Page 99 - Guiding-at-risk-youth-through-learning-to-work-Lessons-from-across-Europe

Guiding at-risk youth through learning to work
Lessons from across Europe

adopted this approach and the multi-agency approach is discussed further in
Section 5.3.7.

5.3.7. Collaboration with key partner organisations
In addition to providing a range of support and learning opportunities within the
reintegration measure, it is important for partnerships to be established with
relevant organisations outside the individual initiative. In Finland, youth
workshops (nuorten työpajat) offer training to people at risk of social exclusion.
The workshops typically occupy middle ground between the education system,
work and social and health services. Cooperation with the relevant authorities in
these areas is a key factor in motivating young people to take part and aiding
their transition to mainstream education or employment.
A multi-agency, joined-up approach can be introduced by using a one-stop-
shop model, where all relevant services are housed under one roof. For instance,
an integrated one-stop-shop support service provision for young people is seen
as a successful strategy in England, where it is expected to make spending on
youth services more efficient as well as making these services easier to access
(CBI, 2008). In the London Borough of Bromley, Prospects Services Limited
provides a multi-agency, one-stop-shop for central Bromley and outreach
projects in nearby neighbourhoods. The integrated support offered to young
people includes: careers guidance, writing CVs and job applications, health
information and advice, advice on drug use, legal help, access to health workers,
access to the Internet and IT, access to job vacancies, and housing help. All staff
– including youth workers, personal advisers, administrative and managerial staff
– are based at the one-stop-shops and employed by the same company, allowing
common work practices and codes of conduct. Further, joining up the youth
service with Connexions resulted in a larger staff base and enabled the service to
be provided until late every evening and on Saturdays. Finally, joint purchasing of
equipment and combining mail shots allowed for significant efficiency savings.
The success of the Bromley one-stop-shop model has led other local authorities
to request integrated service models as their preferred option.
The involvement of young people in design and delivery is one of the most
challenging aspects of effective practice but the Notschool.net case study
showed that it can be fruitful.

5.3.8. Basic skills and a mix of practical and theoretical learning
It is likely that the young people targeted by reintegration initiatives will have a
mix of learning needs, including gaps in their basic skills (language, literacy and
numeracy) and life skills (e.g. coping mechanisms, appropriate behaviours)

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