Introduction

SWAP, in partnership with 6 European countries, was successfully awarded a Grundtvig 2 Learning Partnership grant starting in August 2004. The grant was for 1 year, in the first instance, but was projected to last for 3 years. The project aims are to develop new and innovative strategies for engaging disadvantaged groups in learning and through the European dimension, allow for exchanges and the sharing of methodologies.

The project, called MODEL, MOtivating the Disadvantaged through Empowering Learners in collaboration with our European Project partners hopes to develop strategies and promote positive attitudes towards learning with pathways to further opportunities and progression. Learners will be encouraged to be actively involved from the very beginning of the Project in developing ideas, implementing them and evaluating their impact. A number of learners and staff will be able to participate in the international meetings and hopefully contribute to the development of the project objectives.

Initial Stages

Under Grundtvig the target audience is adult learners and staff. After some initial discussions with our local project consortium partners, it was decided that we should target school leavers in Ayrshire, which are a particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged group. We decided that our resources could be best directed to those unemployed with little prospects of finding employment and were being referred to the East Ayrshire Strategy for Youth Project (EASY). This project is based in Cumnock, East Ayrshire and is already working in partners with a number of organisations including Kilmarnock and Ayr Colleges of Further Education.The SWAP management group acted as the Steering group receiving regular reports of the project activities.

The Scottish MODEL partners are: SWAP, Glasgow School of Art, udecide, Ayr College, Kilmarnock College and East Ayrshire Council (EASY).

During the first phase of the project, Year 1, the main objectives were

• Exchange current understanding and knowledge of target groups.
• Devise a plan for the collection of data on target groups and proposed development of strategies for engaging target groups in learning
• To provide a clear strategy which will inform and steer the project into the delivery stage. This strategy will be based on the information collected throughout the year.
• Share data collected by Steering Groups on specific conditions, difficulties and educational needs of target groups.
• Data to be used to inform proposed strategies for engaging target groups.
• Proposed strategies to be discussed and evaluated

All of these objectives were met through the various project activities, the programme delivered with EASY, and the International project meetings. A summary of the activities follows.

The target group and the collection of data

Data has been collected for the area of East Ayrshire in South West Scotland, looking at the social and economic factors there. The data was gathered in an effort to advise and guide future development work in the area, targeting those most in need. Comparisons, where appropriate, were made with the rest of Scotland and the UK, to put the statistics into a broader context. The collected data was taken from local and national (Scottish and UK) statistics.

A summary of the findings:

Employment growth in East Ayrshire (1996-2001) fell far short of the wider Scotland and UK picture. Growth was 4%, in comparison with 14% for Scotland and 10% for the rest of the UK.

Projected employment growth, 2003-2010, is to stay at 4%, in comparison with 6% for the whole county of Ayrshire with growth expected in; public and financial services, professional jobs and declines expected in; manufacturing and skilled trades.

In April 2003 the unemployment level was recorded at 4.7% against the regional average of 4% and 2.7% for the UK as a whole.

On the Scottish Deprivation Index Ranking, 5 wards (local areas) in East Ayrshire, were classified as amongst the poorest in Scotland.

Educational attainment rates, based on 1998/99-2001/02 statistics, were below that of the Scottish average.

A high proportion of school leavers were unemployed.

On health issues, East Ayrshire has a worse health than the Scottish average.

The statistical data was used to inform East Ayrshire Council and Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire where to target resources and provide a programme for those most vulnerable in our society. The target group has been identified as vulnerable 16-18 year olds, applying for benefits with no employment prospects. These school leavers are those who have left school with no qualifications, are unemployed and considered to be disadvantaged, in comparison with their peers. SWAP, through MODEL, has joined forces with a number of agencies to form a partnership to offer a programme of activities to the client group. Financial support will be given by East Ayrshire Council and Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire with our Grundtvig MODEL project able to offer increased support to these clients though material resources, visits, guidance and links to continuing education in the wider community.

A statistical analysis of young people, who have in the past, been referred on to the programme, gave the following results

 

Staff and Student Mobility

3 staff and 2 students participated in a mobility exercise to Romania in May of 2005.

Press release from East Ayrshire Council
EASY JET-SETTERS!  Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Two trainees from the EASY Project, Claire Young and Michelle Mullin, are about to jet off to Iasi in Romania as part of a project with the Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAPwest) and before their trip, Provost Jane Darnbrough presented them with some civic gifts to take with them for the Mayor of Iasi.

Since its inception in 1987, SWAPwest has played a pivotal role in the development of opportunities for adult learners in Scotland. Through partnerships with local authorities, community education, partner colleges and universities, SWAPwest has been successful in putting the needs of the adult learner at the forefront and has been involved in developing a wide range of initiatives aimed at helping disadvantaged groups of students.

Working in partnership with East Ayrshire Strategy for Youth (EASY), SWAPwest has been focusing on vulnerable 16-18 year olds who are currently applying for benefits and who have no employment prospects. This target group was identified as the most vulnerable in our society where health, educational attainment and employment rates are all below the national average. SWAPwest’s aim is to work with EASY to develop a programme for those vulnerable school leavers involving guidance, training, personal development, IT, health and fitness. The local Further Education Colleges of Ayr and Kilmarnock together with the Higher Education Institution of Glasgow School of Art are also participating.

Throughout the duration of the visit to Romania, the young people will be participating with young people from other countries including Romania, Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic, who are members of the SOCRATES Grundtvig 2 Learning Partnerships who are funding the visit.

Provost Darnbrough said: "I was delighted to present Claire and Michelle with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Gold Label whisky and an Edinburgh Crystal plate bearing the Coat of Arms for presentation to the Mayor of Iasi. I wish the girls well on their trip and hope that they gain a lot from it."

Councillor William Menzies, Chair of Social Inclusion, added: "Claire and Michelle’s trip to Romania represents a fantastic opportunity for them to learn about different cultures and meet fellow learners from across Europe. I very much look forward to speaking to them on their return and I am sure that they will benefit greatly from this experience."

Councillor John Knapp, Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee, said: "Our thanks go to SWAPwest for working with the EASY Project to help young people find a way forward after leaving school and to the local Further Education Colleges of Ayr and Kilmarnock as well as the Higher Education Institution of Glasgow School of Art who have also been of great assistance."

A statistical analysis of 66 Young People referred on to the programme found the following:

Those young people leaving school without a qualification	100%
Those young people who are homeless	5%
Those young people who are at risk of committing crime	75%
Those involved with teenage pregnancies	5%
Those coming from workless Households	80%
Those identified Literacy and Numeracy Needs	60%
Those with previous non-school attendance	70%
Those at risk of parental abuse	10%
Those with a physical disability	5%
Those considered with a mental Health issues	20%
Those who have been in Local Authority Care	10%
Those with emotional problems	60%