple disadvantages prevails amongst particular groups. For example, looked after
children are known to be at higher risk of falling into the NEET category. The Utting Report
(Utting, 1997) found low levels of academic achievement, high levels of unemployment,
teenage pregnancy, dependency on hardship providing, likelihood of being involved in
some form of criminal activity, and homelessness among those who have been in care. A
more recent source from the Department for Education and Skills (2006) shows that
children in care are overrepresented in a range of vulnerable groups including NEET,
teenage parents, young offenders, drug users and prisoners. 60% of NEET aged 19 had
no GCSEs on leaving care. 20% of children in care achieved 5 A*-G grades in 2004,
compared with 37% of all children with special education needs.
Research by the Social Exclusion Unit (SEU) (1999) found that only 20% of those
categorised as NEET became so immediately on leaving school with substantial numbers
dropping out from training, employment or further education. This report also
concluded that non-participation at the age of 16 was the single most direct predictor of
unemployment later in life, thereby pointing to the importance of re-engagement projects
and programmes at an earlier stage. The research also identified exclusion and truancy as
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predictors for later unemployment as young people affected by this are most likely to be
disengaged from any form of learning after the age of 16.
There are a number of factors which impact upon disengagement. These can be in the
form of policy, school and family factors. In terms of policy factors, these may include the
national curriculum, fragmentation of vocational provision and league tables.
Requirements to produce paperwork and focus on targets places an excessive amount of
pressure on teachers time and the attention they can give to students. Increasing the
administrative aspects of their jobs has drawn them away from their role as teachers.
League tables have created pressure on schools and teachers to compete with each other.
They also encourage parents to send their children to higher achieving schools, often
leaving local schools with difficult, low-ability children, who dont benefit from the peer
learning experience.
School factors for underachievement, disengagement or early school leaving may include:
Low status of vocational education

Lack of alternative education with little formalized accreditation
Lack of investment in pastoral support
Inappropriate pedagogy
Community/regional factors
Economic/social deprivation and unemployment in some areas
Lack of self-esteem
Teacher expectations/prejudices
Institutional nature of schools
Family factors for underachievement, disengagement or early school leaving may include:
Education is not valued

Absence condoned by parent(s)
Dysfunctional families
Family problems
Lack of parenting skills
Different social behavioral expectations
Cultural constraints
Individual factors for underachievement, disengagement or early school leaving may

include:
Peer pressure/poor peer relationships

Curriculum irrelevant for pupils
Lack of self-esteem/self-confidence
Lack of social skills
Inability to cope with traditional assessment procedures
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Boredom, lack of engagement
Learning problems
Experiences of racism
Discouraged
It is difficult to determine the exact extent of the NEET category in the UK. Data collected
by the government, which currently estimates there are currently 220,000 people in the
category, encompassing 11% of the 16-18 population (Daily Mirror, November 2006) In
addition, the government funded Connexions service maintain a client database on 13-19
year olds which has information on client activity from the point at which they left
compulsory education. Despite this official data, some caution needs to be exercised as it
is unlikely that young people who are disengaged will respond positively to services.
(Britton et al 2002:4)
National data is available as a breakdown of the percentage of 16-19 year olds in the NEET
category by ethnic group. According to figures from the Department for Education and
Skills (DfES) the ethnic minority group with the lowest proportion of those not in
education and employment are those belonging to the Asian or Asian British group
(6.2%); in particular the Indian group with only 3.7% NEET. This is in fact lower than that
of the white group (8.1%). All other ethnic minority groups experience a higher
proportion of NEET compared to the white group. According to the data in Dec 2005 the
highest proportion of those not in education or employment were mixed race (11.8%).
The ethnic minority group with the next highest proportion not in education or
employment is the Black or Black British group (9.9%).
Despite the introduction of targets to reduce the proportion of young people in the NEET
category the numbers are still increasing in many regions. The government is currently
considering raising the compulsory education and training leaving age to 18. The
legislation is intended to strengthen the existing obligation for employers to provide paid
time off for training, as 25% of 17 year olds are currently not in training or education
despite this law (Independent, November 2006) It will also support the governments
principle of the entitlement of all to lifelong learning, which recognises that learning
occurs beyond the classroom, and breaks the demarcation between vocational training
and school based learning.
There is also current discussion at policy level of shifting from a subject based to a skills
based curriculum. This has come about as a result of independent projects led by
educationists, such as Learning to Learn, which have been shown to be effective at
engaging young people in the process of learning.
It is recognised that it is necessary to deliver services such as education, youth, social and
welfare services, with a joined up approach in order to help individuals overcome
multiple barriers to educational achievement and employment. Government initiatives are
taking this direction with the Connexions strategy and Every Child Matters. The
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Department for Work and Pensions is seeking to address the lack of integrated data
available on individuals using a number services simultaneously to tackle multiple barriers
to employment. This is essential in delivering an accurate assessment of programmes,
better measurement of service impact and focusing on individual needs and outcomes
rather than targets.
These measures reflect recognition of the need for continuity through this transitional
time in young peoples lives. This is further identified within the governments 14-19
strategy, which seeks to ensure that young people remain supported throughout this
period in which they are most likely to become disengaged.
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5. INTERVENTIONS
This section reviews some of the interventions that are available to underachievers at a
national and local level. These include mainstream interventions from government
agencies, assistance and support from voluntary and community sector initiatives, and
interventions of the private sector. It presents a diverse range of five case studies of
innovative local interventions from theatre based to media skills training.
5.1 National/Regional
The main interventions consistently available throughout England and Wales are
government initiatives delivered locally or regionally.
Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs)

