Engaging Young People 2013

Initial Findings

Engaging Young People

Those in Year 10 and 11 (and potentially at risk of

becoming NEETs) 14-16 yrs

NEETs (16-19 years)

Currently doing a Foundation Learning course (16-19

years)

Other 16-19 year olds (e.g. post-NEETs)

A robust, cross-sector study focussing on the following segments:

An online survey promoted through a variety of channels including training providers, local authorities, and social media. Fieldwork is still ongoing; we

currently have nearly 600 responses from young people

Broad survey topics

Living arrangements and working

status

Experience at school

Post 16 routes,

including special focus

on FL

Attitudes to work and

employability

Parental influences/1

Care home

Foster care

Temporary council/ housing association accommodation

Other

Supported accommodation

With friends

With guardian/guardians

Shared house or bedsit

With partner

With other family members

With parent/parents

1%

1%

1%

2%

3%

3%

3%

3%

5%

10%

80%

Which of these best describes who you live with or where you live most of the time? (Q8) Base: 473

Proportion of young people who are living with parents according to age

14 years 15 years 16 years 17 years 18 years 19 years

100%98%

88%

75%

79%

67%

Parental influences/2

Does/did anyone that you live with work (when you were aged 14 - 16)? (Q9, Q10) Base: 443

Thinking about work and education, are your parent(s) or guardian(s) good role models? (Q27) Base: 468

Working household;

77%

None working

household; 23%

Parents are good role models; 67%

Parents are not good role models; 17%

Don't know; 16%

Non-NEET 16-19 yrs: 69%

Non-NEET 16-19 yrs: 69% 14-16 yrs: 67%14-16 yrs: 67%NEET 16-19 yrs

43%NEET 16-19 yrs

43%

Very good Good Neither good or poor

Poor Very poor

13%

43%

21%

13%10%

Perception of school/1

How would you describe your overall experience at school? (Q11, Q12) - children still at school were asked about their experience in the past year Base: 476

56% positive

23% negative

Very good Good Neither good or poor

Poor Very poor

5%

57%

11%

16%

11%11%

40%

23%

14%

11%

20%

53%

16%

7%

4%

NEET 16-19 yrs

Non NEET 16-19 yrs

14-16 yrs

Perception of school/2

How would you describe your overall experience at school? (Q11, Q12) - children still at school were asked about their experience in the past year Base: 34-344

Younger people 14-16 yrs are more likely to

be positive about their schooling

Younger people 14-16 yrs are more likely to

be positive about their schooling

Imagery of school

Safe

Easy

Worthwhile

Difficult

Friendly

Waste of time

Frustrating

Unhappy

Interesting

Hard work

Boring

Fun

1%

2%

4%

4%

5%

5%

5%

7%

8%

17%

18%

24%

Which of the following words best describes school? (Q13, Q14) Base: 476

Safe

Easy

Worthwhile

Friendly

Interesting

Fun

1%

2%

4%

5%

8%

24%

Difficult

Waste of time

Frustrating

Unhappy

Hard work

Boring

4%

5%

5%

7%

17%

18%

44%

cite positive words

56%

cite negative

words

Experience at school

Have you been excluded from a school? (Q17-20) Base: 475

How much time have you missed school without permission or played truant, if at all? (Q21, Q22) Base: 476

Permanently (expelled); 12%

Temporarily suspended; 23%

Never excluded; 66%

A week or more at a time; 12%

Several days at a time; 9%

Particular days or lessons, 16%

The odd day or lesson; 37%

Never; 30%

Exclusion Truancy

16+ and NEET: 8%

16+ and NEET: 8%

16+ and Non-NEET: 10%

16+ and Non-NEET: 10% 14+15: 4%14+15: 4%

Routes after school

Apply for state benefits e.g. Jobseekers Allowance

Nothing

Other

Go to university

Go on a training course or apprenticeship

Work

Go to college

2%

3%

5%

14%

23%

31%

68%

What do/did you expect to do after leaving school? (Q23, Q24) Base: 476

To claim benefits

I don't have parents or guardians to suggest things

They aren't really interested

They don't suggest anything because it's my choice

To get a job straight away

To continue learning to eventually go to university

To get an Apprenticeship

To go to 6th form

Go to college

1%

2%

4%

8%

16%

18%

21%

22%

66%

Young person Parents

What do/did your parent(s) or guardian(s) think you should do when you leave school?(Q25, Q26) Base: 377

Barriers to further education and training: emotional factors dominate

They can't be bothered

They are bored

They have a job

They don't get on with the other learners

They have family responsibilities/ problems

They don't get on with the tutor

They can't afford the travel and costs of attending

Other reason

Don't know

72%

47%

42%

34%

34%

32%

22%

4%

9%

Not everyone stays on the course until the end. Why do you think some people leave the course early? (Q60) Base: 232

Not knowing other people

The course might be too difficult

Not sure how the course will help me

The time the course starts each day

The amount of time it would take

The location of the course

The time the course ends each day

The cost of attending the course

How to get to the course

Other commitments

Other

None of the above

40%

17%

16%

11%

9%

9%

9%

9%

6%

5%

1%

23%

Which of these concerns did you have before starting the course, if any? (Q49) Base: 211

Attitudes towards options

Percentage of respondents selecting yes for the statements Q38a-f *Lowest base: 186; Other bases: 297 - 397

Do you know how to find out about future work, education and

training opportunities?

