North Cambridgeshire Training Centre, Chatteris, Fenland, Cambridgeshire.
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(This post will be updated with updates from the programme, including photo and video)
Introduction
This report is designed to inform good practice in the Further education sector and to encourage debate about appropriate interventions to support disadvantaged young people. It is also intended to inform the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce and other interested parties who are keen on finding innovative ways to empower disadvantaged youth, enabling them to engage in meaningful learning, skills acquisition, and experiences in the world of work. It explores ‘the art of the possible’, drawing on a small-scale ‘test and learn’ pilot project that took place in the NCTC, Chatteris, between January and April 2024. Funded by the Local Skills Improvement Fund by the UK Government, the project was designed to explore an innovative method of planning, delivering, and assessing the impact of soft skills and employability initiatives. Furthermore, it involved the utilisation of AI chatbot technology designed to support vulnerable young people and staff in learning and work conversations.
Context
At a national, regional, and local level, there are growing concerns regarding the detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and well-being of young people (Pearcey et al, 2023). These concerns are driven by reported increases in anxiety, depression, and social isolation among youth, highlighting the urgent need for effective support systems, including employability interventions. Also, many young people in England are experiencing lengthening transitions to the workplace, and more complex transitions (Mann & Huddleston, 2017). The Fens, has substantial economic challenges, with many of the market towns struggling to attract or retain young people (Cambridgeshire County Council, 2021 p.3). This context is important in understanding why young people in certain parts of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area have seen more negative impacts from the pandemic than others.Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP, 2023), led by Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce, highlights the need to invest energy and effort into supporting individuals’ skills acquisition, particularly ‘work ready skills’ i.e. skills and behaviours that employers expect that all employees should be able to demonstrate
The report is truncated at this point: Click here for the full report