Meeting of the Parliament 21 January 2016
I welcome the debate. Scottish Conservatives fully support youth awards in Scotland, which help young people to be successful, confident, effective and responsible citizens, and we very much welcome the 273 per cent growth in participation. Personally, I welcome youth awards’ benefits in terms of employability and opportunities for the future, which are not all about formal qualifications. It is interesting to note the link with attainment in the Government’s motion, as employers, colleges and universities will undoubtedly take into account a young person’s participation in awards such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s award and awards from the Boys Brigade, the scout and guide movements, the Prince’s Trust and many others.
Given that youth awards are gaining participation and recognition, it may be that the education system should adopt the proposal in Labour’s amendment for a universal Scottish graduate certificate. We think that it merits further consideration. Given the lack of detail at this time we will not support the Labour amendment, but we acknowledge the commitment in the report to do much more work on the issue. Although we welcome the proposal, more work needs to be done.
I welcome the briefings that we got today—there are too many to mention. YouthLink Scotland states that young people gain skills such as confidence, interpersonal skills, team working, leadership and employability, and they are supported in their learning to progress to further and higher education and training. The comments by the chief executive of YouthLink on educational attainment acknowledge that not all young people respond to formal education and that we need another approach that engages them and keeps them on the learning journey. That very much echoed Ian Wood’s words on vocational training, which all of us welcomed.
I am too consensual for my own good today—there are too many “welcomes” in my speech. However, like the minister, I welcome the cashback for communities scheme. It has given more than £9 million to more than 1,700 projects, which has benefited more than 315,000 people. Surely there can be no better investment for that money than to invest it in the development of and support for our young people in the communities in which they live, where they most need it.
The Princes Trust has a great story to tell. In Scotland it has helped 3,000 young people to get a job this year, 600 to start a business and 1,700 to reconnect with education. That is an example of an excellent partnership targeted at those who need it the most. Young people who need support do not just face minor problems. Many find their difficulties compounded by drug and alcohol misuse, crime and homelessness. Young folks may not always have the family support that they need, and those are complex issues for them to deal with on their own. The aim of the Princes Trust initiative—to ensure that no young person is left behind—is one that Conservative members certainly endorse. The new Wolfson centre in Glasgow, which has come about as a result of partnership with the council, Skills Development Scotland and Jobcentre Plus, will certainly bring everything together. Once it is up and running, I hope the approach can be rolled out elsewhere in Scotland.
I was struck by the case study of Tommy from Angus, who was excluded from school, was then excluded from college and faced a future in a secure unit but had that turned around by an education programme and support from the Princes Trust. That opportunity should be open to all children in this age and time and in such a situation.
The report that we are debating acknowledges problems with measuring levels of confidence, resilience and social attributes, but the fact that we are debating those issues and that Education Scotland is considering how young people can be supported to gain social outcomes is all good news. I welcome the acknowledgement that there is
“A need for evidenced based research exploring the role of youth awards in raising attainment.”
Attainment is much on our agenda, but we have never spoken about the link between youth awards and attainment.
When my son and daughter were at the High School of Dundee, the combined cadet force gave them some of their best times and fondest memories. I hope that it will be rolled out not only to private schools but to state schools so that state pupils can have the opportunity to enjoy it as well.
16:26