DD1266 AIAN PDF - Greater London Authority

REQUEST FOR DIRECTOR DECISION – DD1266
Title: Apprenticeships Information Ambassadors Network
Executive Summary:
On 19 August 2014, the GLA’s Investment Programme Board (IPB) approved the award of £100,000 core
GLA funding to the London Work Based Learning Alliance (LWBLA) to deliver information on
Apprenticeships to schools and employment based settings through the Apprenticeships Information
Ambassador Network (AIAN).
The AIAN will directly contribute to the Mayor’s commitment to create apprenticeship opportunities in
London by working with London-based apprenticeship training providers to offer a free and impartial
information service for all 16-24 year olds, targeting individuals most at risk of becoming Not in
Education, Employment or Training (NEET).
This Directors Decision paper seeks formal approval to enter into a grant agreement with LWBLA for the
delivery of the AIAN.
Decision:
That the Executive Director approves the award of £100,000 core GLA funding to the London Work
Based Learning Alliance for continuation of the Apprenticeships Information Ambassadors Network,
designed to promote and raise awareness in schools of apprenticeship opportunities in London.
AUTHORISING DIRECTOR
I have reviewed the request and am satisfied it is correct and consistent with the Mayor’s plans and
priorities.
It has my approval.
Name: Fiona Fletcher-Smith
Position: Executive Director-Development,
Enterprise & Environment
Signature:
Date: 17 October 2014
DD Template May 2014
1
PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE
Decision required – supporting report
1.
Introduction and background
1.1
In 2012 National Apprenticeships Service (NAS) funded a pilot project to establish the
Apprenticeship Information Ambassador Network (AIAN) in London via the London Work Based
Learning Alliance (LWBLA). LWBLA is the network for independent training providers and colleges
delivering government funded training provision in London.
1.2
The LWBLA created the Ambassador brand. Strict quality assurance criteria were established and a
service offer based on free information on Apprenticeships became available through leading
Apprenticeship providers in a variety of educational and employment based settings.
1.3
The initial pilot proved to be a success and a second phase was launched in 2013 to embed the
offer. LWBLA developed further existing relationships with schools/Job Centre Plus (JCP) as well as
progressively broadening its reach to a wider group of local stakeholders.
1.4
The AIAN delivered a total of 148 visits across London in 2013 broken down in the following areas:
 107 visits to schools/sixth forms;
 14 visits to JCP offices;
 27 visits to non-school venues.
1.5
Research undertaken by the GLA to assess where Apprenticeships funding could be invested in order
to yield the greatest return, found that unemployed young Londoners significantly underestimate
the availability of Apprenticeships opportunities and substantially underestimate the potential
benefits provided by the successful completion of an apprenticeship.
1.6
GLA Officers consider that the AIAN delivery model has the potential to successfully address this
information failure, based on the findings of a recent survey of schools and learners which revealed
that 93 per cent of respondents knew where to go for information on apprenticeships following the
visit and that 100 per cent of respondents would recommend Ambassadors to other schools. The
GLA therefore propose to grant the LWBLA for the continuation of the AIAN activity.
1.7
The success of the project to date and its capacity to reach across all 32 London boroughs has
provided the LWBLA with the basis for a longer-term strategy that aligns with the National Careers
Service (NCS) for young Londoners. The focus of this proposal will include increasing the network’s
profile within JCP offices across London, and to engage employers and schools with targeted local
apprenticeship opportunities.
1.8
Through this project, a formal Apprenticeship Ambassador Expert Group of training providers will be
established in partnership with the LWBLA. The LWBLA will produce an annual action plan to
progress the network, work with partners to raise take-up and impact across London. This will
require targeted support, updated marketing tools and an online presence to showcase the service.
1.9
The evidence from the past 12 months demonstrates there is a continuing demand for information
on apprenticeships from beneficiaries including schools, sixth forms, local authorities and JCP.
1.10
The projected demand for the Ambassador service is driven by a combination of the following:
 The policy objective of the Mayor to increase take-up of apprenticeships in London;
DD Template May 2014
2



