16 + LEARNING CHOICES 16+ Learning Choices Opportunities for All The information provided in this guide is to allow quick access to information on potential opportunities available for young people in Dumfries and Galloway If any contact information needs to be updated please feel free to advise us of this via email on: [email protected] October 2012 Page 1 of 32 Contents Introduction to 16+ Learning Choices Page 3 Full or Part-Time Education in School Page 5 Full or Part-time Further Education Page 6 Full or Part-time Higher Education Page 7 Online Learning Page 7 Open Learn and Openings courses Page 8-9 National Training Programmes Pages 10-11 Training Provision (other) Page 12 Employment Page 14 Self-employment and entrepreneurship Page 15 Personal skills development Page 16 Local learning classes Page 17 Volunteering in Dumfries and Galloway Page 22 Further information on employability/development opportunities Page 24 Opportunities for young people with additional support needs Page 27 Information on Financial Assistance Page 30 Contact Information for Opportunities for All Coordinator Page 32 October 2012 Page 2 of 32 16+ Learning Choices provides opportunities for everyone Did you know that everyone leaving school has the right to an offer of education, employment or training? The 16+ learning choices programme guarantees everyone an offer when they leave school. Below is the formal Scottish Government confirmation of what the offer means and after that is a guide on where to look for information on all sorts of offers which might be of interest to you if you are leaving school: Scottish Government Guidance defines a 16+ Learning Choice offer as follows: “The offer should be appropriate for the young person; to meet their individual needs and aspirations. That means it must be at the right level; accessible both in terms of location and local labour market opportunity; and delivered through the right learning method – must include agreed start date. While the 16+LC initiative places value on any episode of employment to enhance the longer term prospects of our young people; we also need to identify where relevant qualifications can be undertaken as part of an employee development process. This will involve building our knowledge levels of all young people who access employment (particularly straight from school) and proactively engaging with the young person and employer to raise awareness of these relevant qualifications. Specifically it states that the offer must be one of the following contexts. Education in school; Attending school for all or part of the curriculum, in S4 (or S3 where a young person reaches their statutory leaving date in that period), S5 and S6. It might include a wholly school-based curriculum or a curriculum delivered by a range of providers. The school retains overall responsibility for planning the most appropriate educational provision for the young person. Full or part-time further education in FE; Attending college and studying below the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 7 (below HNC). Full or part-time HE; Attending university or an FE/HE college to study at HNC level or above. National training programmes Get Ready for Work, excluding Lifeskills (full/part-time, ad hoc attendance) Skillseekers – employed or non-employed trainee status, VQ at SCQF level 5 Modern Apprenticeships – employed, VQ at SCQF levels 5-7 in specific sector Employment (not a national training programme); Employed in full or part-time employment (with a minimum of 16 hours). Self employed and earning a living working independently of an employer. Personal/Skills Development Some young people are not yet ready for, or in the position (for any number of valid reasons) to participate in any of the foregoing opportunities. Where this is the case, individuals should be able to engage in Personal/Skills Development, often, but not exclusively delivered by a community learning and development or a third sector organisation, as a stepping-stone to a positive destination such as: - Get Ready for Work Lifeskills - Employment involving less than 16 hours and including either job-related training or Personal/Skills Development October 2012 Page 3 of 32 Volunteering Undertaking volunteering, which will involve a young person giving of his/her time and energy through a third party. It will benefit both the young person and others. A young person will get involved in volunteering through choice, and should not be motivated primarily by financial gain or by a wage or salary. Some volunteering includes a financial allowance. Activity Agreements The young person works with one agency representative of their choice to design a package of activities which suits their own interests, goals and areas for improvement. This work leads to a sustainable positive destination in the form of any of the above. October 2012 Page 4 of 32 FULL OR PART-TIME EDUCATION IN SCHOOL You can continue with education after your first statutory school leaving date (you will require an interview to confirm continuation at school) as per an agreed offers process. October 2012 Page 5 of 32 FULL OR PART-TIME FURTHER EDUCATION Dumfries & Galloway College Tel: 01387 734 000 or for admissions 01387 734 059 email: [email protected] Text: 60081 Start your text with Dumfries and then your question (make sure you put a space after Dumfries). Stranraer Campus, Lewis Street, Stranraer DG9 7AL Tel: 01776706633 Barony College – General enquiries: Admissions: 01387 860251 or email: [email protected] Courses fall into the following sections: Agriculture Animal Care, Equine and Veterinary Nursing Forestry and Horticulture Special Programmes (barriers to learning) Engineering Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatics School College Partnerships The following link programmes take place in S4-S6, these are one year programmes: Dumfries & Galloway College Dumfries Campus Stranraer Campus Beauty and Hairdressing Beauty and Hairdressing Computing Business & Administration Construction Computing Creative Industries Construction Education Studies Education Studies Engineering Engineering Hospitality Health and Social Studies Health and Social Studies Hospitality Sport Sport October 2012 Page 6 of 32 FULL OR PART-TIME HIGHER EDUCATION Study Options in Dumfries and Galloway: University of the West of The University of Dumfries & Galloway Scotland Glasgow College Business Management, Health and Social Studies, Business, Computing, Enterprise, International History, Humanities, Construction, Creative Marketing, Human Resource Literature, Philosophy, Industries, Education, Management, Computing, Primary