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Welsh Assembly Government Response to Petitions Committee Report: Work based learning (WBL) provision for vulnerable young people I welcome the Petitions Committee‟s Report and the opportunity to discuss what we are doing to develop Work Based Learning particularly in relation to supporting vulnerable young people. Tackling youth unemployment through the delivery of high standard learning in Wales remains one of my top priorities. Many recommendations contained in this report fit closely with our current policy direction, so I am pleased to be able to accept the majority of them. Some require further consideration given the current economic climate, but I support the intent of these proposed actions and believe that steps should be taken to achieve the intended outcome. This is a hugely challenging agenda, especially in these economic times. The recession has led to an increase in unemployment in Wales and we know that young people are disproportionately disadvantaged when competing with older jobseekers. However, despite a challenging settlement from the UK Government, we will prioritise skills training, honour our commitment to the Education Maintenance Allowance Scheme in Wales and continue to focus on the youth engagement and employment agenda. This is evidenced by the publication of the Youth Engagement and Employment Action Plan following the plenary debate on 12th January 2011. The plan outlines the Welsh Assembly Government‟s approach to supporting children and young people to enter the labour market and them from disengaging from learning. I thank the Petitions Committee for its support in tackling this agenda and for the recommendations it has made. Set out below is my response to the Report‟s individual recommendations. The Committee‟s report, and the evidence presented during its preparation, will be taken into consideration as we develop and improve Work Based Learning delivery. Responses to the Petitions Committee’s recommendations are set out below: The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 1: We recommend that the Welsh Government ensure that Careers Wales and individual learning providers undertake adequate and robust needs assessment to ensure that provision is designed around individual learner‟s needs. Response - Accept Officials from the Welsh Assembly Government are currently working in conjunction with Careers Wales and representatives from the National Training Federation for Wales to develop a more robust referral process for learners that will enter the Traineeships programme from 2011 – 2014. This

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new referral process builds on and strengthens the current endorsement process and seeks to identify learners‟ needs more accurately so as to inform providers of the provision required for the young person‟s development. A trial of the new referral process is due to begin end of January 2011 and aims to complete by the end of February. The trial will be reviewed and evaluated in March to identify any required changes and/or further developments prior to its implementation from August 2011. As a means to monitor that learner needs are addressed appropriately, officials are developing a new system for learner surveys across the post-16 sector. This will be based on a core set of questions which will be administered by all providers in their learner surveys; the questions, currently in draft format, will cover learners‟ views on:

Advice and guidance Teaching and learning Responsiveness Support for learning Wellbeing

These surveys will provide a broad overview of learners‟ overall experience, and will highlight good practice and areas for improvement for each provider. Additionally, the revised process for Careers Wales referrals will identify where additional learning support is necessary. Financial implications: The revised services‟ cost will be met from within planned budget levels. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 2: We recommend that the Welsh Government should support the development of a best practice framework for the acquisition of basic skills. This framework should encourage providers to deliver basic skills in a way that is most relevant and appropriate to learners. Response – Accept I accept this recommendation on the basis that such a best practice framework is already in place for all providers that deliver basic skills. The Basic Skills Quality Standard applies across a whole organisation and requires providers to meet five standards for the planning, management and delivery of basic skills. Standards include an effective teaching programme which includes planning, reviewing and monitoring the progress of learners with basic skills needs. However, there was no requirement under current Work Based Learning contractual arrangements for a provider to have achieved this standard, i.e. they could be working towards it.

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In July 2010, the Welsh Assembly Government published its Invitation to Tender for the delivery of Work Based Learning Programmes – Apprenticeships [including flexible learning], Traineeships (Youth), and Steps to Employment (Adults) 2011/2014. It is a requirement within the latest Work Based Learning tender that all providers delivering provision to young people must achieve the Basic Skills Quality Standard by July 2012. The Invitation to Tender (ITT) is currently progressing through sensitive tender stages and successful providers will be notified in March 2011. Financial Implications No financial implications. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 3: We recommend that the Welsh Government investigate the feasibility of introducing a programme of preparatory courses to enable learners to develop the most basic skills prior to joining formal work based learning programmes. Consideration should be given to whether currently established programmes could be effectively rolled out across Wales. Response: Accept I fully agree with this recommendation. The successor youth programme to Skill Build (Traineeships), which will start in August 2011, offers 3 defined strands for unemployed young people to follow. The entry level „Engagement‟ training option has been designed to offer preparatory learning to individuals who need to address barriers to learning, including but not exclusive developing the most basic skills, before progressing to the more focussed aspect of the Traineeship programme or other learning options. The Engagement strand will include the use of employer work placements, community projects, voluntary work and centre based learning opportunities to enhance each learner‟s development prior to entering employment or further learning. The Traineeship programme will operate throughout Wales. In addition to this, as part of one of the actions contained in the Youth Engagement and Employment Action Plan, the Welsh Assembly Government will work with voluntary organisations to pilot elements of a new „Pathway to Work‟ for 16 and 17 year olds. Elements of Pathway to Work, where we will work with the voluntary sector and community are:

