ENABLE – 2018 Decreasing the Disability Participation Gap A call to action for effective Industry and Education Partnerships

Developing the Young Workforce , and East Lothian

An equal society

for every person

who has a learning disability. ENABLE SCOTLAND 2018

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary 3 2. Introduction 4 2.2 Research Methods 5 2.3 Overview of Research Participants 7 3.1 Young People 8 3.2 Key Stakeholders and Employers 10 3.3 Teachers and Parents 13 4. Recommendations 15 ENABLE SCOTLAND 2018

1. Executive Summary Key findings include: • Young people with mild, moderate and Between May and August 2018, complex needs want to work and have ENABLE Scotland sought to diverse career ambitions in a variety of industries review the way in which • Young people require personalised support Additional Support Needs (ASN) to identify and work towards career schools and hubs across ambitions whilst having their needs met Edinburgh, East Lothian and • Engagement and partnership working with diverse industries is required Midlothian currently engage with • Schools and education staff require industry to support their pupils’ additional support in order to support young goals and ambitions. people towards their career ambitions • Industry employers require support to This study, commissioned by Developing the adjust their workplace practices to ensure Young Workforce, highlights current best accessibility to a range of support needs. practice and identifies potential gaps in provisions. This study focuses on accessible • Such support, identified as best practice, industry engagement – in particular, the way has successfully been provided in the past in which employers can successfully engage by partnerships specialist agencies. with young people who have mild, moderate and complex support needs to meet their Recommendations: career goals and ambitions. • Employers should look at facilitating engagement of young people in their ENABLE Scotland carried out this industries as early as possible in their study to: education – recommendations on ways to do this are outlined in Appendix 3 • Identify the career ambitions of young people with mild, moderate and complex • Employers should look at upskilling their needs who attend ASN schools and hubs workforce and participating in training to understand the specialist support • Identify the current opportunities and requirements of young people with support potential gaps in industry engagement needs ranging from mild to moderate practices within ASN schools and hubs • Employers should work with ASN schools • Identify and map what is happening now and hubs to ensure all young people have in ASN schools in relation to industry a meaningful work placement tailored to engagement by reviewing good practice their individual needs where it exists and drawing out success criteria • Employers should continuously work together to share and review best practice • Identify where employers could towards a diverse workforce improve industry engagement for ASN schools and make recommendations how to get there

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2. Introduction 2.1. Purpose of Research ENABLE Scotland conducted a qualitative This report will look at the overarching goals and quantitative research project, on behalf and aspirations of young people around ASN of Developing the Young Workforce to: schools and Hubs in Edinburgh, Midlothian • Identify the career ambitions of young and East Lothian. It will identify the people who have mild, moderate and challenges faced by young people who complex needs who attend ASN schools have additional support needs, alongside and hubs educational staff, parents and carers, whilst trying to engage with the local labour market. • Identify the current opportunities and gaps in industry engagement practices within ASN schools and hubs • Identify and map what is happening now in ASN schools in relation to industry engagement by reviewing good practice where it exists and drawing out success criteria • Identify where employers could improve industry engagement for ASN schools and make recommendations on how to get there

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2.2 Research Methods ENABLE Scotland designed a series of • Parent focus groups took the form of drop- focus groups for young people, teachers, in sessions for parents. Some parents supporting staff, parents and key could not commit to attending a set time stakeholders from industry. due to care and work commitments. Some • Young people focus groups consisted of a disclosed that they did not wish to talk series of workshop activities that explored; about their child’s future and barriers in a the goals and aspirations of young people, group setting and therefore opted for 1:1 including the industries they would like to phone call. work in, the barriers that they face whilst • All discussions with parents covered a engaging with industry, and the support they loose agenda as many parents are anxious would require to successfully engage. about the thought of their child engaging These workshops had to be adapted for the with industry and their future. Guardians needs of each group – for example pictorial and care support staff were contacted for aids were used for those pupils who had those pupils who do not have any parental complex communication barriers. Pupil involvement in their life. Support Assistants supported individual • Key stakeholder focus groups consisted pupils during these workshops to ensure of 1:1 discussions in person or over the they fully understood what was being phone, subject to their availability. Key asked. stakeholders shared their experience of • Teacher and supporting staff focus groups working with young people and they gave consisted of round table discussions. suggestions of ways in which Developing These explored each school’s experience the Young Workforce could support industry engaging with industry, the barriers their to better engage with schools and hubs. young people face throughout their school lives, with a focus on the school leavers during their transitions period. Examples of best practice to date was also discussed.

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ENABLE Scotland created online surveys people with ASN into their workforce. (in Appendix 1) for completion by anyone A further 32 employers who ENABLE who could not attend the above focus Scotland engaged with completed a survey groups, in order to reach as many to feedback their experiences and participants as possible. recommendations of working with young ENABLE Scotland engaged with 50 people with support needs. employers by delivering Disability Awareness Over the research period, ENABLE Scotland Training in Edinburgh and the Lothians to engaged with the following volumes: specifically raise the profile of hiring young

YOUNG PEOPLE PARENTS Survey Monkey (27) Focus Group (8)

Combined Combined Total Total 281 26

Survey Focus Group (254) Monkey (18)

TEACHERS AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS SUPPORT STAFF AND EMPLOYERS

Focus Group (40) Focus Group (11)

Combined Combined Total Survey Total 92 Monkey (32) 93

Survey Disability Monkey (52) Awareness (50)

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2.3 Overview of Research Please see appendix 2 for the list of 44 employers that participated in this study. Participants Note some employers requested to remain Edinburgh anonymous. Braidburn School Key Stakeholders: Mills School Pilrig Park School Name Organisation Edinburgh Secure Services – Howdenhall Garrett Brady JET Programme and St Katherine’s School (Development Officer) St Crispin’s Special School Marjorie Benn East Lothian Council Academy (East Lothian Works) Woodlands School Ken Shaw (Head of Employability and City of Edinburgh