3 ways to support apprentices’ mental health

Apprentices need help getting the right mental health support in place to give them the best chance of retaining employment once qualified, says Chris Kingsbury

It is great to see the mental health of young people so high on the agenda. This is something I notice increasingly as I attend conferences and seminars across the UK. However, we still need a culture shift for them to feel it okay to talk openly about their mental health and seek the right support.

Many young people don’t realise they are experiencing symptoms of mental ill-health or are not aware that there is something wrong. They are also afraid to openly share what they are experiencing.

With the boost in apprenticeship numbers that will accompany the levy, training providers, colleges and employers are looking at their infrastructure and ways they can support young people with mental ill-health.

If mental health is not addressed appropriately, it can have a negative long-term impact on people’s lives. Statistics have shown that when someone with a mental health condition falls out of work it is harder for them to secure another job – more even than someone with a physical disability.

To ensure equality of opportunity we have to do three things:

Provide access

First, we need to make sure that they have access to tailored, individual support.

Providing mental health champions or mentors is one way. Others are: engaging with local community and mental health teams, seeking support from local NHS provision, or facilitating access to support groups. Colleges must also ensure student services can signpost staff and students to the appropriate services.

An apprentice with mental health challenges should have the same career opportunities as anyone else

Challenge stereotypes

Second, we should be challenging preconceptions of mental health. Colleges and providers can help by creating a positive environment that allows open conversation about mental health and creates a culture of support, not stigma.

I have already started to see some great examples of this. For instance, Total People, a not-for-profit apprenticeships and work-based training company, with which we worked on a series of video blogs about mental health aimed at staff and apprentices.

The videos are now posted on all its internal sites and are shown during inductions, meaning that apprentices are fully aware of the support available and can access it when needed.

Addressing mental health in a variety of contexts is vital to normalizing the topic and encouraging young people to access support services when needed.

Educate staff

Third, we should be ensuring that employers, colleges and training providers have a strong understanding of mental health in the workplace. These institutions need a greater appreciation of the challenges that young people experience, coupled with knowledge about how to offer an appropriate system of support.

My role at Remploy is to work with organisations to create a culture in which apprentices feel it is natural to talk to someone about their wellbeing and gain the relevant support.

Social taboos combined with this lack of knowledge can mean we shy away from offering opportunities to young people with mental health difficulties, but education about how support functions in an apprenticeship or college setting can build the confidence of learners and training providers alike.

The Access to Work Mental Health Support Service, funded by the UK government and provided by Remploy delivers a tailored programme of vocational support to apprentices. Since 2011 it has supported more than 7,000 people, with more than 90 per cent retaining employment within the first six months.

An apprenticeship is such a fantastic opportunity enabling young people to build a long lasting and fruitful career. It is critically important that young people facing mental health challenges have the same opportunity to complete their apprenticeships as their peers.

Chris Kingsbury is partnership lead for the mental health support service at Remploy

Principal with 30 years’ experience named next AoC president

York College principal Dr Alison Birkinshaw has been announced as the president-elect of the Association of Colleges.

She will take over from current president Ian Ashman at the end of his one-year term on August 1.

Dr Birkinshaw’s FE career dates back to 1984, when she began at Nelson and Colne College.

She moved to Runshaw College in 2001 as assistant principal for adult and higher education, before moving back to Nelson and Colne in 2004 to take the reins as principal.

Since 2008 she has served as principal of York College, which was rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in January 2014.

Dr Birkinshaw’s services to further education were recognised with an OBE in January 2012 n honorary doctorate from the University of York in 2017.

Commenting on her appointment, Dr Birkinshaw said it was a “huge privilege” to have been elected as AoC president.

“Whilst I certainly will not neglect York College, this role will allow me to act as ambassador for the sector, and I look forward to drawing the attention of ministers and others in government to the big difference colleges make to the lives of individuals, communities and employers,” she said.

Dr Birkinshaw vowed to “work hard to ensure that there is recognition that investment in the college sector is crucial so that young people and adult students can contribute positively to society”.

“I will also enjoy paying tribute to the hard work of staff across the sector and the support colleges receive from the families of students, local businesses and the wider community,” she added.

David Hughes, AoC chief executive, said he looked forward to welcoming Dr Birkinshaw as the association’s president and described her as a “great asset to the AoC”.