Education with Engineering, Hairdressing, IT, IT & Management, Teaching Qualifications Beauty and Complementary Childhood Studies, Social Therapies, Health & Social Work, Adult Nursing, Mental Studies, Sports & Recreation Health Nursing, Veterinary Nursing Contact Details University of the West of The University of Glasgow Dumfries & Scotland Galloway College Call: 01387 702075 Call: 01387 702131 Call 01387 734059 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.glasgow.ac.uk/dumfries/visitus www.learndirect.co.uk – this website will provide information on opportunities available throughout England (useful for information relating to Cumbria), including opportunities in: Maths Computers and I.T. Job Seeking Skills Business and Job Specific Skills Languages Online Learning – Ready for Work Ready for Work has been designed for young people starting out and can help you make a successful transition from school into work. If you are in full-time education in the UK or seeking employment then the programme is free. If you are employed or on an apprenticeship there is a £50 charge, further information is available on the website. Ready for Work offers 12 short online training courses on subjects of real importance to all prospective employers. You access the courses here on www.readyforwork.org Course List There are 12 online modules: Ready to learn Thriving in diversity Showing respect at work Embracing Change Managing stress at work Health and safety in the office Making email work for you Working with the internet Drugs and alcohol at work Data protection at work Be a responsible employee Me and my career October 2012 Page 7 of 32 OpenLearn The OpenLearn website gives free access to Open University course materials. On LearningSpace, you'll find hundreds of free study units, each with a discussion forum. Study independently at your own pace or join a group and use the free learning tools to work with others. Topics available (dependent on start dates and availability) include: Art and History Business and Management Education Health and Lifestyle IT and Computing Law Mathematics and Statistics Modern Languages Society Science and Nature Study Skills Technology Do you need any qualifications to use OpenLearn? No, you don’t need any formal educational qualifications to use OpenLearn. Each OpenLearn unit is set at one of four levels – introductory, intermediate, advanced or masters. The level indicates the amount of previous educational experience expected to enable you to study the unit without too much difficulty and within the stated hours of study. If you are new to higher education it is recommended that you start with units at introductory level. OpenLearn is an opportunity for informal study - in your own time access materials in areas familiar or new to you, without the pressure of keeping to a timetable or sitting exams. Instead, assess your own progress by keeping an online learning journal, discussing the topics with other online learners in forums and completing self assessment exercises where you control when the answer is revealed. While OpenLearn isn't exactly the same as studying at University, it gives real learning experiences taken from degree courses - and for free! For further information or to register go to: http://www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/home.php Open University - Openings Courses You can see what Open University study is like, try out a new subject, develop your learning skills, build your confidence, improve your knowledge and enjoy yourself. Openings courses are Level 1, 10 point introductory courses with lots of support and no examinations specifically designed for people who want a gradual introduction to a specific subject or to the world of study. Courses are available in a variety of subjects including: Learning to change Introducing environment Making sense of the arts Starting with law Starting with maths Starting with psychology Understanding children Understanding health Understanding society Exploring sport online Most Openings courses cost around £115 but if you are on benefits or have an annual income of £22,000 or less financial support may be available for free places on a first-come, first served basis. October 2012 Page 8 of 32 You will receive a pack of books, DVDS, and be assigned a tutor who will provide one-to-one telephone tutorials on a regular basis throughout the course. There are four start dates throughout the year and each course takes about 5 months to complete. Once you have completed your course you can get local advice on how to progress onto other courses either with the OU or other providers. For further information go to: www.open.ac.uk/openings or call 0845 3006090 October 2012 Page 9 of 32 NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMMES Skills Development Scotland (SDS) delivers a range of national training programmes, working with private learning providers across Dumfries and Galloway to ensure that everyone in Scotland has the opportunity to develop their career. Participating in one of SDS’s national training programmes can equip you with the skills and industry recognised qualifications you need to progress in your career – and you need not take time off work to study full-time to achieve your goals. You will also gain invaluable practical work experience through placements, and become more capable and confident in your abilities as a result. Modern Apprenticeships give people in employment the opportunity to work towards an industry recognised accreditation. Training for Work provides vocational training support to people aged 18 or over who have been continuously unemployed for at least 13 weeks and are actively looking for work. Get Ready for Work arranges skills training and work placements for people aged 16 to 19 who are finding it difficult to access training, learning and employment. Links for further information: www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk Or: http://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/our-services/services-for-individuals/national- training-programmes.aspx Get Ready for Work Provision To access Get Ready for Work you will need to be referred by Skills Development Scotland. Contact your local Skills Development Scotland Centre in Dumfries 01387 272500, Stranraer 01776 889793 or call our helpline on 0845 8 502 502 to find out about the eligibility criteria for Getting Ready for Work. Provider Contact details Apex Scotland Ltd Dumfries Tel: 01387 256310 Stranraer Tel: 01776 700973 Dumfries & Galloway College Dumfries Tel: 01387 734000 Stranraer Tel: 01776 706633 October 2012 Page 10 of 32