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The new voluntary work experience programme that will target 16-17 year olds who are those not in education, employment or training (the hardest to reach).

An Intermediate Labour Market opportunity (along the lines of Future Jobs Fund for 16 and 17 year olds) for young people who „just want a job‟, not a training opportunity. The young person would be employed for a 6 month period, via existing services provided by WCVA.

Finally, the Dormant Accounts Scheme. This is a new initiative which will enable money held in „dormant‟ bank and building society accounts to be re-invested for the benefit of the community. One of its priorities in Wales will be young people who are not in education, employment or training.

For a full understanding of these pilot programmes, please refer to Recommendation 6. Financial Implications Cost for the development of this approach has been included in the overall costings of Work Based Learning provision. A budget cost for the pilot projects has been agreed as part of the Youth Engagement & Action Plan. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 4: We recommend that the Welsh Government ensure that best practice between providers in relation to securing placements is shared and disseminated with all contracted providers. This should be completed in time for the start of the new contracts in 2011.

Response: Accept I accept this recommendation. Officials within my department are currently working in conjunction with the National Training Federation for Wales to establish an effective practice guide to issue to those providers successful in the tendering round for contracts beginning 2011 - 2014. This best practice guide seeks to capture concepts and approaches that are proving effective in the delivery of the current Skill Build programme in relation to (i) Engaging those not in education, employment or training; (ii) Employer Engagement (Youth and Adult programmes), securing jobs and taster placements; and (iii) Improving Progressions. Guidance notes to accompany the new contracts for 2011 – 2014 are currently being finalised. Guidance notes will encourage providers to forge links with the local community projects and voluntary organisations with a view to enhancing the learner experience, as well as establishing good employer relationships to enhance and strengthen work based placements for young people.

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Financial implications: There are no financial implications. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 5: We recommend that the Welsh Government take a more strategic role in promoting the benefits of work based learning to help increase employer participation. This work should focus on encouraging employers to take on all learners, including the most vulnerable and ensuring that employers in those sector areas where demand outstrips supply participate. Specific focus should also be placed on rural areas and other areas with poor transport links, where there are additional difficulties in securing placements.

Response – Accept The Welsh Assembly Government is implementing a marketing and communication plan for the Pathways to Work pilot programme. It will target young people not in employment and training, particularly those who are furthest away from employment, in order to reduce the number of young people not engaged in employment or training. Strategy and tactics to engage employers and motivate them to employ those who are most vulnerable are central to these plans. (See also response to recommendation 7). The Apprenticeship communications and marketing plans continue to prioritise employers as the key target audience to increase their participation in the programme. As stated in recommendation 4, the best practice guide currently under development seeks to capture concepts and approaches that are proving effective in the delivery of the current Skill Build programme in relation to Employer Engagement (Youth and Adult programmes), securing jobs and taster placements. Guidance notes issued with the new contracts will encourage providers to forge links with the local community projects and voluntary organisations with a view to enhancing the learner experience, as well as establishing good employer relationships to enhance and strengthen work based placements for young people. In order to offer learning provision where it is required, to address capacity issues and to address the need to have viable numbers, it is part of the Assembly Government‟s Transformation agenda to encourage providers across all types of post 16 learning to adopt a consortia or partnership type approach and this includes a partnership approach within Skill Build and its successor programmes (Traineeships – Youth; Steps to Employment – Adults).