86%

Do you want to do more education and training in

the future?

86%

Do you feel positive about the future?

73%

Do you get enough support in planning

your future?

68%

Have you decided what sort of job or course you want to

do? *

73%

Ideal job/1

Media

Travel and Tourism

Hair and Beauty

Building and construction

Science

Health and Social Care

Hospitality

Public Services and Uniformed Services

Art and Design

Music

Engineering

IT/Computing

Sport

Business

Children and Young People

10%

11%

11%

12%

12%

12%

13%

13%

14%

15%

15%

15%

17%

22%

25%

Within which of the following areas would you like to work in the future? (Q72) Base: 446 Chart shows responses endorsed by 10% or more

Ideal job/2

Care worker

Nurse

Teacher

Construction worker

Actress/ singer/ songwriter

Prof footballer

Most aspirational

What would be your dream job? (Q70) Base: 262

Air hostess

Own a business

11%83%

Other/ Don’t know 6%

Moving into work: most say they want to work

No, I want to receive state benefits, e.g. Jobseekers Allowance

No, I am unable to work for health reasons

No, I want to be looking after my family/ children

No, for other reasons

No, I only want to work part-time or casually

Yes, want to be in full time work in 5 years

0%

<1%

<1%

4%

7%

88%

Do you want to be in a full-time job in the next 5 years or so? (Q65) Base: 458

Moving into work: the reality

47% have not had a job interview for a full time job

since leaving school (42% amongst 18 year olds) (Q67, base 353)

18% have had a practice interview with an

employer (Q15, base 467)

28% do not have an up-to-date CV (Q74,

base 374)

22% Have been to a jobs fair (Q15, base 467)

Attitudes about the future

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? (Q73) Base: 362 - 456

I need more qualifications and skills to get a job, edu-

cation or training place

There are no good jobs where I live

Making plans for the future is a waste of time

7%17%

9%

16%

36%

82%

77%

47%

9%

Agree Disagree Don't know

Perception of what employers are looking for

IT skills - computing

Business awareness skills - understanding how business operates

Numeracy skills - basic mathematics

Literacy skills - reading and writing

Self-management skills - taking responsibility

Communication skills - verbal and written

Team working skills - being part of a team

People skills - getting along with others

41%

49%

54%

57%

62%

73%

74%

75%

Which of the following do you think employers MOST look for? (Q69) Base: 470

FSB research on work readiness highlights how employers rate current competencies of school leavers

Considering just school leavers (typically those aged 16 years old) how do you rate their competency with regards to the following skills? Base: 169-175 (Those employing 16-17’s) Source: FSB Panel June 2012

IT skills

Team working

Positive attitude/ Self-management

Numeracy skills

Communication

Literacy skills

People skills

Business awareness

8% 55%

30%

18%

17%

16%

15%

12%

4%

21%

34%

22%

25%

26%

25%

37%

16%

7%

21%

32%

40%

40%

45%

38%

40%

8%

4%

4%

10%

25%

15%

16%

14%

11%

37%

Excellent Good Neither Poor Very poor Unsure/not applicable

Role models

Family/FriendsSports personalities Celebrities

22% Unable to think of a

role model

Thinking about well known people, who do you look up to and want to be most like, and why? This could be a sports personality, someone on TV or radio, a politician, etc. (Q78) Base: 218

43% 17% 8%

Role models

FamilySports personalities Celebrities

Nobody

“I just want to be my own person and do what I want to do in life,

what makes me happy”

“I would most like to be my mum, as she is a great mum and works

hard to keep herself and our family happy and well. ”

“I would look up to Jessica Ennis, because she has done a lot for

Great Britain and represented the country in the

Olympics and she is from Sheffield which is close to where I live . ”

“Beyonce because she has a good job good

pay; she’s a role model to a lot of other

young people. Also everything she does or has done is not known to anyone else accept her and Jayz she keeps everything secret and she has a good voice

and knows what she’s doing in her life. She doesn’t have nothing

to worry about.”

Thinking about well known people, who do you look up to and want to be most like, and why? This could be a sports personality, someone on TV or radio, a politician, etc. (Q78) Base: 218

Engaging Young People 2013

Initial Findings