The LSC is nationally responsible for funding and planning education and training for over-
16 year olds. This is delivered regionally, through 47 LSCs in England and Wales, who
decide how national strategy can best be implemented to meet regional priorities and
objectives. They have overall responsibility for the aforementioned apprenticeships,
including providing a support mechanism for businesses and promoting the benefits of
apprenticeships. They also have operational responsibility for the Entry 2 Employment
programme described in previous sections.
Connexions
This is the government's key support service for all young people aged 13 to 19 in
England. The service aims to provide integrated advice, guidance and access to
information and personal development opportunities, including training and employment
options. Personal advisers are available to speak to at local Connexions Centres and their
website provides advice and information. Connexions is a national strategy implemented
at local level through Connexions centres.
New Deal for Young People (NDYP).

This is a compulsory programme for unemployed young people aged 18-24 who have
been claiming Jobseekers Allowance for six months. It is delivered by Jobcentre Plus,
providing training and assistance in job search, different options of training or work
experience, and assigns a New Deal Personal Advisor to each participant. Non-
participation results in sanctions imposed upon any benefits claimed.
14-16 Reengagement Programme

This Department for Education and Skills programme is part of current reforms that aim to
enable and encourage all young people to stay in education and training post-16, by
tackling disengagement before the school leaving age. It is significant that the programme
recognises both that the need for interventions targeted at young people below the
school leaving age are essential and for individually tailored support for young people at
risk. However, it is not yet clear how this will be implemented. The re-engagement
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programme will combine work-based learning with the development of key skills through
which young people gain a qualification, rather than seek to re-engage young people with
classroom based learning.
5.2 Local
There are numerous localised interventions that cannot all be set out here, therefore
selected ones along with case studies are presented below. There are some innovative
interventions funded by the government through European funding, to tackle specific
issues such as lack of skills and training. There are a large number of local initiatives
delivered by the voluntary and community sector, who feel they are best positioned to
respond to the needs of local communities.
The Association of London Government (now London Councils) report Class Acts:
diversity and opportunity in London schools (2003) recognises the role that the voluntary
and community sector plays in raising attainment for young people of black and ethnic
minority backgrounds. The voluntary and community sector is particularly effective at
fostering partnerships between schools, parents, and actors in the wider community,
which schools and LEAs are rarely able to do. The sector is able to identify areas for
improvement in services and works to develop services through initiatives such as
mentoring and working closely with individuals to prevent formal exclusions.
Local interventions use innovative and alternative techniques like drama, media, sport and
mentoring in order to re-engage young people in education, usually engaging a wide range
of stakeholders. Interventions may also include Saturday schools run by charities or
religious organisations. There are also some private companies delivering programmes
such as locally based tutoring programmes.
Some specific examples of local interventions are detailed below as case studies.
5.3 Case studies:
The Case Studies presented below only give a brief introduction to the kind of initiatives
that exist in this vast environment. These are neither reflective of the diversity of local
interventions that exist or the range and success of the activities that the below
mentioned organisations present. The contact details for these organisations have been