“The next government will need to work closely with colleges to address labour market skills shortages and to engage with young people and adults who need and want to get on in life,” said.

“Alison will bring all of her vast experience into the many discussions we have with ministers, advisers and politicians and help set out the opportunities colleges offer in a post-Brexit world.”

Mr Ashman said: “Alison has more than 30 years’ experience in further education and a great track record of helping colleges achieve outstanding performance, as well as contributing to national work on enhancing the reputation of the sector. 

“She will be a great champion for colleges and I am pleased to see the role of AoC president in such safe and experienced hands.”

Cuts to apprenticeship providers will end in disaster

The goverment’s determination not to open up any more lines of funding for our incredibly hard-pressed providers is a strategy that’s doomed to end in disaster, perhaps for many years to come, argues Phil Hatton

The government keeps telling us that it wants to achieve a target of three million apprenticeships, even though we all know that’s extremely ambitious. It’s heavily reliant on small businesses taking apprentices on for the first time, on convincing employers of the benefits to their businesses, and on young people receiving unbiased and independent advice.

Yet every time a minister steps in front of a camera, they stubbornly repeat and refuse to back down from this key numerical pledge.

Surprisingly, over the last few months major changes have been bearing down on us like an iceberg: a new funding agency, levy and non-levy employers, frameworks replaced by standards, end-point assessment and even the bonus of an Institute for Apprenticeships.

Sadly, the news that apprenticeship providers are facing up to a “horror story” of bankruptcy and failure suggests that our shiny new ESFA (no doubt following ministerial orders) is ignoring the blindingly obvious fact that the whole apprenticeships system will need extra funding if it is to have any realistic chance of being successful. The last thing our sector needs is strangulation; instead it needs a turbo-boosted oxygen mask.

Our sector needs a turbo-boosted oxygen mask

Helping colleges and providers gives me the chance to talk to a wide range of employers and learners, and I see many of the latter interested in but not necessarily well-informed about apprenticeships.

A large proportion of 18-year-olds stayed on at school to take A-levels, largely because there was no one independent to mention the other A-word, “apprenticeships”, when they were 16. These same youngsters are now panicking at the prospect of the recommended next step: uni. My prediction for late summer is that many will not want to take up their university places, and because of this funding debacle with apprenticeships, will instead either become NEETs or pick a career path they are not committed to.

I know from my own dealings that civil service advisers often lack the gumption to inform their seniors of the most likely outcome of an action, when this would seem to contradict their ideas. Well, this is not only a huge mistake now, but unless it is quickly changed, it will have an effect for many years to come. There was a time when ministers sounded out inspectorates about possible outcomes of policy decisions, as an independent source, but that time has gone.

Trust me, when they speak out about what is happening to providers, AELP is not just talking for its members but for the young people of Britain and their futures.

If providers have to cut staff literally to survive, they are unlikely to be able to get them all back when the penny finally drops with ministers. Providers are recruiting staff to deliver potential growth areas like higher apprenticeships in management and specialist IT, but the expected funding has been slashed without warning. So much for strategic planning.

The government needs to admit the introduction of the levy and standards apprenticeships has been poorly handled and rushed, to make it happen for May 1. Getting it right should have been far more important than hitting a target date.

The ESFA cannot leave this until after the election. We are in that crucial time of the year for recruitment to apprenticeships, and if the funding for places is not there, the impact on small businesses engagement will be harmful in both the short and the long term.The impact on literally hundreds of thousands of young people will be devastating to each individual whose parents have encouraged them to work hard.

This damage is an unmerited extra blow to the sector, which still has to deal with the negative impact of end-point assessment, which is not even available for some standards-based apprenticeships now starting, and for which the unregulated costs are likely to be a future front-page story just like HE fees were.

If the government is strong, as we are being told it is, it needs to admit and correct this funding mistake now.

Ofstedwatch: Contrasting fortunes for colleges

This week saw a reverse of fortunes for two colleges – with Ofsted dragging one down from ‘outstanding’ but boosting another two grades from ‘inadequate’.

Meanwhile, a good week for the independent sector saw Northern Care Training Limited made the leap from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’.

Blackburn College lost its ‘outstanding’ rating following an inspection in mid-March – almost ten years since its last visit – and is now deemed to ‘require improvement’.

