Children & Young People

Version 1, May 2008

Priority outcome: Increasing opportunities and participation in education, training and employment

Why is this a priority?

A key challenge facing children and young people as they grow up is making successful transitions through the many different stages in their lives.

Their next steps after school will lay the foundation for the outcomes they will achieve in later life.

There are clear links between lack of qualifications and lower earning power, lower aspirations, poorer health, and the potential for social exclusion. 

This is one of our priority objectives as although we have made some progress in reducing the number of young people not in employment, education or training, we are well above the national level.

Where are we now?

  • The number of young people who are NEET is not static: people move in and out of it as they start and end learning, employment and training opportunities
  • % 16-18 year olds NEET is improving, and in 2006/07 we had a lower % NEET (11.3%) than Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) statistical neighbours.
  • % 19 year olds NEET is improving, but in 2006/07 we had a higher % NEET than our neighbours
  • In 2003 South Tyneside was 1% above the national average for the percentage of 17 year olds in education and training but by 2005 we had dropped to 5% below it
    (All NEET figures supplied by Connexions)

Where do we want to be?

  • We want to reduce the number of young people who leave school at age 16 and don’t progress directly into either employment or further education or training
  • There are also many who start college courses or find work but struggle to stick at it. We want to address this and make sure that young people have the support, advice and guidance to progress and succeed 
  • We also want to look to the future: equipping our children and young people for employment and adult life must remain a key priority to break the cycle of low achievement and poor outcomes
  • We want our regeneration, procurement and planning processes to recognize the importance of creating opportunities for young people, including the use of our innovative specialist diplomas. We will provide apprenticeship opportunities and work experience placements that are in line with the new diploma targets alongside recruiting more business-based sponsors

National indicators in our Local Area Agreement

NI 117 16 to 18 year olds who are not in education, training or employment (NEET)

How are we performing?

The NEET figure can be reported monthly or yearly.  The yearly figure is taken as an average of the period November – January, and will therefore differ from a monthly figure.  South Tyneside is slightly above the Tyne and Wear average, but has substantially narrowed the gap.  At present, we have the second highest NEET figure in Tyne and Wear.

 

16-18 year olds not in employment, education or training

 

If you would like access to the figures, they are available at Tyne and Wear, Borough and neighbourhood level on Statistics Online, with further information such as school attendance, and the number of 17 years olds in further education.

Links to further information

Plans and strategies

Spirit of South Tyneside: our Community Strategy

Performing Together

Next update due: April 2009

 

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