Roll-out of Raising Participation Age in schools from academic year 2013/141;
The criticism raised by Ofsted of information, advice and guidance in schools; and
The significant differences in Information Advice and Guidance (IAG) services for
young people across London.
1.11
The main aims of the London AIAN are:
 To champion apprenticeships to young people through the delivery of information
sessions using real life case studies and examples of the benefits of apprenticeships;
 To build greater awareness and understanding of an apprenticeship amongst
educational professionals/managers and related staff;
 To provide a quality-information service, delivered by providers with Ofsted Grade 1
or 2;
 To coordinate all requests for support from the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network.
1.12
The project will be managed and coordinated by the LWBLA. To measure the quality and impact of
the information provided, AIAN will monitor the number of apprenticeship referrals made to
apprenticeship training providers and apprenticeship starts achieved. The project will also undergo
an evaluation.
1.13
The AIAN will directly contribute to the Mayor’s commitment to create apprenticeship opportunities
in London by working with London-based apprenticeship training providers to offer a free and
impartial information and advice service for all 16-24 year olds, targeting individuals most at risk of
becoming NEET and NEET hotspots across London.
1.14
The project will also support those learners seeking an alternative to higher education to ensure they
are aware of options such as Higher Apprenticeships. Therefore a key feature of the service offer will
be to provide opportunities for 18 year olds to embark on a higher-level apprenticeship where they
are available in London.
1.15
The London AIAN will continue to operate as a quality-assured network with strict criteria for
membership. The AIAN will also establish localised networks for providers for specific targeted
interventions, in partnership with JCP and local authorities.
1.16
The London AIAN has linked with Inspiring the Future2 and is supported by London Councils. The
AIAN would also seek to have representation at this year’s Skills London event at EXCEL, which is
supported by the Mayor.
2.
Objectives and expected outcomes
2.1
The objectives and expected outcomes associated with the project are summarised in table 1 below.
Table 1.
Overall Strategic
Aim of the Project:
To create
businesses.
additional apprenticeships
within
London’s
The government has changed the law so that from the start of the 2013/14 academic year, all young people are required to
continue in education or training until the end of the academic year in which they turn 17. From summer 2015 this will be until
their 18th birthday.
2
Inspiring the Future is backed by leading organisations representing the fields of education and employment. These include the
main teaching unions and employer representative bodies. It is being coordinated by the Education and Employers Taskforce, an
independent charity. http://www.inspiringthefuture.org/
1
DD Template May 2014
3
Overall Impact of
this Project:
Objective:
Measurable Benefits
and key outputs:
2.2
To contribute to achieving the Mayor’s target of delivering
250,000 apprenticeships in London by 2016.
To improve awareness of the range and quality of
apprenticeships in schools across London.
75 per cent of schools across London visited by the network.
500 apprenticeship starts through engagement with schools
and businesses to recruit participants into Apprenticeship
opportunities.
The AIAN activity will support 500 apprenticeship starts through engagement with schools and
business from October 2014 to March 2016. Activities will include:

75 per cent of schools across London will receive a visit from an Ambassador;

A new dedicated Ambassador website linked to the London National Careers Service
provider in London (Prospects) will be developed to ensure a consistent approach to the
provision of apprenticeship information, events and services;

500 schools/sixth forms in London will receive apprenticeship information and marketing
materials;

At least one JCP office per borough across London will receive a visit. All JCP offices across
all London boroughs will receive marketing materials;

Over 50 non-school venues that work with young people will receive a visit;

Work with Local borough-based initiatives and campaigns.
3.
Equality comments
3.1
GLA Officers will ensure that the clauses within the grant agreement oblige LWBLA to capture
equality data so that the programme’s impact on individuals with protected characteristics can be
evaluated.
3.2
LWBLA will also:

Ensure that resources and visual materials will reflect the diverse multi-cultural resident
population in London;

Focus on the impact of apprenticeships take up by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic
(BAME) groups via their links within the London Voluntary Service Council (LVSC);

Consider how apprenticeships could support young people with caring responsibilities in
developing their future learning and skills;

Ensure links with Deaf Apprentice and their campaign for inclusive apprenticeships. This will
be built into the Ambassador role;

Build links with Teenage Mental Health charities to provide information on Apprenticeship
route-ways; and

Engage the LWBLA Third Sector Network to enhance the Equalities and Diversity offer.
DD Template May 2014
4
4.
Other considerations
4.1
The key risks / issues associated with the proposed activity are detailed in table 2 below.
Table 2.
Risk
LWBLA ceased to exist.
Mitigation
With a sustained and focussed marketing strategy we
plan to divert any risks in this area.
Lack of take up by key target
areas.
With a sustained and focussed marketing strategy
LWBLA will promote opportunities to key target areas.
LWBLA will also map current coverage with Providers’
apprenticeship promotion outside of the Ambassador
network to ensure all schools promotion is aligned with
the network. This ensures the AIAN work is coordinated,
quality assured and valued by schools in London.
Economic climate. Growth in new Ensure future apprenticeship messages focus on growth.
apprenticeship starts will be
constrained if private sector
employment does not continue to
increase.
Changes to apprenticeships by Ensuring messaging focuses on positive return of current
Government may reduce take-up: apprenticeship programme available now.
‐ Government committed to
increasing the number of Level
3 and above apprenticeships
most likely at the expense of
those at Level 2. Level 2
apprenticeships
will
increasingly
shift
to
traineeships. This could have
an impact on the numbers.
‐ The focus on quality
provision.
Quality
will
continue to influence starts of
all ages. This can be illustrated
through a recent risk analysis
of changes to the Customer
Service framework.
‐ Changes to the framework
away from its widespread
generic use to specific
customer service job roles
could see a reduction of at
least 20,000 starts nationally.
The focus on quality requires
the SFA and providers to resell
the
benefits
of
DD Template May 2014
5
apprenticeships to employers.
-Proposed apprenticeship funding
reforms show employers deferring
action to take on an apprentice.
4.2
The proposed activity contributes directly to the Mayor’s Manifesto commitment to deliver
additional Apprenticeships in London.
4.3
The Mayor’s Investment and Performance Board approved the continuation of the AIAN at the
meeting held on 19 August 2014.
5.
Financial comments
5.1
Approval is being sought to grant fund up to £100,000 to the London Work Based Learning Alliance
(LWBLA) to continue the Apprenticeships Information Ambassadors Network (AIAN) to promote and
raise awareness in schools of Apprenticeship opportunities in London (to be governed by funding
agreement).
5.2
The revenue cost of £100,000 will be funded from the core GLA funded element of the 2014-15
Apprenticeships budget.
5.3
The proposed profile of spend is :


