Staying on

If you’re not sure whether you want to stay on at school beyond 16, have a think about the following:

Passing more exams may help you in the future.
You might need some basic qualifications to start in a decent job.
Education is one way of making sense of your life, helping to open new doors for you and giving you more options.

You do not necessarily need to have passed any exams to get in to college, it depends on the course that you want to do.

Not everyone wants to do more written exams, e.g. A Levels. There are many practical courses that can lead to work like hairdressing, catering, car mechanics and computer skills. Some courses offer short periods of employment so that you can build up your confidence and you can get used to the world of work.

Designated Tutor Scheme

Worcestershire Aftercare Team have good links with local colleges and operate a designated tutor scheme across the county, enabling 16+ (Social) Workers to liaise directly with the colleges and vice versa regarding care leavers, their education and any issues arising. For further information speak to your 16+ (Social) Worker.

You may choose to take up further education on a full or part-time course. If you do it part-time you cannot take on more than 16 hours guided learning a week and still claim benefits. However, there are special rules for lone parents and students with disabilities and if this is applicable to you, you could be able to claim benefits. Check this out with your 16+ (Social) Worker.

Maths and English Skills

If you have ever wanted to improve your Maths and English skills, virtually every college in the country offers free courses to help you from basic literacy and numeracy up to GCSE level.

Diploma or Degree

Helpful advice

• Do your research – there’s a wide range of courses and learning programmes often with similar names, so the only way that you can find out how they differ and whether they are right for you, is by doing lots of vital research
• Speak to SGS/school and college careers staff if you need more specific advice.
• Go to as many open days/evenings as possible, talk to university staff and students, don’t be afraid to ask questions!
• Look out for the Frank Buttle quality mark on university websites – they have specific support available for care leavers When you do apply for university courses via UCAS, don’t be reluctant to tick the box disclosing you are coming from a care background. This information will be dealt with confidentially and is there so universities can offer you extra support should you wish to access it.
• Don’t worry about ringing them up before you have applied. You can ask about courses, support, accommodation, finance etc – you can even do this now!
• Aimhigher West Midlands run a Summer School Programme which they encourage young people in care with the potential to progress onto Higher Education to apply.
• It is worth finding out if you require certain subjects for the courses you are interested in by using the course search facility on the UCAS website and looking at entry profiles. This could help you with your choices for sixth form or further education college. It’s really worth doing some detective work as early as year 11 before you chose your options.

Modern Apprenticeship
These are offered to young people aged 16 – 18 years. They give you the opportunities to gain qualifications (National Vocational Qualification level) whilst working. A training salary is agreed before you start work. They usually take between one and two years to complete. See the apprenticeships website for further information.

Prince's Trust

The Prince's Trust is a team programme open to those aged 16-25 who are unemployed with a City and Guilds Qualification upon successful completion. For further information see http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/ or call 0800 842 842.

Education To Employment (E2E)

Targeted at unemployed school leavers aged 16 to 18 years inclusive. All referrals are via SGS, with the criteria being that the young person has no GCSEs at grade C or above, or it might be that the young person has other issues in their lives that are making it hard for them to access further education, training or employment directly from school.

Programmes focus upon basic skills, barriers to employment training, include work experience and involve both class work and individual sessions.

Learn Direct

Courses are flexible so you can do many at your local centre or from home or work if you have access to the Internet. Courses are broken down into bite-sized chunks, so you can learn at your own pace whenever and wherever it suits you. For further information, see the Learn Direct website.

Open University (OU)

You may decide that you want to do a diploma or a degree but that you don’t want to study at a college/university. Open University allows you to do most of your studying at home and courses run from February to November. The flexibility of part time study means you can fit learning in with other commitments and to ensure you make the most of your studies, a personal tutor will provide support and advice along the way.

OU offer a wide range of courses and you can mix and match your courses to get the qualification you want. Want to know more? Visit www.openuniversity.co.uk/learn or call 0870 900 0305

The Support Guidance Skills Service

SGS is an agency that works with 13 to 19 year olds. If you are a care leaver, the service can remain working with you up to the age of 21 years and in some cases up to 24 years.

The agency's Personal Advisers offer support in all areas of life to young people but particularly around education, training and employment. For more information contact your local connexions office, school, college or your 16+ (Social) Worker or to find your nearest office go to http://www.connexions-hw.org.uk/.

Peer Mentors

Aftercare have employed care leavers to act as peer mentors for young people who receive a service through Worcestershire County Council’s Aftercare Team, Children Service’s.

Their role is to enable young people who are preparing to leave care or have left, to access or sustain an educational path. They aim to assist your educational training, support you in achieving your qualifications and help you to make the right choices and decisions for you.

The difficulties and pressure that college/educational training has on a young person can be difficult to cope with; this is where the Peer Mentor role comes in, to help young care leavers with any problems that they feel they may have.

A peer mentor does not share the duties of an Aftercare Worker, this role is aimed directly at helping young people either in care or who are care leavers have the motivation and aspire to succeed in a career.

Some examples of the kind of help a Peer Mentor can provide are:   

• Provide a listening ear
• Source of non-specialist advice
• Help you access or sustain further/higher education routes
• Extra support in education
• Guidance if you are 19+ and wishing to return to education
• Help achieving your goals.

If you are interested in receiving support from a Peer Mentor then do speak to your 16+ (Social) Worker.