In its first full inspection since November 2007 the college was hit with grade threes in all categories except apprenticeships and provision for learners with high needs, which remained ‘good’.

Leadership and management came under criticism because of a lack of “consistent improvement in students’ achievements” and a failure to effectively “set and monitor the impact of actions taken to improve the quality of provision”.

Particularly worrying was the finding that students and apprentices at the Lancashire-based provider “do not have sufficient knowledge on how the dangers of radicalisation and extremism can impact on their everyday lives”.

Meanwhile celebrations took place at Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College, which jumped from ‘inadequate’ to ‘good’ after its inspection in early March.

Ofsted handed out grade twos to the college in every category except apprenticeships, which still ‘requires improvement’.

The “persistent determination” of leaders, managers and governors to bring “long-term sustainability” was praised and said to have resulted in improvements to “the quality of provision, learners’ achievements and the financial position of the college”.

Performance management was found to be “rigorous” while the college’s partnerships were described as “excellent and well-considered”, putting it in a secure place for “significant business and community projects in the west London region”.

The inspectors said “extensive investment in improving teachers’ teaching and learning skills” had “directly led to improved teaching and learning” at Ealing, Hammersmith and West London, since its previous grade four report in October 2015.

Independent learning providers saw a success story this week, as Northern Care Training Limited improved from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’.

In its first Ofsted visit since October 2013 the County Durham provider scooped grade ones in every single category.

Inspectors reported that leaders, manager and training advisers at Northern Case Training “have very high ambitions” for the providers’ 1,017 learners and progress is “very good”.

The learners were said to be “highly motivated”, with most achieving functional skills qualifications in English and maths “at the first attempt”.

Apprentices were working “to high professional standards” and adult learners showed “excellent work-related skills”, while teachers and trainers were both “challenging and supportive”.

Another ILP received positive feedback from Ofsted this week in a short inspection that took place on April 11.

Clarkson Evans Training Limited remained ‘good’, as did Portsmouth College, which was visited for a short inspection on March 30.

And adult and community learning provider Roots and Shoots also maintained its grade two across the board, after a full inspection on March 7.

Roots and Shoots was originally set up in 1982 to help disadvantaged young people from Lambeth and Southwark to prepare for the world of work, and now offers study programmes aimed at young people aged 16 to 19 who have mild or moderate learning difficulties, are from disadvantaged backgrounds and have low prior educational attainment.

The vocational training is delivered in horticulture, retail, floristry and employability alongside functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics.
Senior leaders and managers at the London-based provider were praised for developing “an excellent range of activities that enrich the programme and help learners improve many aspects of their lives, including their health and understanding of the wider world”.

 

GFE Colleges Inspected Published  Grade Previous grade
Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College 07/03/2017 02/05/2017 2 4
Blackburn College 14/03/2017 04/05/2017 3 1
Independent Learning Providers Inspected Published  Grade Previous grade
Northern Care Training Limited 21/03/2017 04/05/2017 1 2
Adult and Community Learning Inspected Published  Grade Previous grade
Roots and Shoots 07/03/2017 28/04/2017 2 2
Short inspections (remains grade 2) Inspected Published    
Clarkson Evans Training Limited 11/04/2017 02/05/2017    
Portsmouth College 30/03/2017 02/05/2017    

Anger over campus closure after £6 million refurb

A college’s controversial decision to close a campus that had only recently been refurbished – at a cost of £6 million – has put it on collision course with its local council.

South Staffordshire College made the decision to shut its Cannock campus after merger plans with Walsall College, which were recommended by two separate area reviews, fell through.

The work was completed in 2013, but provision is expected to cease in July, after which learners will be “relocated to the nearby sites operated by the college”.

The move has dismayed local councillors who claim it will leave the entire Cannock Chase Council district without an FE base.

A formal merger is not the best solution at the current time

Jamie Smith, the college’s director of strategy and infrastructure, told FE Week that it continued “to own the building” and was “discussing multiple options with partners in the region, which could include partial use in future”.

He added: “We will – as always – explore all options to mitigate against job losses. This is why we are focusing on relocating and redeploying.”