2014-15
2015-16
£50,000
£50,000
5.4
A carry forward request will need to be submitted for approval as part of the year end closure of
accounts process for any expenditure funded from the Apprenticeships budget to be incurred in
2015-16. All budget carry forward requests are subject to approval.
5.5
All requisite budget adjustments will be made.
5.6
As the proposed funding above is to be governed via funding agreement, officers are reminded to
ensure that they liaise with both the Legal and Finance Teams in the preparation and execution of
the funding agreements. In addition, the monitoring of the funding and associated payments must
be line with the Authority’s Funding Agreement Toolkit. Officers will be responsible for assessing
LWBLA’s grant claims against the funding agreement and taking any remedial action should output
and costs vary from the agreement. The funding agreement should clearly state milestones to be
met in order to claim funding.Officers should also ensure that the requirements relating to the
Authority’s Contracts and Funding Code are met.
5.7
Any changes to this proposal must be subject to further approval via the Authority’s decisionmaking process.
5.8
The Economic Business Policy Unit within the Development, Enterprise & Environment Directorate
will be responsible for managing this project and associated funding agreement.
6.
Legal comments
DD Template May 2014
6
6.1
6.2
Power to Undertake the Requested Decision
Under section 30 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (the ‘Act’) the GLA is entitled to do
anything that will further the promotion, within Greater London, of economic development and
wealth creation, social development and the improvement of the environment.
Furthermore, section 34 of the Act allows the GLA, to do anything which is calculated to facilitate,
or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of any functions of the GLA. In this case, the provision
of £100,000 funding to the LWBLA in order to run the Apprenticeships Information Ambassadors
Network project may be viewed as being calculated to facilitate and conducive and incidental to
economic development and wealth creation and also to social development in Greater London.
The Funding
6.3
The proposed grant of up to £100,000 (one hundred thousand pounds) may be viewed as a
conditional gift rather than a contract for services and supplies. Paragraph 6.4 of the GLA’s
Contracts and Funding Code requires that the funding be distributed fairly, transparently and in
accordance with the GLA’s obligations regarding equality of opportunities. To this end, the officers
have set out in paragraphs 1.5 and 1.6 above how they have met the requirement of fairness and
transparency. Furthermore, in section 3, the officers have set out how they intend to ensure that
the project be conducted in accordance with the GLA’s equalities obligations.
6.4
Finally, the officers must ensure that an appropriate funding agreement be put in place between the
GLA and LWBLA, before any commitment to the funding be made.
7.
Planned delivery approach and next steps
Activity
Procurement of grant [for externally delivered projects]
Announcement [if applicable]
Delivery Start Date [for project proposals]
Final evaluation start and finish (self/external) [delete as applicable]:
Delivery End Date [for project proposals]
Project Closure: [for project proposals]
Appendices and supporting papers: None
DD Template May 2014
7
Timeline
October 2014
October 2014
October 2014
September 2015
and March 2016
March 2016
March/ April 2016
Public access to information
Information in this form (Part 1) is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI Act) and will be
made available on the GLA website within one working day of approval.
If immediate publication risks compromising the implementation of the decision (for example, to complete
a procurement process), it can be deferred until a specific date. Deferral periods should be kept to the
shortest length strictly necessary.
Note: This form (Part 1) will either be published within one working day after approval or on the defer
date.
Part 1 Deferral:
Is the publication of Part 1 of this approval to be deferred? NO
If YES, for what reason:
Until what date: (a date is required if deferring)
Part 2 Confidentiality: Only the facts or advice considered to be exempt from disclosure under the FOI
Act should be in the separate Part 2 form, together with the legal rationale for non-publication.
Is there a part 2 form – NO
ORIGINATING OFFICER DECLARATION:
Drafting officer to
confirm the
following ()
Drafting officer:
James Spacey has drafted this report in accordance with GLA procedures and
confirms that:

Assistant Director/Head of Service:
Mark Kleinman has reviewed the documentation and is satisfied for it to be referred
to the Sponsoring Director for approval.

Financial and Legal advice:
The Finance and Legal teams have commented on this proposal, and this decision
reflects their comments.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RESOURCES:
I confirm that financial and legal implications have been appropriately considered in the preparation of
this report.
Signature
DD Template May 2014
Date
8

Download Report