included as an Appendix. Anyone interested in further information, please contact the
organisations directly.
Future Theatres Company
The Future Theatres Company has charity status and is located in St Georges Crypt in
South East London with a hub for similar organisations that provide synergy for one
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another. The organisation was founded in 1992 with an aim to use drama techniques and
creative workshops to explore difficult, challenging social and health issues with severely
disadvantaged young people.
The organisation now delivers theatre and drama workshops in two strands: the Young
People Touring Programme (across the UK) includes interactive plays performed in
schools and the Education Programme (Greater London) uses drama as a tool to challenge
young people. These programmes aim to help young people to deal with issues and find a
pathway to learning using drama techniques.
Some of the issues that the company has addressed include drug and alcohol issues,
sexual relationships, mental health, racism and bullying. The issues worked with are
explored in a way that enables young people to understand complex life choices and helps
build individual and group esteem.
The youngest participants are 5-6 years old and the eldest are 18-22. The organisation
has reached 300,000 young people across 19 London boroughs.
Tricycle Theatre Company
Tricycle, North-West London based theatre, cinema and art gallery, delivers an Education
and Social Inclusion Programme which aims to make the arts accessible to all young
people in the culturally diverse local community.
Groups targeted include: young refugees and asylum seekers; young people who have
been, or are at risk of being excluded from schools; young people living in areas of high
crime and young people experiencing economic deprivation.
The creative and performing arts are utilised in workshops as a tool to address and rectify
the causes, consequences of exclusion and under achievement. Improvisation, scripting,
movement, drama, creative writing and performance all develop social skills, address
behavioural issues, improve concentration and language skills. These skills support re-
integration back into mainstream education and transition from primary to secondary
school.
Other current projects include, Street dance and guitar lessons, literacy hour for primary
children, Female Self Esteem and work with Brent Pupil Referral Unit.
Since its inception four years ago the programme has flourished with over 40 hours of
activities each week and attendances in excess of 24,000 per year.
Olmec- 17
Kids Company
The Kids Company targets its services towards vulnerable young people suffering mental
health and emotional difficulties.
Its work is based on the principle that childrens behaviour is impacted by trauma, abuse
and neglect and the importance of fostering trusting relationships between young people
and adults in addressing practical and emotional needs to encourage children to take
responsibility for their emotions.
It offers each child a holistic package of one-to-one therapy, group therapy, drop-in
counseling, lunchtime and after school clubs, mentoring and in-class support, art
workshops, dance and movement workshops services tailored to their individual needs,
supporting their return to mainstream education.
Young people can refer themselves to the Kids Company or be referred by other agencies.
The charity supports some 10,000 children per annum.
One Hand Cant Clap
One Hand Cant Clap is a private sector organisation founded on the concept of
collective responsibility, aiming to tackle exclusion, alienation and disaffection of African
- Caribbean children by combing culture and heritage, the use of African-Caribbean
proverbs for example, within its programme of workshops.
It has a number of objectives, among others these are to: support individuals to take
greater responsibility for their learning; minimise the effects of social exclusion and
support the reduction of exclusions from school and the wider society; develop skills and
strategies to enable fulfillment of aspirations and enhance employment prospects.
This is delivered through personal development programmes, breakfast clubs, education

