Project
Trailblaze
Funding
£600 per young person, funded until last month by sector skills council Creative and Cultural Skills
Background
Young people keen to get a foot in the door of creative and cultural industries are often expected to work unpaid for some time.
"This makes it difficult for young people who don't have support from parents," says Derri Burdon, chief executive of north west creative and cultural education agency Curious Minds. In 2013, the organisation decided to investigate the lack of demand among young people for its unpaid creative traineeship, offering a taste of work in the sector.
It consulted its target group, young people not in education, employment or training, who had not reached Level 2 in English and maths. Their message was clear. "They wanted real jobs that paid a wage, where they felt valued and had a purpose," explains Burdon. Curious Minds went on to re-jig the traineeship to provide paid work opportunities for 12 weeks.
Action
The Burnley-based charity invited employers to take part in the scheme, which got off the ground last September. Employers offered roles in areas including social media, marketing and running workshops. Curious Minds worked with employers on the job descriptions to ensure they would appeal to young people and so participants could make a genuine contribution.
Trailblaze pays employers £600 per young person for a seven-hour-a-week 12-week placement. It includes £100 for the employer to free up somebody within the organisation to support the young recruit, and a £100 bursary, enabling participants to do a bronze Arts Award alongside their placement.
Each young person works with a Trailblaze mentor to complete a personal development plan, identifying goals for their placement and beyond.
"Employers tell us they value work experience and a reference saying: this young person was presentable, turned up on time, was committed and reliable," says Burdon. "Our young people are working to a job description, receiving feedback from employers and either being kept or getting that valuable reference."
By last month, 50 young people and 33 organisations, such as dance, theatre and community music venues, had participated across the north west. Curious Minds is now investigating a range of funding options to continue the programme.
Outcome
Of the 26 young people who had completed placements by last month, 24 had progressed to education and employment.
An evaluation conducted by independent researcher Dr Sandra Hiett suggests Trailblaze increases participants' confidence by an average of 36 per cent, based on a snapshot sample of young people scoring themselves before and after placements. It also found improved organisational skills, time keeping, communication and teamwork. Participants' self-assessments were verified by employers, who considered all of them highly employable and work ready.
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