activ8

What is activ8?
activ8 is an initiative which aims to increase participation and reduce the number of young people who are not in education employment or training on a long-term basis in ‘NEET hotspot areas’ identified by Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent local authorities.

activ8 is delivered through collaborative working with partners including:

• Staffordshire Local Authority
• Stoke-on-Trent Local Authority
• Be Together Ltd
• Staffordshire Providers Association (SPA)
• Association of Staffordshire Principals (ASP)
• Voluntary and Community Sector

Connexions Staffordshire is managing the initiative.


There is a Pre-16 project and a Post-16 project:

Pre-16
Over a 2 year period, activ8 will be working with 402 young people who are under 16 years of age:

• 150 from Stoke-on-Trent
• 252 from Staffordshire

Typically these young people will be those who have been identified as School Action and School Action Plus, young people who statistically, are represented within the highest numbers of the vulnerable groups – LDD / Young Offenders / Teenage Mums / Children in Care.

The providers who have been contracted to deliver the pre-16 provision are:

• Be Together in Stoke-on-Trent and the east of Staffordshire
• E Quality and Newcastle College in the north of Staffordshire
• South Staffordshire College – Cannock Campus and Indigo Training in the west of Staffordshire

 
Post-16
Over the same two year period, activ8 will also be working with 940 young people who are over 16 years of age:

• 401 from Stoke-on-Trent, 140 of which will be vocationally focussed and 261 hard to help.
• 539 from Staffordshire, 189 who are vocationally focussed and 350 hard to help.

Again, these young people will be those who have been identified as School Action, School Action Plus, young people who statistically are represented within the highest numbers of the vulnerable groups – LDD / Young Offenders / Teenage Mums / Children in Care.

The providers for the post-16 provision are:

• Stoke-on-Trent College
  
• More Training
  
• YMCA
  
• Project Management
  
• Newcastle College
  
• Leek College
• South Staffordshire College - Cannock Campus
  
• South Staffordshire College - Tamworth Campus
  
• South Staffordshire College - Lichfield Campus
  
• PeopleServe
  

Provision
A broad range of provision will be available for young people including:

• Indoor and outdoor activities
• Job tasters
• Work experience
• Volunteering opportunities
• Access to a range of qualifications for learners

All activ8 provision will be flexible to meet each young person’s needs and will cover areas such as personal development, preparation for work and preparation for life. Young people will be supported throughout the programme by providers, Connexions Personal Advisers and by their parents.


Funding
activ8 is part funded by the European Union through the European Social Fund and The Skills Funding Agency and is delivered through collaborative partnership working in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.