transition programmes, social skills development, Afro-Caribbean voice project, education
transition programmes and prefect training.
The programme is provided to schools, youth service providers, social care services, and
colleges amongst others.
National Black Boys Can Association
A community led organisation that aims to provide black boys aged 9-16 with educational
opportunities, valuable life skills, the self-esteem, confidence and determination to
succeed. This involves engaging all relevant stakeholders in the process of raising
Olmec- 18
academic, social aspirations and achievement of black boys: providing parents with skills
to support their sons (an activity which is not common place amongst organisations),
empowering local communities to run their own projects, working in partnership with
mainstream education and lobbying for change at policy level.
The organisation delivers assistance with developing strategies for dealing with adverse
factors that impede progress and provides a positive environment where boys learn to
value themselves and others and positive role models. Extra support is given with national
curriculum subjects, particularly English and Maths, to supplement school teaching.
The projects currently operate in Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry, London, Luton, Oxford
and Wolverhampton (they operate as SOCIAL franchises).
A number of case studies are presented above whereby innovative projects have been
used to re-engage young people or help them to succeed. There are a number of success
factors that contribute to their achievements and they offer a number of benefits for
young people. Media training projects such as CEED are delivered in a culturally
supportive environment. This helps some students from ethnic minorities with a lack of
self-esteem and experiences of discrimination by placing them among their peers and
introducing them to role models of minority ethnic people in managerial positions, by
whom they can be inspired. Students also have access to a diverse range of activities that
they can participate in, such as positive action training programmes, enterprise unit and IT
training.
Other benefits from alternative interventions include for instance the resources used, as in
the One Hand Cant Clap programmes where a connection with cultural heritage is
developed and encouraged. This, in the Managing Directors opinion, is missing from the
lives of many African-Caribbean young people.
5.4 Needs of young people and gaps in provision
This section presents the needs of the young people as expressed by groups who deliver
programmes to them and key informants and continues to discuss the gaps in provision.
The educational system is seen to be failing some young people in England and Wales.
The curriculum is seen as having major short-comings, particularly for some Black and
minority ethnic pupils. It is also felt that mainstream subjects, such as mathematics and
English, are not always taught in a manner that is engaging for young people. Moreover,
there is the suggestion that some teachers do not understand young people and lack
understanding of diversity and cultural differences. There is evidence of racism and low
expectations for some groups in schools (Gaine and George 1999, DfES 2006). There is
also little confidence that schools succeed in adequately equipping young people with
skills that prepare them for life.
Olmec- 19
Also recognised are socio-economic factors that impact upon the achievement of young
people. This is evident from the concentration of underachievement amongst those from
poorer backgrounds who suffer multiple disadvantages and those who lack access to
support from people who young people can trust. The latter is particularly important in
creating a sense of stability for those experiencing a volatile home life.
It is considered that some people are in the NEET category as a result of young
parenthood. Some of these individuals have continuing ambitions for educational and
occupational careers and parenthood has sometimes actually enhanced their feelings of
responsibility. There is a gap in service provision for these individuals who may be re-
engaged with the idea of education and training. Those with the most serious problems
also struggle with financial support, which seems to them to be ineffective and inadequate
(Britton et al., 2002).
Overall, under-achievement can be a result of a number complex and inter-related factors.

The individual, their parents, the educational system and wider socio-economic factors all
impact upon the success of young people. Therefore one solution will not resolve such
issues. There is a lack of provision for services that are tailored to individuals and
integration of services addressing problems that are inter-related. The recent and
continuing trend towards joined up delivery of services may go some way to address this,
but it is local measures generally delivered by the voluntary and community sector that
tend to be more effective at this.
Voluntary and community sector service providers face a number of challenges, both in
their own rights and in the delivery of services to young people. The organisations that
provide services to young people in the voluntary sector receive funding from the
government or from European funds. These funding regimes are target driven; focused on
bureaucracy and paperwork directing time away from delivering young peoples needs.
There is a shortage of overall funding to meet the needs of young people and more
specifically, where it is available this is usually short-term and organisations have to
constantly fundraise in order to maintain their service. If they are unable to secure funding
young people are left either unsupported or referred to other services, resulting in the
lack of stability and consistency that is essential to their development.
In order to see an improvement in service delivery to young people it is important that