The planned closure is also not the first for the struggling college, which wound up its Progress Centre, also in Cannock, in 2016. Learners from the unit, which is currently being sold off, were relocated to one of the college’s other campuses in nearby Rodbaston.

Tony McGovern, the managing director of Cannock Chase District Council, was one of a number of angry councillors. He complained that the decision “will leave Cannock Chase as the only district out of eight in Staffordshire with no FE facility at all, in the area of highest need in the county.

“The district council is obviously disappointed that the college has made this decision on financial grounds, and considers that the implications of closure of the Cannock site are likely to be negative for young people and their families who want to access locally provided FE courses in the future,” he said.

Mr McGovern said the council was “made aware of the college’s financial situation” on March 21, after the decision not to pursue a merger was made, and had subsequently tried to provide “potential solutions over the last four weeks”.

The University and College Union’s regional official, Anne O’Sullivan, told FE Week that the decision to close the Cannock campus was “a blow for local students and staff”.

The decision to close the Cannock campus was a blow for local students and staff

She added: “Our priority must be to protect jobs and ensure that courses are not cut as a result of the campus closure, so we will approach talks with management with that agenda.”

The merger between South Staffordshire College and Walsall College was first suggested in the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire area review in November 2016.

The final report said that “collaborative working” would “enable opportunities to deliver savings”, “support the expansion of apprenticeships” and “develop progression routes to higher education to meet local skill needs”.

It claimed the merger “would create a college with a £59 million turnover” and “the financial strength of Walsall College would impact positively on South Staffordshire College”.

This proposal was then repeated in the final report of the Black Country area review in January.

However, South Staffordshire College told FE Week on May 3: “The cost of the merger outweighed the benefits to the learners and the wider communities we serve.”

The governing bodies of both colleges issued a joint statement, saying: “Following extensive discussions and comprehensive due diligence, both colleges have concluded that a formal merger is not the best solution at the current time.

“Both organisations will continue to collaborate and work together outside of the complexity of a formal merger.”

Catering lecturer hosts Tour-de-France themed dinner to fight cancer

A catering lecturer with a cycling obsession is raising money to help young people fighting cancer regain their physical fitness with a Tour-de-France themed dinner.

Dave Saul (pictured right), a lecturer at Stratford-upon-Avon College, has teamed up with Cyclists Fighting Cancer, a local charity, to host the event, which will take place at the college’s Academy restaurant.

The six-course dinner – which catering students at the college will help prepare – will reflect the route of the famous cycling contest, with courses influenced by dishes from Germany, Belgium and France.

Money raised at the event will go to oncology units throughout the UK, and pay for rehabilitation equipment – including bikes and tricycles – to help rebuild the strength and confidence of young cancer sufferers.

“I can’t think of a more worthwhile cause than helping children recover from cancer,” said Mr Saul. “The dinner will boost CFC funds even further – as well as providing us with what is certain to be a thoroughly enjoyable evening.”

The event, which takes place on June 15 is open to all. Tickets can be purchased here

 

A further education manifesto for 2017

As political parties scramble to write their manifestos, carefully crafting their words to minimise the number of broken promises if they get into power, Graham Taylor sets out some suggestions for further education policies.

Preserve FE funding

If politicians believe their own rhetoric, that education and skills are the future of our country’s economic success, then at least preserve funding in real terms. Pay for this by decoupling the triple lock that increases pensions at a faster rate than workers’ pay – admittedly not a vote-winner, but fair.

Promising to replace European funding for education when we Brexit would be a bonus.

Invest in adult learning

Now that the EFA and SFA have at long last merged, scrap the funding divide between 16-18 and adults. Too many providers are chasing too few 16-18 learners as school leaver numbers fall, so let us use any funding shortfall here to reskill or upskill adults. We could vire funds in the past so why not now?

There are millions fewer adult learners today because of draconian funding cuts. Has every party given up on lifelong learning and the benefits of learning for its own sake? If the UK is a knowledge-based economy, are we supposed to gain knowledge by osmosis?

The parties are strangely silent on this. Tried and tested professional and technical qualifications, which learners and businesses want, seem to be treated as second class.

If the UK is a knowledge-based economy, are we supposed to gain knowledge by osmosis?

Let the customer decide

Give employers paying the apprenticeship levy, a payroll tax which threatens jobs, freedom to spend it how they wish.

