Over the last year, the Services for Young People (SfYP) Broxbourne East Herts Welwyn Hatfield area team have worked to contact all Year 11 elective home educated (EHE) young people in the area to offer careers guidance and the opportunity to discuss their options.
In the Broxbourne district, 40 EHE young people were identified, and a groupwork session was set up where they could receive careers guidance and understand the different educational and careers pathways available to them. As many of them had been away from school for several years, a visit to Hertford Regional College was arranged to support their transition back into education. Half of the group now have well-defined plans, with most having decided to go to college. The rest of the group is still being supported in developing plans for their future.
This focused work has also helped reduce the number of EHE young people without plans for their future in East Herts, where again from a cohort of 40 young people, 29 have secured a college place. Likewise in Welwyn Hatfield, out of a cohort of 60 young people, a third have now secured a college place or apprenticeship, with the remainder still being supported.
In response to the higher numbers of EHE young people in Welwyn Hatfield, the Raising Aspirations Project was established to support young people in Years 10 and 11 who are being educated at home. This project provides an opportunity for them to socialise with other young people who are also being home schooled while participating in sessions designed to develop teamwork and interpersonal skills and boost confidence and resilience, as well as getting support from SfYP staff to set goals and plan for their future.
One young person who attended the Raising Aspirations Project had been educated at home for some time. He had experienced bullying at his previous school, which had affected his emotional wellbeing and ability to build relationships. He understands that he struggles with confidence and communicating with others but since joining the project he is determined to ensure he improves every day. He does not let the fact he has additional educational needs stop him from trying, and actively engages with all group tasks and supports others to learn too. He has also joined other SfYP projects (Breakout Project for Young People with Learning Disabilities and the Breaks Manor Friday Night Project) to further his development, and is now looking to return to education at Oaklands College in September.
Home educated young people are welcome at all SfYP projects. To find out more about the support for young people provided in your area click the link below:
Youth projects in your area
Parents/carers and professionals who work with young people can refer a young person to SfYP using our referral form and we will contact you within a few days to discuss how best we can meet the young person's needs.