resources are targeted to projects and initiatives that have a proven success in re-
engaging them with learning. In order for services to make a real impact and be
sustainable, funding needs to be between five to ten years this will give the services
some respite from seeking funds and enable them to develop successful initiatives that
really re-engage young people and help them find pathways into learning and
employment.
Olmec- 20
In some cases although funding is secured it is not sufficient to meet all the needs of a
particular client - gaps in resources are creating significant barriers. For example in some
cases there was no allowance for the young people to travel to the training provider.
Lack of resources is also limiting the services provided preventing a holistic approach to
working with young people. In addition there is a general lack of investment in
community education, both for young people and parents.
It is understood that whilst schools recognise the need for and are required to deliver
personal development and skills training, pressures on time and resources often prevent
schools from being able to engage all young people in their own learning and
development. Though it must be recognised that many teachers and schools already do
this and see this as their role, it is hoped that future legislation will remove barriers to
focussing on personal development that are posed by national targets and the subject
based curriculum. Time pressures would also need to be relieved in order for schools to
further incorporate drama and other types of educational techniques into their
mainstream teaching.
Such measures may go some way in re-engaging young people at risk of alienation,
underachievement or exclusion. However, in order to ensure that they will get easy
access to the support and services they need, a support system must be built into the
mainstream schooling system. Schools must in this way be both allowed and obliged to
redress their lack of capacity to address the needs of every individual through working in
closer partnership with parents and the wider range of stakeholders and services in the
community. This is what the voluntary and community sector is most effective at: both the
principle and its innovative practices must be mainstreamed.
Olmec- 21
6. AREAS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
The research on those not in education or employment (NEET); under-achievers and those
at risk of exclusion all suggests that this group is markedly heterogeneous. Hence, any
intervention will require a level of engagement that is tailor-made to the uniqueness of
the individual circumstances. Having said this within the heterogeneity there are clear
patterns of difference among, for example, between ethnic groups, between the gender
groups, but similarities of experiences within those groups. The support can be tailored at
a group-based level as long as it also accommodates any other individual issues or
problems.
The tailored support at group level should meet the needs of vulnerable groups, for
example, young mothers need particular types of support in order to balance
responsibilities, as they may wish to be able to return to their studies, or find
employment. For ethnic minorities racism is found in many forms such as in school or
from those who look after them or their carers. Also there is evidence of organisations
who are not adequately responding to the issues of difference and diversity, including
ethnicity (despite the Race Relation Amendment Act 2000) and sexuality. Those looked
after by local authorities find the experience disempowering and may need programmes
and initiatives that work on their self-esteem.
Attempting to address these problems will not be straightforward as these groups are
usually hidden as a significant number of individuals who are NEET; underachieving or at
risk of exclusion are not known to official agencies (Childrens Society, 1999; Britton et
al., 2002). Research shows it is easy for young people to disappear from the system. It is
therefore important to map and track young people, but there are huge difficulties in
doing so, especially as this group is one of the most vulnerable. A huge difficulty with this
group is that such young people may not want to be re-engaged; and in particular some
rebel against government agencies. For example, the Governments unemployment
programme for young people, New Deal for Young People (NDYP) is compulsory yet
there is evidence that some young people actively avoid this programme, (Fieldhouse et
al., 2002). If any group is particularly hidden then outreach work is necessary, however,
this needs to well resourced and managed with appropriately trained workers.
Government training programmes are not perfect and do pose some barriers to young
people and in particular there are differences in outcomes of ethnic minorities vis--vis
white indigenous participants. Others have criticised government intervention for the little
coordination between the different agencies. Having said this, in the last few years the
government has introduced a number of interventions: namely the Connexions service
which provides advice and assistance on a number of issues, not just education or
employment. It is considered as a one-stop shop for young people. There are also other
initiatives such as Specialised Diplomas and the Re-engagement Programme. However it
is too early to comment upon the effectiveness of the last two programmes.
Olmec- 22
Britton et al.s research based on ethnic minorities concluded that (2002:44):
it is often the voluntary sector and particularly community-based

organisations, that are dealing most effectively with the disappeared.
The same conclusion can be drawn for all those who are NEET, excluded or at risk of
exclusion.
The voluntary and community sector (VCS) will continue to play an important role in this
area of work. However, the VCS is not without its problems: many of those spoken to for
the purposes of this research experienced some challenges. This small research exercise
found similar problems mentioned by other VCS in the wider literature. One particular
challenge mentioned is their lack of funding; also of the lack of flexibility in funding. There
are a lot of calls for a reduction in the bureaucracy in funding regimes, allowing further
innovation and creativity.
Knowledge of programmes is particularly important especially as there are a number of

