EMA Replacement not Sustainable to Help Young and Poor Students, claims Perspective

UK-based student management system provider Perspective believes the latest report into the failings of the government’s new Bursary Funding programme for young, poorer students illustrates that the government has made a mistake in removing the Educational Maintenance Allowance.

The report, conducted by Barnardos, found that lower levels of money and a lack of access to such funds are leaving many of the poorer students with no choice but to drop out. The report, which studied a number of different disadvantaged youngsters and the colleges they attend, found that the reduction in funding and confusion on which students are eligible for such a scheme left many with little option than to drop out.

A Department of Education spokesman claimed the EMA was wastefully targeted, with some “45 percent of all 16 to 19-year-olds receiving payments”. However, a spokesperson for the National Union of Students claimed, “the government rushed to replace [the EMA] without any proper planning and woefully inadequate funding.”

The government’s £180 million replacement Bursary Fund is specifically targeted at young people who are in care, leaving care or are on income support, with the majority of this fund being included into a discretionary fund run by colleges. On the other hand, the EMA offered a payment of up to £30 per week for students living in a household with an annual income under £30,000.

Paul Davis, managing director of learning management software provider Perspective, commented: “At a time when youth unemployment is reaching record levels the government should be doing more to encourage learners to remain in education and further their prospects of finding work once they have finished their studies.

“Through such poor funding management the likelihood is that youth unemployment will only continue to increase as the number of poorer students dropping out rises.”

Skill-Pill and Save the Children are finalists in the eLearning Global Giveback3 Competition

Skill-Pill and Save the Children are finalists in the eLearning Global Giveback3 Competition

Skill-Pill M-Learning [SPML] and Save the Children have been announced as finalists in the eLearning Global Giveback Competition. The winner will be announced at the Learning Solutions Conference and Expo in Orlando, Florida on 23rd of March.

The mobile content covers a broad range of relevant topics to Save the Children staff around the world: Child Safeguarding, Code of Conduct and Travel Safety. Click here to view a sample.

Now in its third year, the eLearning Global Giveback Competition [GGB3] provides the opportunity for course developers to work with non-profit organisations to develop online courses. These courses help the global staff of non-governmental organisations do their work in the fields of humanitarian relief, development, conservation and social justice even better. The GGB3 Competition includes four categories: Simulations and Games; Field Generated Content; Mobile Learning and General Learning.

SPML founder Gerry Griffin comments: “Education is essential to helping developing economies progress. Mobile is key to that education. We are proud to be partners with Save the Children in the phenomenal work they do”.

Save the Children’s Global Employee Development Manager Samantha Hackett adds: ”This is an exciting venture for Save the Children, the potential that mobile learning has in supporting the development of our staff in the field is immense.

“The increased flexibility that mobile learning offers is an attractive option, especially as mobile phone coverage is continuing to expand. Identifying ways in which technology can increase the impact of our work is one of our priorities and we value the collaboration with Skill-Pill that supports this aim”.

Leading graduate internship provider calls for a ‘Plan for Graduate Employment’

Employment figures published today show that more than one in three recent graduates are employed in lower skilled jobs. Commenting on today’s figures, leading graduate internship provider, Inspiring Interns called on the Government to give more priority to graduate unemployment including by reviewing the controversial Work Experience Programme to ensure that high quality placements are available to graduates.

Today’s figures demonstrate that, in a tough job market, graduates are remaining unemployed for lengthy periods or finding work that does not make best use of their education. Inspiring Interns have entered into a ground breaking agreement with Job Centre Plus to ensure that unemployed graduates can receive benefits whilst carrying out an internship. However they are pushing for higher quality opportunities for graduates on the Government’s Work Experience Programme.

Inspiring Interns Communications Director and author of Brilliant Intern, Andrew Scherer believes internships can be an innovative solution to helping jobless university leavers;

“65% of interns placed by II go on to full time paid roles – way above the national rate of 50% on work experience. But internships should be predominantly about mentoring and teaching the intern so that employers feel confident that they will be valued and knowledgeable employees. There should be scope for paid employment after the internship period providing the intern has met the expectations of their employers.”

Inspiring Interns use innovative matching techniques such as video CVs to help graduates stand out in a very competitive labour market. The use of video CVs has been key to Inspiring Interns’ high level of client satisfaction believes Communications Director, Andrew Scherer: “We have found that employers value video CVs in the recruitment process as it allows hiring managers to go beyond the paper CV and really get a feel for an applicant’s personality.”

Inspiring Intern Sophie Bennett, a French and Management Studies graduate had been applying for jobs for a while without success before she gained an internship through our services. Sophie has since been taken on by her host company and had this to say about her internship experience;

“My internship enabled me to gain my permanent position, without it I would not have been introduced to the company and the opportunity.”

Since being founded in 2009, London’s leading internship provider has placed over 1,400 graduates into internships with SMEs that have offered real hands-on experience, 65% of whom secured full-time work with their host company.

www.inspiringinterns.com

I CAN Stay Silent in School?

I CAN, the children’s communication charity, is calling on primary schools across the UK to get involved in a fun and engaging Sponsored Silence.

Whether for an hour, a lesson or a whole day, the Sponsored Silence programme encourages children to imagine what life is like for those children that find speaking and understanding language hard. All money raised will go to I CAN’s work with the 1.2 million children in the UK who struggle to communicate.

The Sponsored Silence activities have been designed by specialist teachers at I CAN's Meath School with curriculum-linked lesson plans which include activities that are both fun and educational to use during the silence. I CAN’s Sponsored Silence week launches on 5th March 2012 but it can be done at a time or date that is convenient to your school.

Virginia Beardshaw, I CAN Chief Executive, said, “We hope that every primary school in the UK who hears about this programme will sign up to get involved. Communication is so much more than talking and this is a fantastic opportunity for children to not only think about the daily struggle some young people face to make themselves understood, but also to develop important non-verbal communication skills.

"In addition to raising awareness of these difficulties, every penny raised will go to I CAN’s work with children who struggle with their speech, language and communication. So a huge thank you in advance to everyone who gets involved.”

Communication is the 21st century life skill but for many children and young people, speaking, forming words and self expression is a real struggle. It can leave children feeling frustrated, misunderstood and angry. And it puts them behind at nursery, school, college which prevents them from learning, making friends, forming relationships and ultimately achieving their potential.

For more information, and to register your primary school, please go to www.ican.org.uk/sponsoredsilence

That's Gardening: 15,000 Schools Sign Up to RHS Campaign that's back...

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