Case studies

Lincolnshire County Council are faced with the challenge of working across a large and dispersed county. By creating strategic alliances, they have developed provision that enables them to meet their skills and employment challenges. This case study examines the current system, and what is needed to improve outcomes for the local community.

Northumberland’s ambition is to deliver the ‘Inclusive Economy’ agenda, by joining up investment streams and ensuring employment support is delivered in a more collaborative way across local authority areas. This case study explores the strengths, challenges and impact of the current skills and employment system, and what is required to increase positive outcomes for local residents.

Tees Valley Combined Authority aims to grow the local economy by focusing on transforming education, employment and skills across the area. Their Routes to Work pilot has supported almost 4,000 people and helped nearly 800 back into employment across the Tees Valley.

Babergh and Mid Suffolk work with Suffolk County Council to support the efforts happening in their region to meet the skills agenda. When required they build on this work to develop, or fund initiatives, such as The Mix, which helps young people to develop life skills. Or, through their Careeriosity event, which offer careers advice and guidance to adults, helping them to gain employment.

In England, the current skills and employment system consists of at least 49 national employment and skills related schemes or services managed by nine Whitehall departments. No single organisation is responsible for coordinating this activity locally. However, with adequate resources local government can deliver. Our local government partners across the UK are already on a path to achieving this.

Norfolk's approach to supporting pathways for the hard-to-reach groups in the Council is not documented in a single published strategy but is evident through the range of more specific council strategies for supporting vulnerable and hard-to-reach young people. This includes those with special education needs or disabilities (SEND), youth offenders, and those in care or leaving care.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council provides a mentoring service for apprentices in the private or public sectors. This is part of the Council’s employment and skills team and links with wider services to support harder-to-reach young people, including care leavers and those with disabilities.

Blackpool Council's Care Leaver Employment Adviser (CLEA) project provides a dedicated worker for young people (16 to 25 years) who have been looked after by the local authority. This role aims to support young people to take up a job, training, or work placement.

To address high levels of disengagement with young people, leading post-16 providers in Bristol have developed a collaborative strategy for building a high quality system. A key part of this includes the Bristol WORKS programme, providing access to quality work experience and apprenticeships to every young person in the city.

Derbyshire County Council's holistic approach to supporting communities means that support for harder to reach young people is embedded within several wider schemes or programmes of support. This includes through the Thriving Communities programme.