SCHEMES to help reduce the number of 11 to 24-year-olds classified as Not in Employment, Education or Training – or ‘NEET’ – in Blaenau Gwent could finish next year, unless new funding is found.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Education and Learning Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, March 15, councillors were given an update on the Inspire 2 Achieve scheme – which supports 11 to 16-year-olds  – Inspire 2 Work project – which is for 16 to 24-year-olds.

The schemes have been funded up to next year by European Social Funding (ESF).

Young people and projects manager Joanne Sims told councillors Blaenau Gwent has seen a steady reduction in the numbers of young people leaving in Year 11 and becoming NEET from 8.7 per cent, or 74 young people, in 2009/10, to 1.5 per cent, or nine young people, in 2020/21.

Since the team to help  16 to 24-years-olds was established in 2017, 22 per cent of those involved achieved a qualification; 27 per cent were helped into further learning; 28 per cent were helped to find work; while 37 per cent were still classed as NEET – but now had better “soft skills.”

Cllr John C Morgan said: “It’s an outstanding achievement that NEET figures are so low, we have to find a way so that you have that long term funding.”

“It must be hard to actually hang on to personnel to run the scheme, as a lot of them must be thinking what am I going to do come next May.”

Cllr Morgan wondered whether the council could fund the scheme rather than relying on grants.

“We need to make sure these projects carry on,” said Cllr Morgan.

Cllr John Hill  asked how much time did they have to find another funding stream.

Ms Sims said: “We know the funding will end in April 2023 – so the regional programme will end in May 2023.

“There will be no extension.”

“Now we need to make sure we are in the right places to be involved in discussions for the UK funding coming through.”

Ms Sims added that she now attended meetings of the Regional Skills Partnership, while Richard Crook, the director of regeneration and community services, is involved in discussion over UK levelling up funding pots.

Ms Sims said: “But the concern is the guidance that’s coming from the UK Government is that the Shared Prosperity and Community Renewal fund, none of them are looking at supporting employability programmes for young people.”

Ms Sims explained that a report on this had been prepared by the National Youth Service managers group which will be sent to the Welsh Government explaining the situation.

Cllr John Hill said: “The next council will need to have this way up on its priorities as time is now running very short.”

Director of education, Lynn Phillips said there needed to be a “two-pronged approach.”

Firstly, to explore the levelling up funding and “advocate” the benefits of these schemes.

The second part was to “think” about funding the projects in terms of the council’s budget setting process.

“There’s been significant progress over a long period of time, and we don’t want to see that taking a step backwards, said Mr Phillips.

Councillors voted to accept the report.