PILLAR ONE.
Student
At Inspire Education Group (Peterborough and Stamford campuses) we aim to provide bespoke, equitable support to all of our Care Experienced Students to ensure that all learners are given an equal chance at success.
Designated staff (such as Designated Teacher & Bursary staff) are documented on the college website clearly.
ESOL Learners have a specific dedicated day to enrol on their studies and meet their key staff to encourage them to feel as comfortable as possible for the upcoming year. There is also an opportunity for transition PEP Meetings to take place with incoming learners, to ensure that they are fully aware of what is involved in transitioning into the college.
We hold a range of pre-admission events; including but not exclusive to Open EVents and College Tours. Pre-enrolment assessment sessions are put on for the ESOL Department to ensure our Care Experienced Learners are as prepared for the college experience as they can be.
Our college website details specifically that we welcome applications from Care Experienced Learners, and we have detailed testimonials on our website from Care Experienced Learners who have previously studied with us, explaining the ways in which IEG goes above and beyond to ensure Care Experienced Learners and Care Leavers have everything they need to succeed whilst studying with us.
We ensure departmental training is up to date regularly regarding financial entitlements of Care Experienced Learners and Care Leavers.
Our Inductions provide additional support to Care Experienced Young People in the above ways, but the support for these individuals by no means stops at that point. Once our students are on course, we have dedicated Careers Guidance teams who specifically seek to develop relationships with local employers and ensure that Care Experienced students are considered equitably and have a good opportunity to access positive outcomes.
In addition to this, support is offered on a collaborative basis with Peterborough Virtual School; most recently, IEG have appointed a ‘Care Experienced Coach’ to support Care Experienced Learners over their time at the college, and to ensure they have opportunities equitable to that of their non-Care Experienced peers.
We have a range of vulnerable bursaries available to our student body, our financial reward and hardship bursaries are fully detailed on our websites and our built into our Personal Development Curricula to ensure that all Care Experienced learners have equal understanding of their entitlements.
Care Experienced students are specifically celebrated at our End of Year awards ceremonies.
Whilst we have made exponential progress in the bespoke, student centred support packages we build around our Care Experienced Students, we embrace wholeheartedly that this piece of work is never done, we are still undertaking a full review of our Student Services offer with regards to the bespoke, student focused nature of our Academic, Wellbeing and Financial Support Packages.
We will update our application with regular enhancements as our of offer continues to grow and develop.
PILLAR TWO.
A robust employment offer
At Inspire Education Group, we are continuing to boost our employer relations regularly. We have recently secured funding for a ‘Care Experienced Coach’ who has been appointed and is pushing the work forward that we do in this space.
The ‘Care Experienced Coach’ Provided a link between employers and Care Leavers progressing from their courses, they also support Care Leavers to access our bespoke Careers Department support which tailors to individual needs and puts pressure on local employers to provide Care Leavers progressing out of Inspire Education Group with employment offers which will help benefit the local community.
Care Leavers are also entitled to exclusive engagement opportunities with local employers as a part of their curriculum offer with IEG.
We are always keen to explore how, within our organisation, we could respond to this aspect of the Covenant. We plan to set up a working group which will include members of the careers team and other key staff, we will also link with the local authority to understand the local need.
Our Care Experienced Coach is currently leading our relationship boosting work with local employers and will continue, with the support of colleagues, to ensure these relationships blossom.
Care Leavers careers opportunities are supported at every level in the Group. We specifically work with local employers and businesses to promote smooth Care Leaver Transitions from the college into employment.
In addition to this, we ensure Care Leavers are encouraged to apply for our positions within Inspire Education Group, our Designated Teacher and Support, alongside our Care Experienced Coach work tirelessly to ensure no Care Experienced Learner leaves the group without a clear career progression direction.
PILLAR THREE.
Community
At Inspire Education Group, we support an average of over 200 Care Experienced students per academic year to progress with their education.
In doing so, we have developed excellent working relationships with our local Virtual School who has recently secured us a historic investment figure of £15,000 which we specifically dedicated to the betterment of our Care Leavers.
This funding has allowed us to build networking opportunities with local employers and ensure that Care Leavers are prioritised in the consideration of ongoing employment post education.
Our offer with our Local Authority continues to improve and we continue to work with other local education and employment providers to ensure that Care Leavers receive a holistically beneficial experience.
Our work with the Virtual School also provides specialised training including Trauma Informed Training, Safeguarding Training and training around the development of practical skills to our Care Leavers.
