John Lewis employability scheme highlighted during Care to Go Higher training
Representatives from John Lewis were guest speakers during the latest iteration of Go Higher West Yorkshire’s (GHWY) Care to Go Higher CPD programme. They talked about the department store’s employability scheme for care-experienced individuals as part of the online training.
They were joined by a variety of other guests during the delivery of Care to Go Higher, which gives the key influencers of care-experienced young people the tools they need to support informed decision making in relation to Higher Education (HE).
Delivered over six sessions between February and March, each one covered a different topic. These included the challenges care-experienced students may face, how to choose a HE institution, and what support care-experienced students may be entitled to from their HE provider.
Each session featured a guest speaker, who provided additional insight from another organisation’s perspective. These included staff from within GHWY’s 13 member providers, who discussed their support for care-experienced students and why it is important to them; a care-experienced student who talked about their own experiences; and the Unite Foundation, who talked about their charitable support.
The programme had an incredibly diverse group of participants from across the UK. These included representatives from various virtual schools, local authorities, fostering agencies, and youth work agencies. The course content was tailored to the needs of the participants. It also created a ‘safe space’ for participants to share their personal experiences and feel comfortable discussing any relevant topic.
Participants had varying levels of knowledge ahead of the programme, but pre- and post-course feedback indicates that after completing the CPD they all felt more confident in their ability to support care-experienced students. In response to the training, several individuals sought help with specific young people outside the sessions.
One participant said: “I thought I was quite knowledgeable already, but [the CPD] helped me learn more and feel more confident when supporting young people. Highly recommend.” Another one said: “Incredibly comprehensive programme delivered by an excellent and personable presenter.”
Registration for the summer iteration of the CPD programme will open soon. In the meantime, you can register your interest and be notified when signups are open for the next delivery.
