AELP Regional Event - Leeds Streamlined Funding made Simpler Topic: Opportunities and Difficulties of Exploiting the Flexibilities Don Brearley – CEO West Yorkshire Learning Providers

Who are we? Established in 2004 Single largest WBL network in the Region Member of the Leeds City Region Skills Network Stakeholders in the Partnerships in 5 LAs Skills Consortium Contract Skills Consortium

ASB Freedoms and Flexibilities ? ‘It’s as if the prison doors have been opened, but the prisoners are still inside their cells, not sure whether it’s safe to go outside’

Unemployment rates rise, but are JSA customers getting to skills providers?

Responding to community needs?

What is a providers community? It’s wider than that traditionally used for FE Colleges Providers are traditionally employer facing, delivering Apprenticeships and skills training Their community therefore needs to be differently defined because it’s a combination of local employers and sector needs It’s the Local Enterprise Partnership (LCR) It’s the Unemployed

Population of over 3 million Over 1.2 million jobs Largest LEP outside London with over 100,000 businesses £52 billion annual GVA In international terms the LCR economy is larger than those of 9 European countries The Challenge – LCR is not achieving its potential in terms of economic and employment growth. The LCR does not compare well to competitor city regions beyond the North either nationally or internationally

ASB Programme for the Unemployed Freedom and Flexibility of Adult Skills Budget Job Outcome Incentive Payment (2.5%) Fully Funded Training Provision Workplace and Classroom Provision Jobcentre Plus “Skills Conditionality” Regulations JSA/ESA Customer Referrals from Jobcentre Plus The Work Programme

Working with Jobcentre Plus There is a growing community of unemployed whose needs will often be best articulated by local JCP staff. The SFA are insisting that providers discuss with JCP what is required for their customers, develop an appropriate business delivery plan and feed back the results. SFA will insist that this process is visibly in place in order to justify ongoing funding support

The Work Programme Prime Contractors North East Yorkshire & Humber –NEWCASTLE COLLEGE GROUP –G4S West Yorkshire –BEST –INGEUS South Yorkshire –A4E –SERCO

The Work Programme “Ask” Vocationally lead short courses Technical Certificates Entry Level Provision Less than 16 hours a week Vacancy matching to support Apprenticeships Best “Best’s Friend” & Ingeus “Skills Directory”

Difficulties Funding existing commitment from the ASB allocation, is there enough left in the pot to deliver? Lack of understanding & awareness between JCP & the skills sector Resources on new classroom provision, spending money on training rooms etc Guaranteed referrals from local JCP to fill provision, lack of starts will make provision unviable 16 hours short courses for JSA customers, JCP rules on benefits preventing longer training programmes Skills Conditionality and mandated JSA customers, will they be disruptive. Access to Apprenticeships - 30 hour rule

Opportunities Freedoms and Flexibilities should help to maximise funding allocation Providers operating in an open market place Developing skills provision in employability programmes Improved QCF capabilities with new rules and combinations of units/quals Enhancing provision with work placed and/or classroom delivery Converting Train to Gain employers to Apprenticeship Developing new relationships with Jobcentre Plus Develop sector based work academies Responding to Government priority i.e reducing NEET figures

Jail Break!