CASE STUDY: Shaw Trust

The Shaw Trust is providing careers guidance advice in secondary schools across Northamptonshire and Havering.  It is also supporting particularly vulnerable groups at risk of unemployment, with notable success.

The social enterprise The Shaw Trust has been commissioned by 27 secondary schools in Northamptonshire to provide 285 days of careers guidance services. At the same time Northamptonshire Children’s Trust has commissioned it to support young people in Northamptonshire who are not (or who are at risk of not being) in education, employment or training (NEET), particularly those from identified vulnerable groups.

The range of support available includes:

 

1. engagement activities

2. one-to-one careers guidance

3. group work including industry insight days, interview skills days, choices at year 9 and year 11

4. support at parents’ evenings

5. support at GCSE and A level results days

 

In 2022, this work contributed to 98.6 per cent of young people being offered an education or training place post-year 11 and 12. North and West Northamptonshire are also ranked in the top quintile and among the top 30 local authorities in England for NEET numbers.

In London, Shaw Trust has provided 475 days of careers guidance services across 12 secondary schools in Havering.  It uses resilience-based approaches to inform personalised interventions and to overcome barriers, and to engage with young people through phone calls, letters and emails, social media and community calling.  The work includes:

 

1. one-to-one mentoring and group work

2. industry insight days

3. interview skills days

4. work with 260 year 11 pupils identified at risk of not being in education, employment, or training

5. borough-wide events, which have been attended by 15 schools, 1,200 young people, and 30 exhibitors

 

In 2022, this work contributed to 98.1 per cent of young people being offered an education or training place post-year 11 and 12. Havering is also ranked in the top quintile and among the top 30 local authorities in England for NEET numbers.

 

Shaw Trust Website: Home – Shaw Trust Main

Further information about the schemes in Northamptonshire: Prospects – Shaw Trust Midlands – Local Offer (northamptonshire.gov.uk)

Further information about the schemes in Havering: Prospects Careers Advice Plus (Havering) | Havering Directory