Apprenticeships may not always be the best solution for workforce training needs. Don’t pick favourites; this only distorts the market.

Streamline training budgets

Switch training budgets from other government departments such as the Department for Work and Pensions to the Education and Skills Funding Agency, to reduce duplication and waste.

Reduce hypothecated funding

This leads to underspend or rushed work and is costly in time and money, reinventing lots of wheels, usually with different names and ministers attached.

Publish success rates

Success rates should appear on provider websites, in the form of a percentage retention rate multiplied by their percentage achievement rate. This is a simple and understandable quality indicator, unlike the present (16-18 only) performance tables.

Make English and Maths accessible

Allow applied options as alternatives to the GCSEs. Alternatives are permitted at level three, when students can take English language or literature or a combined English A-level, just as they can take core maths or standard maths, so why not at level two?

Stop sixth-form waste

Close all school sixth forms with under 100 learners – on grounds of both quality and value for money. The next round of area reviews should include small-school sixth forms in the mix.

Welcome international students

Exclude international and EU students from the net migration count. They are a real asset, particularly for HE. One in 10 world leaders was educated here. Most have fond memories and are pleased to trade with us. Isn’t this what we want?

Stop changing things all the time!

The sector needs some stability. Every government, however well intentioned, loves to meddle. Please don’t tinker with curriculum content, grading systems, quality measures, systems or methodologies. Unrelenting change doesn’t help anyone. Like-for-like data and quality comparisons are lost over time.

If you must change, don’t change everything at once. The new apprenticeship regime will create all sorts of unintended problems.

As Ronald Reagan advised politicians: “Don’t just do something, stand there!” In a similar vein, I say this: assign the budget, set quality standards, then let us get on with it.

Support the further education sector

Parties always make the right noises. They preach the value of learning and encourage it, but do they really like FE?

That’s for the politicians. As for everyone else – vote! We get the politicians we deserve…

 

 

Graham Taylor is principal and chief executive of New College Swindon

Daughter of beauty student inspires winning design in college fashion competition

A budding beautician has taken the first prize in a college fashion competition with her fairy-inspired creation.

The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London hosted a competition for beauty therapy students to create a look based on the themes of history, fantasy or special occasions.

Entrants were required to do the make-up, style hair and choose the clothing themselves to complete their creations.

Kasturi Tandel, 34, (pictured third from right) who is taking a level two diploma in beauty therapy, used her 10-year-old daughter’s obsession with fairies as the inspiration for her entry and took the top spot – winning a selection of hair and make-up products donated by Redken.

Second place in the competition was awarded to Valbona Bajrami, 31, and in third was Tudey McKoy, 22, who both opted to create special occasion looks.

Speaking of her creation, Ms Tandel said “I wanted to do something creative and imaginative and so decided on a fantasy fairy look. My daughter is 10 and into fairies, which was part of the inspiration behind it.”

On hand to model the look – which took a total of three hours to put together – was Tandel’s sister-in-law, Malvica Damania, who said: “I wish I could keep this look all day, but I’ve got to go to work later and don’t think I could turn up like this!”

Construction trainees battle it out for a place in national SkillBuild competition

Construction trainees from across the south-west of England gathered at South Devon College to compete for a place in the national SkillBuild 2017 competition.

A total of 58 competitors from nine colleges took part in the regional heat, with trades such as cabinet making, decorating, brickwork and plastering all represented.

Gold winner Glen Bullock with Chris and Jules

Competitors went head to head for a place in the national finals, which will be held at the Skills Show, taking place in Birmingham in November this year.

There were 12 winners, five of whom are construction students from the college’s Paignton and Newton Abbot campuses, who took gold in bricklaying, joinery, painting and decorating, and plastering.

Also in attendance were Chris Frediani and Jules Perryman from the BBC’s DIY SOS, who were on hand to spill construction tips and tricks to students.

“If we can do a bit to encourage people to get into construction, they might choose to study it and make a good career out of it,” they said.

“That’s why it is so important to inspire them at a younger age. We need to back the colleges, we need to push on with apprenticeships and I am taking several on next year. It is the construction industry that will keep Great Britain great.”

In addition, construction-themed taster sessions – including lessons in how to patch plaster – were given to more than 300 pupils from local primary and secondary schools.