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The Assembly Government published its Invitation to Tender for the delivery of Work-Based Learning Programmes, Apprenticeships including flexible learning, Traineeships, and Steps to Employment, on 6 July 2010. The tender specifies that providers must, if necessary, form consortia approaches to delivery to ensure a breadth of subject areas are available across the whole of Wales, including rural areas. Financial implications: There are no additional financial implications to those already calculated for the marketing budget 2011 - 12. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 6: As part of taking a more strategic role, we recommend the Welsh Government should consider whether a specific work based learning programme focusing on the voluntary sector will help improve opportunities and progression rates for the most vulnerable. Response: Accept in principle I accept this recommendation in principle as the new Traineeships programme (youth), due to begin August 2011/2014, aims to address the issue of voluntary sector engagement. The specification for Traineeships programme is explicit in its remit that providers will be expected to forge links with the local community projects and voluntary organisations with a view to enhancing the learner experience. In addition to this, as part of one of the actions contained in the Youth Engagement and Employment Action Plan, the Welsh Assembly Government will work with voluntary organisations to pilot elements of a new „Pathway to Work‟ for 16 and 17 year olds. „Pathway to Work‟ is not a new programme but the creation of a single, flexible and coherent routeway for young people who do not have positive or sustained engagement with one of the main post-16 options.

Elements of Pathway to Work where we will work with the voluntary sector and community are:

The new voluntary work experience programme which will target 16-17 years olds who are not in education, employment or training (the hardest to reach) and who may lack the skills or confidence to start a training course or gain employment. They would gain employability and social skills with a view to lead on to an appropriate progression route. This would provide a stronger emphasis on volunteering as a way of developing confidence and building job related skills rather than being seen as a last resort.

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An Intermediate Labour Market opportunity (along the lines of Future Jobs Fund for 16 and 17 year olds) for young people who „just want a job‟, not a training opportunity. The young person would be employed for a 6 month period, via existing services provided by WCVA. The ILM will be provided through WCVA which will contract with organisations that are able to support and develop young people who are not in education, employment or training from Community First areas and will provide structured, relevant and supported employment to those furthest from the labour market in order to give participants new skills, increased confidence and work.

Finally, the Dormant Accounts Scheme is a new initiative which will enable money held in „dormant‟ bank and building society accounts to be re-invested for the benefit of the community. One of its priorities in Wales will be young people who are not in education, employment or training. We will work with the Big Lottery Fund and voluntary sector to fully utilise the dormant accounts money to fund innovative projects to support young people who are not in education, employment or training in Wales – to help prevent disengagement and encourage re-engagement back into education, employment or training. Financial implications: Cost for the Traineeship programme has been included in the overall costings of Work Based Learning provision. A budget cost for the pilot projects has been agreed as part of the Youth Engagement & Action Plan. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 7: Additionally, we recommend that the Welsh Government should consider the recommendations that arise from the UK review into employer engagement that will help increase placements. Response – Accept The Welsh Assembly Government accepts the recommendation to consider those recommendations that arise from the UKCES review into employer engagement. However, in advance of its consideration, the Welsh Assembly Government will introduce from the spring of 2011 the „Real Conversation‟. This aims to support young people into employment by bringing employers, young people and practitioners together to improve work experience and employment opportunities for those aged 14-24. By bringing together young people and employers, the Welsh Assembly Government will:

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promote the benefits and value of work experience to young people, employers, schools and colleges

provide information on provision and programmes available to young people and Employers e.g. apprenticeships, graduate opportunities

create a forum for young people to voice their expectations and concerns about work and for businesses to give feedback about their experience in recruiting young people.

This will respond to the business challenge to recruit a workforce with appropriate skills and attitudes and make sure that young people have a clear picture and are able to make informed career choices. This will not be a one off event where solutions are written on a flip chart then stowed away. We plan to implement real actions following the first event which will shape a programme of similar conversations between employers and young people throughout the year. The conversation will also build and continue online using web-based forums and social media channels to create and sustain a buzz around the project. Financial implications: There are no financial implications as the cost for this work has already been accounted for within the Pathways to Work budget. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 8: We recommend for the Welsh Government draw up protocols to ensure that transitional arrangements between providers are improved, so that there are no additional barriers to progression. Response - Accept In the recent WBL tendering exercise carried out between July and September 2010, the opportunity was taken to include the following paragraph within the tender specification: “Those tendering for the Traineeships programme need to be able to deliver the whole programme as outlined in the Programme Specification”. Accordingly, as part of the tender specification, consortium bids were encouraged. In taking this approach to the delivery of the successor programmes to Skill Build (i.e. Traineeships – Youth; Steps to Employment – Adults), it is intended that learners will be able to progress more easily through the levels of the programme as the delivering provider must be able to provide, or link to, the full range of learning opportunities. Such operating arrangements should also ensure that the option to transfer from one provider to another will present fewer difficulties as all providers are subject to the same contracting terms.

