Parents urged to help secure up to £2m of education funding for Blackpool

The cash would be used to help reduce high levels of youth unemployment among the town’s school leavers.

Blackpool currently has one of the highest levels of young people Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) at 4.4 per cent compared to 2.8 per cent nationally.

A consortium led by the Blackpool arm of national education charity Right to Succeed is bidding for cash from the Youth Futures Foundation, which has selected Blackpool as one of seven areas to benefit from its Connected Futures programme.

Sarah Smith, Blackpool programmes director for Right To Succeed said: “What we’ve heard from young people themselves is really enlightening.

“They’ve identified a need for better careers advice and work experience opportunities, and highlighted gaps in support for youngsters with more complex needs in securing and sustaining employment or education after they finish school.

“Now we need to hear from the parents and teachers about their experience of the issues, and where they think improvements can be made.”

The team is working with partners including Blackpool Council, Blackpool Football Club Community Trust, Blackpool and the Fylde College and Business In the Community to produce a four year action plan.

More than 700 Year 11 pupils took part in a survey last year and the Big Conversation event, hosted by Merlin at Blackpool Tower, was attended by 200 young people.

Now parents and teachers are being urged to complete an online survey and attend a drop in consultation event at Blackpool Football Cub on Wednesday February 22 from 4pm to 6pm where food will be provided.

Teachers are also being approached directly via their schools.

Sarah added: “It’s brilliant the Youth Futures Foundation has selected Blackpool for the Connected Futures programme and we are hopeful of securing this much-needed funding to help young people better achieve their potential."

“It’s refreshing to work with a funder which wants to understand the root causes of the problem and encourages such community involvement in developing systemic solutions, and I am very proud to be leading this work.”

Ashley Hackett, CEO of Blackpool Football Club Community Trust wants to encourage parents to get involved.

He said: “The connected futures project is an opportunity to design a collective solution that addresses the root causes of the reasons our young people are held back.

“We want to hear from as many parents and carers as possible to help shape how this money would be spent.”

Andy Charles, CEO of Business in the Community, which runs the Fylde Coast Responsible Business Network, added: “We know there are lots of employment opportunities and vacancies in Blackpool but there remains high levels of youth unemployment.

“Through this project we hope this disconnect can be unlocked and see more young people choose to stay in Blackpool and access high paid jobs that are available.”

Coun Gillian Campbell, cabinet member for Inclusion, Youth, Schools and Transience at Blackpool Council, said: “Helping every young person in Blackpool to succeed in life is our goal and the Youth Futures Foundation connected futures bid is a chance for Blackpool to develop a community led solution to youth unemployment in Blackpool.

“I encourage parents to have their voice heard through this consultation as I know first hand as a parent of teenagers the challenges of helping young people make choices towards their next steps.”

Parents are asked to take a brief online survey via: https://forms.gle/Puy2ZaFMXBG6A5r18