different interventions and organisations delivering programmes in order to re-engage
young people. Knowledge of where to go for help and assistance for young people is
important, as is the knowledge of the different interventions by those providing the advice
and information to the young people.
The governments renewed interest in VCS delivery should ensure there are more
adequate resources for the VCS to help tackle socio-economic and educational issues.
The VCS should be seen as supporting the mainstream and not as competition.
Also important as specified by the literature in this area of research is that the process of
re-engagement starts early. Issues such as truancy and behavioural problems should be
addressed at school as they often result from bullying and family problems. The
programmes such as those described in the case studies have been effective and
counseling should also be offered in the school system, within a framework that is
confidential and discreet. If such problems are solved whilst the young people are still at
school this will certainly reduce the number of problems experienced post-16 and later on
in life. Home and school support services will need to work together; as well as with
parents and carers as there are strong indications that trouble at school mirrored trouble
in the home environment.
Overall the critical success factors of the different interventions include: choice: that is
self-referral, compulsion on such programmes is not seen too kindly and young people
rebel against them; a long-term relationship with young people must be aimed for; the
provision should be: in a culturally sensitive and safe environment; flexible programmes;
there needs to be a strong focus on the needs of the individual, not one size fits all as
Olmec- 23
opposed to a one-off encounter and finally a holistic approach is necessary as young
NEET people and underachievers experience multiple disadvantages.
Despite having advocated individualised interventions, that is not to say that these are the
only initiatives that are required as there is a danger that interventions based solely on the
individual nature of the problems will focus all the attention on young people, when in
actual fact in some instances there are structural or institutional problems, such as racism
that need to be addressed.
Olmec- 24
7. CONCLUSIONS AND KEY LEARNING
Essentially there is no simple solution to all of the issues outlined in previous sections.
Young people leave school early for a number of reasons and although in the long term
this may limit their life chances and the opportunities open to them, the more immediate
concern seems to be for those that are not engaged with education, employment or
training in any way or form. However this group in itself is far from being uniform. The
underachievers, the disillusioned and the disengaged are a complex and heterogeneous
group that face a multitude of issues, barriers and challenges. Any interventions that are
designed for this group will need to be multi-faceted, sophisticated but above all sensitive
to the complexity of their needs.
There is a role for the various sectors, organisations and initiatives that exist within
England and Wales. The National, Government funded initiatives allow for large scale
access across geographical areas, whereas Regional interventions allow for demographics
and area specific issues to be addressed. Local voluntary and community sector issues
enable specific individual or group needs to be addressed.
Each model, each initiative comes with its own limitations and critiques. No one model or
intervention has, to date, been able to address the plethora of needs and issues that exist.
However, there have been some success stories within each model. The government is
trying to address these issues through the schooling system, regional organisations like
the Learning and Skills Council work across sectors and local community interventions
work both with young people still in school, at risk of leaving and those that have already
left.
To conclude, any interventions need to take account of the complex, multi-dimensional

issues that result in young people, underachieving, falling out of school and not engaging
in any type of employment or training. All major stakeholders including the young people,
parents, support services/organisations and schools need to be involved in the design
and delivery of any solutions. What is more young people will need a consistent service
that provides them with some stability. In order to provide such a service organisations
and schools will need appropriate financing and resources. There is also a need for a
more consistent geographical coverage of services and facilities that young people can
access. All in all the solution will have to take account of all the complexities that have
resulted in the situation whether they are structural, social, economic or individual.
Olmec- 25
APPENDICES
Case Studies for Early School Leaving/Underachievement
Initial brief for researchers
TOPIC GUIDE used during case study interviews
Introductions including explanation of project

Appreciation for time and willingness to meet/participate as a case study
Explain research/objectives/aims
Discussion Points:
Overview of organisation
Target Audience
Why is your model an effective alternative/supplement to formal school system
Any challenges or specific issues faced
Results
Future plans for organisation/project
Close
Thank again
Further details contact Jagroop Kaur Dhillon, OLMEC; Projects Manager, 020 7091 9481;
jagroopkaur.Dhillon@olmec-ec.org.uk
Olmec- 26
CASE STUDY CONTACT DETAILS
Organisation Futures Theatre Company

