Careers Advice, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Research and Improvement Project

The WECA CEIAG (Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance) Research and Improvement project is designed to generate critical intelligence and analysis relating to availability, quality and impact/outcomes of CEIAG at Primary, Secondary, Post-16 and 19+ residents in the WECA area.

The project will generate options for interventions to improve this delivery and these options would be co-designed and developed to the point that they can be presented as costed investment opportunities.

The research will consider current delivery across the region by national, regional and local delivery partners.

What will the Project deliver?

Research Phase The scope of the project is all aspects of CEIAG.

The project should cover residents of all ages and especially those who face additional barriers.

The project will examine the impact of existing delivery and collate current best practice, data and evidence both locally and nationally.

Research should examine the availability, quality and impact of services.

The research should focus on local provision and include mapping of the various funders currently commissioning services.

Gaps in current available research and evidence should be highlighted and recommendations made for further phases of the project as needed.

The project will undertake research and consultation which would include the following stakeholder groups: - - Four Unitary Authorities & WECA - Schools, Further Education Colleges and Higher Education providers. - Residents - Both those who do and do not access services - Providers of CEIAG services for both student and adults. - Independent Training Providers - Employers - Funders - Community based organisations with a signposting role Improvement Phase The improvement phase will make recommendations to WECA for potential future investment and commissioning of CEIAG activity.

The project will make recommendations that enable WECA to deliver a cohesive CEIAG system aligned to the Employment and Skills Plan.

Recommendations should be both operational and strategic ensuring alignment to national policy.

Recommendations may include the continuation, expansion or tailoring of existing services as well as identifying new interventions where gaps are identified.

The report should outline how WECA CEIAG services and externally funded services (both locally and nationally) will align and work together.

Recommendations could be both region wide and/or targeted at specific cohorts of residents where tailored interventions are required.

The project will include potential next steps and recommendations for further phases to the project as needed.

The project will provide WECA with a potential road map for how CEIAG services should be delivered with considers sustainability of funding streams.

The final report should be written in clear, simple language that can easily be understood by stakeholders and residents.

The report will be publicly available.