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Financial implications: No financial implications. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 9: We recommend that the Welsh Government ensure that all providers meet their requirements to identify any additional support needs of a learner at the start of the course. Response – Accept I accept this recommendation. Under the terms of the new WBL contracts 2011/14, Additional Learning Support is available for learners with Additional Learning Needs which:

i. Arise from a learning difficulty and/or disability ii. Is over and above that provided for in a learning programme; and iii. Is necessary to enable the individual learner to achieve

As a means to monitor that learner needs are addressed appropriately, officials are developing a new system for learner surveys across the post-16 sector. This will be based on a core set of questions which will be administered by all providers in their learner surveys; the questions, currently in draft format, will cover learners‟ views on:

Advice and guidance Teaching and learning Responsiveness Support for learning Wellbeing

These surveys will provide a broad overview of learners‟ overall experience, and will highlight good practice and areas for improvement for each provider. Additionally, the revised process (as detailed in recommendation 1) for Careers Wales referrals will identify where additional learning support is necessary. Financial implications: There are no financial implications.

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The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 10: We recommend that the Welsh Government build on the work of the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that lack of information sharing does not act as a barrier to effective personal support. As part of this, the Welsh Government should ensure that all agencies are aware of each others different functions and responsibilities in providing support to vulnerable young people.

Response – Accept in principle My officials in DCELLS, Business & Skills have established a Joint Employment Delivery Board with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to assist in the planning and delivery of policy and services in Wales. I will commission the Board to consider this recommendation further and to investigate the work already done by DWP and the outcome of that work. Also, as previously stated in response to recommendation 1, my officials are currently developing a more robust referral process for youth learners that will enter the successor to Skill Build programme [Traineeships] from 2011/2014. This new referral process builds on and strengthens the current endorsement process and seeks to identify additional learners‟ needs more accurately and inform providers so that appropriate and relevant support provision can be put in place for the young person. The process requires the young person to agree to the information being shared with the provider and relevant agencies. Financial implications: There are no financial implications. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 11: We recommend that the Welsh Government investigate the feasibility of providing a personal adviser to young people who are living independently but are not care leavers. Response – Agree in principle I agree in principle on the basis that this is a complex area and will involve consideration internally with many parts of the Welsh Assembly Government. Additionally, personal advisers are supported via Local Authorities and other external bodies. All children in need or at risk are eligible for an assessment of their needs and the support of the local authority. The roles and responsibilities for delivery by Local Authorities and the child‟s eligibility are set out in legislation. The Welsh Assembly Government already funds MEIC (Microphone), which is a free bilingual advocacy and advice helpline and is the first of its kind on a national level. It provides children and young people 0-25 yrs in Wales with a

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single point of contact via telephone, text and instant messaging 7 days a week. The helpline was launched in May 2010 and was recently extended to be a 24 hour service. The helpline provides children and young people with information and advice on areas where they need support and empowers them to have a voice and be heard on matters that affect them. The helpline provides the child or young person with local and national information, signposts them to specialist services, or provides them with advice or tailored advocacy support if needed. Financial implications: It will be necessary to consult fully with all parties in order to consider the feasibility regarding logistics, cost implications and also legislative requirements of such developments. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 12: We recommend that the Welsh Government ensure that the learner coach role is suitably well defined to ensure it will increase consistency and effectiveness in personal support to the most vulnerable. This role should ensure that there is effective mentoring for all learners. Response - Accept The Welsh Assembly Government will shortly publish statutory guidance on the provision of Learning Support Services under section 40 of the Learning and Skills (Wales) Measure 2009. Under 14-19 Learning Pathways learners will be able to access learner support services to help them make informed choices about their learning and to overcome any barriers to realising their learning potential. For the purposes of 14-19 Learning Pathways learner support services comprise learning coaching, personal support and careers advice and guidance. It is very important that those involved in planning and delivering these services are clear about the respective roles and their boundaries. Learning coaching and personal support are two distinct roles. The focus of the learning coach function is on maximising the young person‟s ability to learn and on maintaining their motivation to remain in learning. The focus of personal support, in the context of 14-19 Learning Pathways, is to support learners to develop solutions to the personal, social, emotional and physical problems which are or may become obstacles to them remaining within learning or realising their potential.