Project Type Theatre
Address Futures Theatre Company
St John's Crypt
73 Waterloo Road
London
SE1 8UD
Contact details Tel: 020 7928 2832
Web Address http://www.futurestheatrecompany.co.uk
Organisation Tricycle Theatre Company

Project Type Theatre
Address 269 Kilburn High Road
London
NW6 7JR
Telephone 0207 372 6611
Web Address http://www.tricycle.co.uk/htmlnew/index.php3
Organisation Kids Company

Project Type various
Address 1 Kenbury Street
London
SE5 9BS
Telephone 0845 644 6838
Web Address http://www.kidsco.org.uk
Organisation One hand Cant Clap

Project Type Heritage
Address PO Box 45816, London, E11 4DL
Telephone 020 8988 1184
Web Address www.onehandcantclap.co.uk
Organisation National Black Boys Can Association

Project Type Support for Black boys and families
Address 6 Beacon Court
Birmingham Road
Great Barr
Olmec- 27
Birmingham
B43 6NN
Telephone 0121 358 8618
Web Address http://www.blackboyscan.co.uk
List of key informants and interviewees representing case studies
Black Boys Can Cheron Byfield

Chair
Black Training and Enterprise Group Jeremy Crook

(BTEG) Director
Centre for Employment and Enterprise Kevin Philemon

Development (CEED) Media Team Leader
Department for Education and Skills Inderjit Dehal

(DfES)
Future Theatre Company Kerry Brabant

Artistic Director
Kids Company / Urban Academy Daniel Baltzer

Assistant Director
One Hand Cant Clap Lorlett Hudson

Managing Director
Tricycle Theatres Company Lucy Freeman and Caroline Keely
Olmec- 28
REFERENCES
ALG (2005) Class Acts: The contribution of voluntary sector organisations to the
education of BME children and young people in London, an evaluation.
Britton, L., Chatrik, B., Coles, B., Craig, G., Hylton, C., and Mumtaz, S. with Bivand, P.,
Burrows, R., and Convery, P. (2002) Missing Connexions: the career dynamics and
welfare needs of black and minority ethnic young people at the margins, Bristol: Policy
Press and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Coles, B. (2000) Slouching towards Bethlehem: youth policy and the work of the Social
Exclusion Unit, Social Policy Review, No. 12, Levenham: Social Policy Association.
Department for Employment and Skills (2nd) Briefing for Ethnic Minority Employment Task
Force.
Government Green Paper (2006) Care Matters: Transforming the Lives of Children and
Young People in Care Department for Education and Skills
Fieldhouse, E.A., Kalra, V. S. and Alam, S. (2002) A New Deal for young people from
minority ethnic communities in the UK. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. Vol 28,
No3; 499-513.
Hingham, J., Haynes, G., Wragg, C., and Yeomans, D. (2004) 14-19 Pathfinders: An
evaluation of the first year. January.
Kendall, S. and Kinder, K. (2005). Reclaiming those Disengaged from Education and
Learning: a European Perspective. Slough: NFER
QeC-ERAN (2005) Proposal for project
SEU (1999) Bridging the gap, Cm4405, London: SEU/The Stationery Office.
Utting, Sir W. (1997) People like us, London: the Stationery Office.
Olmec- 29
USEFUL LINKS
The BBC also has a useful guide to qualifications that explains all the different types of
exams, from A-levels to NVQs. Visit www.bbc.co.uk/schools/16guide/.
The Department for Education and Skills provides information on different qualifications
for schools and colleges at www.dfes.gov.uk/qualifications and Key Skills at
www.dfes.gov.uk/keyskills.
The following websites all provide further information about qualifications and key skills -
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) at www.qca.org.uk/qualifications/,
Edexel at www.edexcel.org.uk/ and City and Guilds at www.city-and-guilds.co.uk
Information on Apprencticeships can be found on: www.apprenticehsips.gov.uk; similarly

