Memorandum 105
Submission from The National Youth Agency
(NYA)
1. The NYA feel strongly that the removal
of funding for students studying for equivalent or lower level
qualifications disproportionately disadvantages youth work and
youth workers already disadvantaged in the youth workforce education,
training and qualification arena.
2. HEFCE are proposing that the same areas
that are exempt from Student Support Regulations and Student Fee
Regulations will also be exempt from withdrawal of ELQ funding.
This includes nursing, midwifery, social work and teacher training—but
not youth work. Youth work is identified by DCSF as a vital and
pivotal professional area within the youth workforce and seen
as a key component of the 14-19 agenda and learning offer. This
strengthens arguments for youth work to be recognised as equal
to and sit alongside other learning and care professions. The
removal of ELQ funding will exacerbate the difficulties and inequalities
experienced by Higher Education Institutions providing professionally
validated Youth and Community Work programmes in relation to wider
HEFCE funding and support arrangements compared to those available
for programmes supporting other professions within the youth workforce.
3. A significant number of youth and community
work students that are recruited each year are in some way supported
by employers and are consolidating years of practical experience
in the workplace, seeking to gain their professional qualifications
in order to progress in their chosen career. Professionally validated
youth and community work programmes are required to demonstrate
continuous and dynamic partnerships with employers and individuals,
and do so very successfully. In this regard, employer support
is vital to sustain the quality and viability of programmes, and
the removal of ELQ funding, alongside other inequalities of funding
adversely affecting the sector, has the potential to detrimentally
affect this relationship dramatically.
4. Traditionally youth work attracts a high
proportion of mature students and those returning to learning.
Many seeking professional level qualifications in youth work through
Higher Education have contributed to delivering quality education
and development services to young people in a part time capacity
for a number of years whilst also working in other jobs and professional
areas. This includes those working in youth ministry settings,
where the student may hold a degree in theology, and those that
are seeking a change in career direction. 54.8% of students entering
Higher Education programmes in 2006 were over the age of 25 with
63.6% of those being over 30.
5. In 2005-2006, 86% students enrolled onto
undergraduate programmes. Of these 9.35% did so with existing
degree qualifications in another subject. This is a rise from
7.4% identified in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005, and current enquiries
from prospective students support this upward trend. Further,
that with the development of the integrated qualifications framework
for the Children, Young People and families workforce in England,
proposing greater and enhanced lateral mobility for the workforce
across professional boundaries, this is expected to rise further.
6. In terms of the widening participation
agenda, with HE seeking to make the best possible contribution
to businesses, public and not-for-profit sector organisations,
and communities, professionally validated youth and community
work programmes have successfully and consistently recruited people
from groups which have historically been under-represented. Records
for the last 6 years show between 59.4% and 64.4% female intake
across all programmes: at undergraduate level data for 2006 shows
57% female (with 32% being over the age of 25) and at postgraduate
level 62% female (with 56% being over the age of 25). Records
for the last four years show between 10 and 14% of new students
each year with a declared disability. For the last two years 30%
of new students are of non—white ethnic origin. In addition,
in 2006 47% of all students enrolled onto professionally validated
programmes were studying part time.
7. In conclusion, The NYA strongly opposes
the removal of ELQ funding for professionally validated Youth
and Community work programmes and requests that such programmes
be given exemption in the same way as social work and teacher
training. Equally, that wider HEFCE funding and support arrangements
are reviewed so that those available to professionally validated
youth and community programmes are equal to those available to
social work and teacher training.
January 2008
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