The Welsh Assembly Government also intends to publish a good practice framework. The document will include a functional matrix for learning coaching, which we are currently discussing with stakeholders. The Welsh Assembly Government believes that both documents will ensure that there is clarity about the respective roles of the learning coaching and personal support. It recognises the importance of practitioners, policy makers

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and learners understanding the distinction between learning coaching and personal support. It is equally as important to recognise the distinction and respective boundaries between coaching and mentoring. Support for practitioners is also being made available through the National Learning Coach Training Programme, which to date has trained in excess of 1,500 practitioners across Wales in the learning coach function. The development of the new unit based programme will offer greater opportunities for training as part of Continuous Professional Development and help to raise awareness of the issues outlined above. Furthermore, one of the key differences between the current work based learning programme specification and the programme specification that will succeed it from August 2011 is that Learning Providers will be required to provide Learning Coach support and guidance as a contractual obligation, in line with 14-19 Learning Pathways, for all youth programme levels. There will be four strands of learner support. These are:

Learning Coach Support - access to a named learning coach either within the provider organisation or through a third party, who will provide the learner with advice on how to maximise their own ability and learning skills.

Access to Personal Support- access to the personal support available through Learner Support Services, if required by the learner as part of their 14 – 19 Learning Pathway.

Careers Information, Advice and Guidance - the right to specialist and impartial careers information, advice and guidance provided by professional advisers from Careers Wales.

Careers and World of Work Framework- The right to Careers and World of Work Framework programmes as prescribed by the Welsh Ministers.

Financial implications: There are no financial implications. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 13: We recommend the Welsh Government review how the additional learning support fund is accessed, and remove the barriers which make it more difficult for providers to access it for young people who did not get “statemented” at school. Response – Accept in principle My officials will be reviewing the additional support element of Work Based Learning as part of the WBL tendering process for 2011/14. Successful

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providers will be notified of any changes to the process during the communication sessions planned for Spring 2011. Financial implications: There are no financial implications. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 14: We recommend that the Welsh Government identify and implement ways in which employers can be more closely supported to help sustain placements for vulnerable young people.

Response – Accept The Youth Engagement and Employment Action Plan, published on the 12th January 2011, sets out the Welsh Assembly Government's approach to supporting children and young people (including vulnerable young people and those with additional learning needs) to enter the labour market. This includes working with employers to increase opportunities for work experience for those aged 14-24, building on existing positive initiatives with a view to sharing good practice across Wales. The Youth Engagement and Employment Action Plan contains two explicit actions relating to this recommendation that will be taken forward: To increase opportunities for work experience for those aged 14-24

across Wales, including extending opportunities within the Welsh Assembly Government, wider public sector, private and voluntary sector; and

Seek to set the overall approach to youth engagement and employment in Wales. This will incorporate opportunities for vulnerable young people and those with additional learning needs, and will inform local authority leadership arrangements by building on positive initiatives from across all sectors (including private, voluntary and public sectors) and analysing hotspots of those not in education, employment or training with a view to sharing good practice.

My officials within the Youth Engagement and Employment Unit will be taking this work forward. Financial Implications The financial implications of taking this recommendation forward will be considered as part of the work outlined above.

