Scheme helps give James a new future
AT THE beginning of the year teenager James Kempson had no idea what he was doing or where he was going in life.
But, with a bit of help from a Birmingham-based training project, James is now en route to a bright future. And James is one of nearly 50 young people who have been supported by the action for children Employability Project.
Funded by Birmingham City Council, it aims to take young people who have grown up in care and are at risk of falling through the gaps in the system and help them create their own futures.
The project is one of many attempting to tackle the problem of the so-called NEET generation – young people aged between 16 and 24 who are not in education, employment or training.
With the numbers in this lost generation rising by more than 15 per cent in the last ten years and an estimated annual cost to the country of £3.6 billion, it is a pressing task.
And according to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, which relates to young people aged between 15 and 19, the UK has one in ten young people within the NEET category and lies within the bottom five alongside countries like Turkey and Brazil.
The NEETs being tackled by action for children’s Employability Project have their own specific problems, often as a result of being raised through the care system.
Many of the young people have been out of education, some have been in trouble with the police and many live chaotic lives with no solid family base or home. But with the right kind of support they can find direction, says project manager Claire Cahill.
“The project works specifically with young people who are leaving care so they are very often outside of education so very often the steps we are taking are very basic. But, for these young people, each step is massive.
“A lot of it is about helping them to build self-confidence and self-esteem. They work with a computer project which looks at their strengths and weaknesses and how to build on them. We look at putting together a CV, interview skills, self-presentation. We held a session called ‘You’re the boss’ where they had a group of celebrities and they had to decide who they would employ. It turns the tables and they are thinking about what they would be looking at from an employer. Funnily enough we had young people saying they wouldn’t employ some of the celebrities because of the way they dressed so we then say that shows them the importance of presentation.
“Many of these young people have never been in these kind of situations and it can be very difficult for them. Sometimes our role is simply phoning them up, pointing out they may be late and going to pick them up to get them somewhere on time.”
The majority of work takes place on a one-to-one basis with each young person allocated a case worker who helps them explore their difficulties in going into education, training or employment and helps them to work out solutions for themselves.
The project aims to help the young people aged between 16 and 21 gain skills and accreditation for any study which they do undertake in order to build up a CV. But Claire says, for many, an actual job will be a long way off.
“Everyone is an individual and we treat them as such,” says Claire. “Some people will only be with us for a few months but for others it could take years.
“But it is amazing when you see the steps they do take. We had a young man who was determined he did not want to do any qualifications and wanted to get by without. But after doing a taster placement with an employer he has now decided he wants to go to college.”
The taster sessions are an important building brick in the employability process but Claire admits they can also be the most difficult as the organisation is dependent on local employers to help them.
“Work experience is really useful for the young people. Whether it is a taster session or shadowing someone it gives them a real insight into work. Very often they haven’t had the chance to do work experience in the past.
“It may be because they were not in education or it could be because they don’t have the connections. They don’t tend to have family who know people who can get them a place somewhere.”
The project has successfully placed young people in a range of situations as diverse as catering, theatre and retail – but Claire is keen to involve more local employers. “We did have a launch event where we had lots of people but to be honest there were not so many employers. We would definitely like to hear from anyone who can help us with this.”
*For more information or to discuss becoming involved as an employer, contact Claire and her team on 0121 454 9636 or email employability@actionforchildren.org.uk
JAMES is exploring his options. Together with his project worker Lou Thompson they are putting together a list of careers and jobs he would like to try – although the 17-year-old admits it could be an endless list.
“I have got catering, fire service and construction on my list but I would like to do a taster of everything,” he says.
And he has already succeeded in ticking one of those boxes after doing work experience at a local hotel.
“I was in the kitchen,” he says. “I was doing all the veg. It was hard work but it was good.”
James, who currently lives in Harborne, joined the project earlier this year.
“I was told about it by my 16 Plus worker,” he says. “They thought it would be good. I wanted to do something to keep me off the streets and to try something different.”
And he feels it has been a worthwhile way of spending his time.
Lou says James is very keen.
“James has committed to his schedule and makes his appointments,” she says. “I have seen that he is quietly determined and he has a good deal of potential.”
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