Young people positive about Turing Scheme but funding process a 'barrier' for some
Derren Hayes
Thursday, January 4, 2024
The Turing Scheme helped disadvantaged young people access learning opportunities abroad that would have been out of their reach, research has found, however problems with administering the government’s flagship post-Brexit overseas study and work initiative was a barrier to participation for some poorer students.
The scheme, introduced in 2021 to replace the Erasmus programme following the UK’s departure from the European Union, found that of the further education (FE) students that received funding in 2021/22, less than one in four said they’d have undertaken their overseas’ placement without Turing funding.
Meanwhile, 86 per cent of FE participants said scheme funding covered at least half of the costs of the trip, according to the evaluation of the first year by IFF Research. Nine out of 10 FE participants said they were happy with their placement.
The £110million of funding in the first year was expected to enable up to 35,000 students, learners and pupils, registered in a UK or British Overseas Territories education organisation, to undertake international study or work placements.
Participants were positive in terms of the outcomes experienced through taking part in the Turing Scheme. For example, most FE participants reported improvements in soft skills such as communication, motivation, self-awareness, and academic and professional skills.
Participants also reported increased confidence, gaining maturity, more friendships, and improved sociability. In addition, 96 per cent of participants wanted to travel outside of the UK in the future either for travel, study, or employment and 84 per cent said they had an increased ability to get along with people from different cultural backgrounds after their placement.
However, the researchers highlighted that “delivery issues” had a greater impact on young people from a disadvantaged background “and may have created barriers to many participating”.
The timing of when applications outcomes were confirmed – many participants had to commit to their placement before funding was approved – “meant some who could not afford the upfront cost or the risk of funding not being available down the line dropped out”, the report states.
Many participants described receiving the funds while already on placement, or after they returned. “These participants acknowledged that without being fortunate enough to have alternative funds - for example, from parents or saved up from working - to see them through…they would not have been able to go on the placement,” it added.
In an effort to increase participation, the researchers recommended the Department for Education raise the amount of funding available to the most disadvantaged young people, speed up the application process and encourage placement providers to offer some upfront funding.
The scheme has expanded in the last two years and in the 2023/24 academic year, 22,800 higher education placements, 6,700 school placements, and 10,500 FE and vocational education and training placements are available to students through the initiative.