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The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 15: We recommend that the Welsh Government introduce additional support for those living independently on work based learning from the start of the new work based learning contracts in 2011. Changes should be introduced to bring their weekly income in line with those living independently and taking full time courses at further education. Response: Reject Whilst I accept the importance of moving to greater alignment of learner support arrangements for non-employed learners aged 16 – 18 years, I reject this recommendation as proposed. A consistent and cohesive package of support should be available to eligible non-employed learners aged 16 – 18 years irrespective of where the learning takes place in the publicly funded sector. The underlying principle would be alignment between learner support provision through eligibility criteria; means testing; and household income thresholds, where appropriate, for the products available to non-employed learners aged 16-18 years. I also consider that, within the current financial environment, introducing additional support into work based learning for those learners living independently is not affordable. The EMA Wales Scheme prohibits dual funding such as payment of EMA in relation to a course or work placement for which a young person is paid or is receiving a training allowance. The feasibility of extending EMA to Traineeships from 2012 to replace the maintenance training allowance is currently being investigated by officials. Should EMA be introduced to Traineeships from 2012 then learners living independently would be able to apply to the DWP, and JobCentre Plus (JCP) for subsistence support in the same way as current EMA learners. This would ensure that the Assembly Government‟s finite resources are allocated to those most in need and that additional support relevant to independent living is provided, where appropriate, by the relevant UK government department. For those participants deemed to be vulnerable and who are living away from their parents, receiving EMA would allow benefits, such as housing benefit, under current arrangements, to continue to be paid enabling their weekly income to be in line with those living independently and taking full time courses at further education. Financial implications: There are no financial implications with this recommendation as the recommendation is being rejected.

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The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 16: We recommend that the Government should consider as part of its review into support cost arrangements how the most vulnerable can be best supported so that travel costs and logistics do not act as a barrier to participation. As part of its considerations, the Government should consider whether for the most vulnerable that the provider should cover the travel costs up front as opposed to employing a reimbursement system Response - Reject Through existing guidance, providers are already encouraged to be flexible regarding making payments to learners in advance where the costs involved may be prohibitive to the learner, for example, purchasing of a seasonal travel ticket. Where a payment is made in advance of the costs being incurred, providers are encouraged to make payments in instalments as this will help to minimise losses should a learner withdraw from their programme of learning. To introduce a full cost re-imbursement for travel for some learners and not others within Traineeships would add to complexity and bureaucracy and potentially result in a larger weekly contribution being required from other groups within Traineeships; alternatively savings would have to be made elsewhere in the programme budget. On balance, I think it is reasonable for learners to make a £5 weekly contribution towards travel costs given the current financial environment and the finite Assembly Government budget for Traineeships. Financial Implications No financial implications. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 17: We recommend that the Welsh Government provide guidance to work based learning providers to ensure that decisions relating to the deduction of pay take into account the learner‟s individual situation and does not cause disproportionate hardship.

Response – Reject Guidance notes to accompany the new programme specification 2011 – 2014 are currently being finalised and will give detailed instructions to providers on payment of allowances to the learner and incidents whereby a learner‟s payment may be stopped. On entering the Traineeships programme learners will be fully informed in writing of the terms and conditions of their contract and they will be fully aware of circumstances whereby their allowances will be stopped. If the decision is taken to adopt a means-tested EMA, it is a fact that vulnerable young people, i.e. those living away from their parents, whilst possibly losing their

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EMA entitlement for that week, will continue to receive their benefit entitlements so should not be adversely affected. Financial Implications No financial implications The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 18: We recommend that the Welsh Government ensure that any changes to training allowances account for the specific set of circumstances in which vulnerable young people find themselves in, and do not lead to a drop in income. Response – Accept in principle I am soon to consider a proposal to extend a means-tested Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) to learners on the successor to the Skill Build programme [Traineeships] at some point during the contractual period of 2012 to 2014. For those participants deemed to be vulnerable and living away from their parents, receiving EMA would allow benefits, such as housing benefit, to continue to be paid enabling their weekly income to be at a satisfactory level. However, although I would wish to protect, as far as possible, the level of allowance paid to any non-employed learner aged 16 -18 years in further education or training, I am not able to guarantee that future plans would not lead to a drop in the level of allowance. As I stated in my response to Recommendation 15, it is important to provide a consistent and cohesive package of support to non-employed learners to ensure learner support arrangements for non-employed learners aged 16 – 18 years irrespective of where the learning takes place in the publicly funded sector. Financial implications: Financial implications will form part of the considerations as to whether a means-tested EMA will be introduced into Traineeships from 2012 onwards. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 19: We recommend that the Welsh Government provide greater clarity about the proposed changes to training allowances for training providers and support organisations to ensure that they are able to best advise potential learners on the options available to them and the financial impact of their decisions.

