ELATT
The Learning Community
What is Connected Youth?
Connected Youth is an integrated programme of skills training, employability and personal development that connects young Londoners to digital careers.
77 per cent of London tech businesses felt they could grow faster if there were more skilled people available. Almost half say a shortage of skilled workers was their biggest challenge.[1] Meanwhile, there are still 295,000 unemployed Londoners, many under 25 years of age.[2]
London’s rapid emergence as a global tech hub marks it out as a truly global player in the digital economy. But the incredible levels of investment and success that this has brought to our capital city have in turn led to two significant new challenges – digital growth is threatened by a lack of tech skills in the market, and as the economy leaps forward we risk leaving our most disadvantaged citizens behind.
Project Need
Information
We know that the young people we work with have diverse and often complex needs. We also know that they do not yet have the knowledge or confidence to navigate the system and access the support they need. Whilst the urgency to work becomes ever greater in an environment of persistently high youth unemployment in East London, they lack the experience and knowledge to overcome issues of skills, poverty and prejudice that prevents them achieving their true goal: to achieve economic independence.
Sampling research for 16-25 year olds
83% are on benefits or dependent on someone on work-related benefits.
78% do not have qualifications any higher than GCSE Grade D-F.
65% have English and maths skills at less than GCSE Grade A*-C.
Achievements and outcomes
In the past 12 months our advice workers have assisted 75 young people aged 16-24 off the NEET register (‘Not In Education, Employment or Training’) and into mainstream training and employment.
43% of our IT students aged 24 and under moved into employment - that’s compared to just 21% for this age group on the Government’s flagship Work Programme.*
*DWP Work Programme figures April 2014
Our approach
Interactive and hands-on learning sessions, support and qualifications in English, literacy and maths, and MILES Assessment – A tool which allows our clients to pinpoint their skills and needs, and identify their life and career goals.
Guest speakers and expert input from leading firms such as Google, first-hand work experience providing IT and office support to organisations such as Fellowship of St John and paid freelance work with Crowdskills, and IT Apprenticeship scheme with Morgan Stanley, Account 3 and other local business.
One-to-one advice and guidance from our dedicated Community Inclusion team, welfare and debt advice, delivered by partner Island Advice, and sexual health and general health clinics by Homerton Hospital.
Delivery of learning from local community hubs, such as unused libraries and youth centres, and a home laptop and e-learning scheme to help clients study around dependency responsibilities.
'Before I came here, I wasn't doing anything. I was unemployed and depressed; now I've found something I really enjoy doing'
'ELATT’s apprenticeship scheme gave me the confidence and new technical skills that were so valuable to me for my studies and at work'
'They treat me like an adult, not like a kid at school'
'They have given me confidence to find my vocation'
'I’ve learned that I’m good enough to improve my life'
Wider benefits for partners & local services
Connecting our clients to specialist support networks is one of the most innovative elements to our model. Our partners tell us:
"What impresses me most about the young people we place in work from ELATT is their commitment, willingness to learn, and technical knowledge. Their clients have many additional needs and would get lost in the system elsewhere. But at ELATT, which is such a supportive environment, they thrive."
Iman Fadaei, Director, CrowdSkills
