To interview the Youth Mayor, Lahaina Sutherland and the Deputy Youth Mayor, Frankie Duncan regarding the challenges for young people navigating exams, and accessing opportunities to moving into employment, skills training, apprenticeships and further and higher education.
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed Lahaina Sutherland and Frankie Duncan, the Council’s Youth Mayor and Deputy Youth Mayor.
In response to a question related to the quality of career’s advice in schools, the Youth Mayor expressed concerns about the lack of specialised career advisors at their school. Until recently, there had only been one advisor for approximately 900 students, who had now left, leaving a gap in support. They emphasised the importance of encouraging students to apply for opportunities like work placements, as many felt discouraged due to competitiveness and a fear of entering professional environments. The Deputy Youth Mayor added that careers advice in their school was limited to a single brief session and agreed there was insufficient pressure or guidance in helping students explore their career options. The Committee heard that there had been a general focus on university over apprenticeships or employment, with little information about alternative routes. Members expressed concerns regarding the lack of specialist, in person, careers advice available for students in schools acknowledging budget constraints.
The Chair asked a question related to the age at which students began to consider their career options. In response, the Deputy Youth Mayor commented that there was no blanket answer available but suggested that some students would start thinking about there career options around Year 8 or Year 9 as they began thinking about their GCSE options.
In response to a question regarding mock interviews, the Youth Mayor shared that they had one mock interview in Year 12, which was beneficial but suggested that such exercises should be more frequent. They also highlighted their school’s efforts to assist students with CV writing, although some resources, such as Unifrog, were found unhelpful. The Deputy Youth Mayor had not yet received any mock interview opportunities, demonstrating variability between schools. Members noted that good CV writing was a critical skill often undervalued in schools.
Responding to a question related to work experience, the Deputy Youth Mayor advised the Committee that they had been able to secure a work experience placement but noted that those opportunities should be more widely vocalised in schools. The advised that their school had been supportive in securing placements, and they planned to seek experience in a solicitor’s office. However, it was mentioned that data protection could be a barrier in some industries.
In response to a question regarding exam stress, both the Youth Mayor and Deputy Youth Mayor discussed the pressures of exam preparation, mentioning the support their school offered through revision sessions and rest breaks during exams. They highlighted that more could be done to inform students about available assistance.
The Chair expressed their appreciation for the
Youth Mayor and Deputy Youth Mayor for their insightful
contributions and thanked them for attending the session.
Members commented
that there was a significant disparity in access to careers advice
for young people across schools in Stevenage. It was noted that
certain students missed out on opportunities due to lack of
information, with one suggestion being the creation of a dedicated
page on the Council’s website where work experience
providers, and other businesses, could share key details such as
open days, work experience opportunities and application deadlines.
It was also suggested that such a page could include captions from
officers, from across the Council, sharing their views on the
specific skills required for certain job roles.
Members also discussed the challenge of engaging young people with Council platforms, observing that young people were less likely to visit these sites. It was suggested that involving the Youth Mayor could help promote content relevant to young people. The Enterprise and Skills Partnership Officer added that there needed to be an emphasis on finding ways to better communicate with parents to ensure they are aware of the opportunities available.
Members remarked that while young people might not naturally engage with the Council’s website, an awareness campaign could help to direct them to relevant information, similar to how residents access the site for services like bin collections.
Concerns were raised about competition between schools and colleges, with examples provided where institutions withheld information about external opportunities.
A recommendation was made that the Council explore the possibility of establishing an independent body to provide careers advice, similar to Citizens Advice, which could serve as a liaison between schools, local businesses, and employers.