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Response: Accept Those changes which will come into effect in August 2011 have been outlined in the tender specification for Work Based Learning. The decision on any further changes from 2012 will be taken shortly and published. I note that the Committee heard evidence about the complex nature of benefits and funding streams. I want to put in place arrangements over time that will simplify the Welsh Assembly Government‟s funding streams for learner support and provide equitable support arrangements for non-employed learners aged 16-18 years. Financial implications: The financial implications have been fully considered and costed as part of the tendering for the new Work Based Learning. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 20: The Welsh Government should begin to collate and monitor data relating to learner experience. We feel it is vital that there is an effective way to assess learners‟ experiences of work based learning. This should be a key element for performance management and should begin to be collected as part of the new work based learning contracts. Response: Accept I accept this recommendation. The Welsh Assembly Government recognises the importance of learners‟ views as an indicator of quality, and has placed the „learner voice‟ at the heart of the Quality and Effectiveness Framework for post-16 learning. All post-16 providers are now required to have formal strategies for learner involvement in decision making. As part of the current tender for work-based learning contracts from 2011/2014, providers‟ mechanisms for collecting, evaluating and acting on learner feedback were evaluated. All work-based learning providers have arrangements in place to collect information on learners‟ views, on at least an annual basis. However, we recognise that these are not always as effective as they could be; that there needs to be a clear „feedback loop‟ so that learners can see how their views are being responded to; and that arrangements for evaluating and benchmarking levels of learner satisfaction need to be more consistent across Wales. To address this, officials are developing a new system for learner surveys across the post-16 sector. This will be based on a core set of questions which will be administered by all providers in their learner surveys; the questions, currently in draft format, will cover learners‟ views on:

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Advice and guidance Teaching and learning Responsiveness Support for learning Wellbeing

They will therefore give a broad overview of learners‟ overall experience of learning, and will highlight good practice and areas for improvement for each provider. A large-scale pilot learner voice survey took place in early 2010 with further education institutions and work-based learning providers; responses were returned by more than 6,000 work-based learners. Officials are now developing plans for rolling out the „provider-led‟ learner voice model across Wales from early 2012. Financial implications: Financial implications are unknown at present but will be identified once costed plans have been developed. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 21: The Welsh Government should investigate ways in which effectiveness of pastoral support per provider can be measured and monitored in the new work based learning contracts, to ensure consistency across providers. Response: Accept I accept this recommendation. This will be part of the „provider-led‟ learner voice survey, as described in the response to Recommendation 20. Financial implications: Financial implications are unknown at present but will be identified once costed plans have been developed. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 22: The Welsh Government should establish an acceptable tolerance of “churn” for providers and monitor providers against this from the start of the new work based learning contracts. Response: Accepted I accept this recommendation. Improving positive outcomes for learners is a key priority of our Quality and Effectiveness Framework and as the Committee has noted, we have seen significant improvements in the outcomes of work-

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based learning over recent years. We are continually seeking to sharpen our performance measures and set challenging targets so that this trend continues. The main performance measure for Skill Build programmes is progression to further learning or employment. From 2010/11, this measure is being strengthened to specify progression to learning at a higher level; data collection arrangements have been changed to support this requirement, which is designed to reduce „recycling‟ of learners through repeated Skill Build programmes at the same level. We also measure learners‟ achievement of qualifications. To some degree, both of these measures do incorporate retention of learners, since those who drop out early without progressing are not counted as „successful‟. However, we acknowledge the need for a more explicit focus on „churn‟ and will consider how this can be monitored as part of the new work-based learning contracts. It is anticipated that the new provider network, through the establishment of consortia and a reduction in the overall number of work-based learning contracts, will help to improve learner retention and ensure planned transition between programmes and, where appropriate, learning providers. Financial implications: No financial implications as there are no additional costs. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 23: We recommend that clear protocols be established which enable Careers Wales to bring to the attention of the Welsh Government and Estyn concerns about poor performance and that all Careers Wales services use these protocols to highlight areas of concern. Response: Accept in principle My officials have confirmed that this recommendation will receive further consideration and discussions will take place to consider the establishment of protocols to enable poor performance to be identified and referred. Officials have agreed that Careers Wales should be part of any Welsh Assembly Government monitoring, communication and protocol arrangements that are developed to improve the quality and delivery of WBL provision. It is also the view of my officials that training providers themselves should be involved in the deliberations and operation of any new procedures or protocols.

