Early Years and Education

A wide range of factors influence a young persons wellbeing and transition into adulthood including their experiences of the education system…relationships with parents, families and peers. DfE

Investment in early and school years is critical to giving people the skills and aspirations to succeed in later life. But the transition between finding compulsory education and entering work is also vital. The choices that young people make can have a lasting impact on their future and that of their children

What are the transition years?

The period from the end of compulsory education through to the time when young people take up higher education or embark in a career. Unfortunately, too many young people struggle to get a foothold into higher education or into the labour market and end up NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training).

Educational Wellbeing and Life Choices life skills programme improve youth participation with the transition from education to higher education, work or even entrepreneurship.

Our goals are to:

1. Take a holistic whole family whole community approach to tackle disadvantage, social inequality and exclusion.
2. Focus on life aspirations and character building
   Re-engage NEET’s into wellbeing by building their confidence and teaching resilience and self-management life skills.
3. Empower Parents to build supportive family relationships
4. Reduce risky behaviour by teaching others tools to ‘be well’.
5. Raise social awareness
6. Increase social competence

Children at the age of five living in poverty are the equivalent of around eight months behind their peers in terms of cognitive development.
Source: Gregg P and Goodman A, Poorer Children Educational attainment: How important are attitude and behaviour? JRF(2010)

Every child deserves a fair start in life and we want to ensure that all children have the opportunity to develop and fulfil their potential.

Supporting parents with the Foundation Years improve life outcomes and social mobility for the most disadvantaged and hard to reach children and families. Our work helps parents lay down strong foundations for their children so that, by the age of five, they are ready to take advantage of the next stage of learning.

Our services help:

• Early learning and life skills for ‘school readiness’
• Good Parenting and healthy relationship support for child wellbeing
• Create the right home learning environment
• Empower families to help themselves break generational cycles of deprivation and improve their chances in seeking employment.
• Empower families to balance work-life responsibilities
• Early Year Practitioners better understand how inclusion and wellbeing can improve practice to reduce social inequalities and improve life outcomes for the most disadvantaged families.

Every child has the right to the best education, with high expectations for their attainment and future prospects regardless of their social background.

Our evidence based life skill programmes challenge low aspirations and expectations helping children and young people dispel the myth that those from poorer backgrounds cannot aim for top universities, professional careers or become successful entrepreneurs.

Our programmes can support the national curriculum to:

• Increase the opportunity for every child to gain the knowledge, skills and aspirations they need to fulfil their potential.
• Raise Aspirations by developing the physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of children and young people.
• Narrow gaps in attainment with activities and social networks outside of school to build self-management, resilience and leadership life skills.
• Help raise school standards through cultural change activities and remove the stigma and negative stereotyping of ‘pupil exclusion’ and PRU’s.
• Engage Parents as Partners to help remove barriers to generational cycles of disadvantage and poverty