News

As the number of unemployed young people tops a million, the Deputy Prime Minister has announced that almost £1billion will be spent over the next three years to provide unemployed young people with extra help as part of a new government ‘Youth Contract’.

The DWP press release states that ‘The Youth Contract will provide nearly half-a-million new opportunities for young people, including apprenticeships and work experience placements. It also marks a substantial increase in the support and help available to young people through the Work Programme, Jobcentre Plus and Sector-Based Work Academies.’

Key initiatives include subsidies for employers taking on unemployed young people, and a commitment to providing a work experience placement for every 18 to 24 year-old who wants one.

In further support of work-related learning opportunities Arts Council England and Creative and Cultural Skills have published a new document which sets out guidelines for cultural organisations to use when recruiting and hiring interns. This clear and practical guide explains why it is so important to ensure that internships are properly paid and recruited. As Catherine Large of CCSkills remarks in the forward: ‘It has recently been said that youth unemployment has become ‘structural’ in the UK. It is becoming increasingly urgent to treat our young people fairly as they attempt to find work.’

Ofsted published their annual report this month to a flurry of interest from the press. Most articles have focused on the need for ‘coasting’ satisfactory schools to improve more rapidly, and on the need for more outstanding teachers. Here is the response from the Guardian, the Daily Mail and Children and Young People Now.

Mike Baker’s Blog has an excellent summary of the main headlines – particularly picking up on the fact that not one local authority service for looked after children was rated as outstanding this year.

Getting in On the Act

A new study of different models for understanding and delivering participatory arts has been published in the US. Getting In On the Act: How Arts Groups are Creating Opportunities for Active Participation was commissioned by The James Irvine Foundation and conducted by WolfBrown. It draws insights from more than 100 nonprofit arts groups and other experts in the U.S., U.K. and Australia.

The report presents a new model for understanding levels of arts engagement as well as case studies of participatory arts in practice. It provides inspiration and ideas and seeks to address many of the concerns that arts organisations have when supporting participatory arts practice.

First World War Centenary funding and partnerships

Thinking about a project to commemorate the centenary of the start of the first world war in 2014? HLF have launched a new booklet identifying the different funding available for communities and organisations to mark the anniversaries. http://www.hlf.org.uk/HowToApply/whatwefund/FirstWorldWar/Pages/FirstWorldWar.aspx .

On the 11.11.11 the Imperial War Museum (IWM) launched the First World War Centenary mark – a new logo that is exclusively available for members of the First World War Centenary Partnership. This is an IWM led initiative for all organisations that are marking the hundred year anniversary of the First World War (2014 – 2018). Find out more here.

South Korea leads the way

Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Education has long been a vocal supporter of the educational models and ideas used by South Korea, and last month the country’s proposals for an International Arts Education Week were universally adopted by UNESCO countries. We hope that this commitment to cultural learning will be noted and reflected in the forthcoming National Curriculum review.

Cultural learning in the news

Our cockles were warmed last week by a great article from our friends at Culture 24 in the Guardian on why museums and galleries should be at the heart of learning. This was followed today by a piece from Contact on why young people whould be at the heart of every arts organisation.

How do we know it’s any good?

Arts Council England is hosting an event on the 6th of December: How do we know it’s any good? A debate about the principles of quality work for, with and by children and young people. This is part of ACE’s work on developing a shared quality framework and principles across arts, museums and libraries to assess the quality of work being produced for, with and by children and young people.

During the CLA consultations in the summer the question of how to deliver and assess quality was raised frequently, so we really welcome this work which complements and will build on our recent evidence project and the Key Research Findings report.

Information on existing frameworks will be presented on the day and a range of speakers, including members of the CLA steering group, will be talking about what quality means to them. The event is currently fully booked, but if you aren’t attending you can also watch a video of the day on ACE’s website after the event. http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/about-us/conferences-training/children-and-young-people-quality-event/.

Cultural Learning in Wales

Arts Council Wales

Whole Education

Keynotes will come from Professor Keri Facer (Manchester Metropolitan University), Kristiina Kumpulainen (Finnish National Board of Education), Caroline Waters (BT) and Larry Rosenstock (High Tech High, San Diego).

Whole Education are offering CLA members a 20% discount on the price (Code: CLA20). Book through eventbrite.

Creative and Cultural Skills

Contributors were asked to respond to the question ‘What does the education and skills system need to look like in order for people to lead fulfilled creative lives, and in order for the creative and cultural industries in the UK to thrive?’

The resulting articles cover the whole education spectrum, from primary and secondary education, to further education, higher education and lifelong learning for the creative and cultural industries.

You can download the book, read the submissions individually, or submit your own thoughts for inclusion on the website.