information on Works 4 me can be found on: www.works4me.org.uk.
Careers database:
http://www.connexions-
direct.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?id=1&CFID=8304731&CFTOKEN=58165408
Jobs4U is the Connexions occupational database that will find out what qualifications are
needed to do certain jobs. Visit www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u.
More details on volunteering: http://www.mvonline.gov.uk/
Olmec- 30
Report produced for OLMEC
47-49 Durham Street
Vauxhall
London
SE11 5JA
Tel: 0845 8800110
www.olmec-ec.org.uk
e mail: info@olmec-ec.org.uk
Projects Manager
Jagroop Kaur Dhillon worked for Olmec in the capacity of Projects Manager. Her main
responsibilities were to design, deliver and manage a range of different projects relating to
education and employability. She was responsible for sustaining existing programmes of
work as well as the development of new streams of work and contributing to the overall
direction and strategy of the organisation.
About the Authors
Baljinder Virk worked on this research project in a voluntarily capacity . She has a PhD
from the University of Bristol and has been employed as a Policy Officer for a social policy
think tank (Race on the Agenda, ROTA) and Research Associate at the Centre for
Economic and Enterprise Development Research (CEEDR) at Middlesex University
Business School. She has also worked on a number of research projects on a freelance
basis and is currently in the process of disseminating her PhD findings in policy and
academic circles.
Contact: b.virk@hotmail.co.uk
Yasmin Jennings was an intern at Olmec. She is currently undertaking research on national
and European policy for a variety of initiatives in addition to this project. Yasmin has a
history degree from the University of Leeds and will begin a Masters degree in the next
academic year focussing her studies on social stratification and mobility in the UK.
Olmec- 31
Olmec
47-49 Durham St
Vauxhall
SE11 5JA
Tel: 0845 88 00 110
Fax: 020 7091 2444
Email: info@olmec-ed.org.uk April 2007

Early School Leavers Report

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1.1 The research brief

2. EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT IN EUROPE? 5

3. EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN ENGLAND AND WALES 7

4. THE CURRENT SITUATION OF EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING 11

6. AREAS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH 22

7. CONCLUSIONS AND KEY LEARNING 25

10. USEFUL LINKS 30

Jagroop Kaur Dhillon

DfES Department for Education and Employment

EMA - Educational Maintenance Allowance

ESF European Social Fund

e2e Entry to Employment

GNVQ General National Vocational Qualification

LSC Learning and Skills Council

NEET Not in Education, Employment or Training

NDYP New Deal for Young People

NVQ National Vocational Qualification

OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

SEN Special Educational Needs

SEU Social Exclusion Unit

VCS - Voluntary and Community Sector

1.1 The Research Brief

Positive leavers: they may have chosen to take up employment, an

The rhetoric at policy-making level within the UK is focused on underachievement,

1.3 Aims and objectives of the study

An outline of the educational system in England and Wales

The research methodology employed in this mapping exercise therefore included:

Stronger evidence is emerging which demonstrates the dangers of marginalisation; of

It is increasingly recognised by European governments that failure in schools can be

Addressing the causes of early school leaving or underachievement is complex: there is

Psycho-social, behavioural and physical

Interventions are provided by a variety of government, community, voluntary sector and

Further education at a college or sixth-form (qualifications and skills)

3.1 Qualifications and Skills

Vocational qualifications include:

3.2 Earning and Learning

The effectiveness of government training schemes is limited by employers reluctance to

Individuals who do complete their training are increasingly vulnerable to shortages in

3.3 Getting a job (employment)

3.4 Other options

The effectiveness of government initiatives in creating viable opportunities for young

Low status of vocational education

Education is not valued

Individual factors for underachievement, disengagement or early school leaving may

Peer pressure/poor peer relationships

Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs)

New Deal for Young People (NDYP).

14-16 Reengagement Programme

5.3 Case studies:

Future Theatres Company

Tricycle Theatre Company

The charity supports some 10,000 children per annum.

One Hand Cant Clap

This is delivered through personal development programmes, breakfast clubs, education

National Black Boys Can Association

5.4 Needs of young people and gaps in provision

Overall, under-achievement can be a result of a number complex and inter-related factors.

In order to see an improvement in service delivery to young people it is important that

it is often the voluntary sector and particularly community-based

Knowledge of programmes is particularly important especially as there are a number of

To conclude, any interventions need to take account of the complex, multi-dimensional

Case Studies for Early School Leaving/Underachievement

Initial brief for researchers