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Financial implications: No budgetary implications other than staff resource costs which will be met from the existing workforce. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 24: We recommend that the Welsh Government identify a lead agency such as Careers Wales, to work on a local level to ensure effective partnership and collaborative working for vulnerable young people. As part of this, we recommend that mapping be undertaken to identify all organisations that provide support to vulnerable young people.

Response – Accept in principle I accept this recommendation in principle on the basis that the Welsh Assembly Government is seeking to identify a lead agency with responsibility for young people who are not in employment, education or training (Youth Engagement and Employment Action Plan) I note that there was a similar recommendation contained in the “Future Ambitions: Developing Careers services in Wales” report. That recommendation was that Careers Wales should be given a leadership role in devising and coordinating local partnership strategies to reduce the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training. I rejected this recommendation subject to the outcome of the DCELLS Business and Skills Division‟s Youth Engagement and Employment Unit‟s work. In relation to the second issue of mapping to identify all organisations that provide support to vulnerable young people, again this was a recommendation in the above Future Ambitions report “to establish a national tracking and data management system in respect of those not in education, employment or training”. I accepted this recommendation in principle, outlining how the Careers Wales existing database might usefully form the cornerstone of a more comprehensive „tracking and data management resource‟ for those young people not in education, employment or training linking in Keeping In Touch (KiT) developments. However, this recommendation is on hold until decisions on future structure and budgets have been taken and may be taken forward as we develop a unitary careers service. The outcome will be dependent on a robust business case. Additionally, in response to increasing and unsustainable funding pressures and related concerns expressed by providers, learners and parents, a Welsh Assembly Government led Task and Finish Group was convened in the Spring of 2010. The Group’s report, which was issued in November 2010, recommends greater consistency of approach across Wales, regional collaboration and more attention to better outcomes for learners and value for money in the commissioning process. A Delivery

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and Implementation Group will be formed in 2011 to take forward the recommendations. Financial implications: Financial implications will be considered as each aspect of this recommendation is further explored. The Committee recommends that: Recommendation 25: We recommend that the Welsh Government considers how the 14-19 networks are best supported and funded to ensure that they involve all sectors of education and can best facilitate effective partnership working. Response - Reject The 14-19 networks in each local authority are non-constituted bodies so are unable to be funded directly. The Welsh Assembly Government 14-19 grant funding is provided to local authorities who use their networks as a mechanism for supporting effective collaboration between learning providers, including maintained schools, further education institutions and work based learning providers, and ensuring that the local curriculum ensures that all learners, aged 14-19, are able to access their full entitlement to wider choice at Key Stage 4 and post-16. Local authorities have to submit an Annual Network Development Plan (ANDP) setting down how they intend to use their Welsh Assembly Government grant to meet both local priorities and the requirements of the Learning and Skills (Wales) Measure 2009. The ANDP is developed by the network. The 14-19 funding is in addition to the RSG, post-16 funding and Work Based Learning Contracts provided by the Welsh Assembly Government. In 2010 the Welsh Assembly Government published statutory guidance on the formation of the local curriculum at both Key Stage 4 and post-16. This sets down the responsibilities of local authorities, maintained schools and further education institutions to collaborate in the formation of the local curriculum. The Welsh Assembly Government is already considering the longer term funding position. A 'Sustainability Working Group' has been set up to look at the issue of ongoing support for 14-19 Learning Pathways and ensuring that local authorities, schools and further education institutions continue to meet their responsibilities under the Learning and Skills (Wales) Measure 2009 beyond 2012, particularly in relation to collaboration to meet the local curriculum requirements.

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The DCELLS funded National Training Federation for Wales Transformation project, approved in December 2009 and due to terminate in March 2011, aimed to ensure that WBL was seen as an integral part of the options menu and to address four challenges:

a. To work more closely and openly with schools and 14 -19 Networks b. To work more closely and openly within the WBL sector c. To make work-based learning as much a part of the school curriculum as

academic study and within the Transformation programmes d. To take the first steps in collaboration and partnership to broaden the

curriculum allowing diversity and choice. Financial implications: There are no additional financial implications. Leighton Andrews AM, Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning