Organisational Structures
Many people and organisations contribute to the careers education and IAG that young people receive. The challenge for consortia and partner organisations is to manage the different contributions so that they benefit young people. In most cases, this involves building on and strengthening existing arrangements. A strategic review of existing arrangements should ensure that the following structures are in place.
Consortia management groups - these bring together senior managers and leaders from key stakeholders. Most also involve young people. The groups have strategic oversight of, and provide strategic direction for, local developments. They make it easier to build on existing arrangements and secure coherence for young people by enabling organisations to pool their expertise and knowledge and establish the local picture. They also help to generate a shared sense of ownership of developments. Group activities typically include:
- establishing local protocols and working arrangements
- advising on the commissioning of external IAG provision, monitoring progression data and contributing to the process of setting local progression targets
- contributing to the development of joint information resources including the local area prospectus and service directory
- identifying areas for further development, including curriculum offers, and supporting action to improve
- supporting staff, curriculum and IAG development.
Organisational management groups – led by senior managers and leaders, these groups bring together staff with middle management responsibility for all aspects of careers education and IAG. They generally involve representatives from key stakeholders (e.g. young people and providers involved in the joint delivery of 14-19 Diplomas and other learning programmes). These groups devise and implement organisational strategy and co-ordinate the management of support for young people. Their activities typically include:
- identifying and responding to learner and other needs
- monitoring learner progress in relation to the post-16 progression measure and the achievement of any organisational and/or local progression targets
- establishing policies, systems and procedures in response to identified needs – e.g. tracking and recording learner progress; supporting progression and transition planning; referral, selection and induction procedures; access to external advice; integrated information provision; guidelines on confidentiality and impartiality; transition arrangements; staff development; liaison with local networks, parents, carers, employers and others
- supporting curriculum and related developments
- negotiating and co-ordinating resource allocations
- advising on and/or negotiating partnership and service level agreements
- raising organisational awareness of provision.
Delivery teams – these are the staff teams responsible for teaching careers education and providing IAG. For planning purposes it is helpful to consider two different types of team:
- teaching teams – tutors and subject specialists who are qualified to teach careers education, provide initial IAG and help young people to make the links between the two
- guidance teams – personal advisers and others who are qualified to provide targeted IAG interventions, in-depth guidance and intensive one-to-one support.
In practice there is usually synergy between the two different teams which is achieved by close partnership working. Some staff may belong to both teams – personal advisers, for example, may contribute to the development and delivery of some careers education activities. Reviewing the structure of delivery teams involves considering the advantages and disadvantages of different delivery models and issues relating to staff qualifications and deployment.
Structures for involving young people, parents and carers – involving young people and their parents and carers in developments ensures that provision and practice remain relevant, up-to-date and responsive to changing needs. It also acknowledges the importance of, and supports, the guidance role that parents and carers play. Opportunities for involving young people and their parents and carers include representation on management groups, participation in programme delivery and evaluation, contributions to progress review, information and other events, and the use of learner voice strategies.
Structures to support employer engagement – 14-19 reforms reinforce the importance of employer involvement in helping to shape careers education and IAG and the wider curriculum offer. As most careers provision already includes employer contributions (e.g. presentations, teacher placements, workplace visits, industry days, taster activities, work-related and sector specific information, curriculum materials, mock interviews and mentoring), the task for consortia and individual organisations is to consolidate and extend existing arrangements in line with organisational, local and national policies and guidelines.
Questions to ask yourself
- How well do your organisational and/or consortium arrangements use the structures listed to secure coherent and consistent support for young people?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of current arrangements? How do you know?
- What, if anything, should or could you do to improve the situation?
See also:
Please click on the items below to view, print or download.
Information
LSN: Quick Guide to Employer Engagement
Ideas
Better Practice: Access the community; Test different delivery methods; Involve young people
LSN: Developing the Learner Voice
Websites