Praise for work with young people in Hartlepool despite drop in further education take up

Hartlepool Borough Council children’s service committee were shown figures of the path young people from 16 to 18 were taking after year 11.

The number of people in full time education, training and employment combined with training, was down to 94.1% in December 2017, dropping from 96.1% in 2016 and 97.5% in 2015.

However just 0.3% of young people’s status is ‘not known’ by Hartlepool Council, compared to the national average of 3.3% and the North East average of 2.2%.

The statistics were presented by Zoe McKenna, broadening horizons officer at the council, who stated ‘not known’ figures often contain a high number of ‘hidden’ young people not in education or training.

She praised the work of organisations in the area coming together to help young people.

She said: “We continue to see a reduction of young people meeting the duty to participate in education, employment and training.

“This is as a result of an increase in young people progressing in to employment without training and taking a temporary break from learning. “As a local authority we’ve recognised the importance of support to young people up to the age of 18.”

She added: “We have really positive relationships with the schools.

“Compared to other local authorities we are head and shoulders ahead in terms of that relationship we have in that regard.”

The number of 16 to 18 years olds not in education, employment or training in 2017/18 was 3.3%, down from 3.5% the previous year but higher than 2.8% in 2015/16.

This is lower than the Tees Valley and North East averages of 3.8% and 4% respectively, but higher than the national rate of 2.7%.

There was praise for the work being carried with apprenticeships in Hartlepool with the number of people taking part increasing from 3.9% in 2015 to 7.8% in 2017.

Committee Chair Coun Brenda Harrison said: “The team is doing a fantastic job but they need to keep going. They are doing a really good job with our young people in Hartlepool.

“Apprenticeships are becoming more robust and attract people who would have gone to university previously.”

Nic Marko , Local Democracy Reporting Service