Schools Minister Iain Wright is inviting third sector organisations to bid for a share of up to £10m to raise the aspirations of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The fourth round of the Youth Sector Development Fund (YSDF) will focus on supporting the aims of the Government's Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) Strategy published last month.
Bids should demonstrate how young people would be imaginatively shown the full range of options open to them in education and work, such as through "taster sessions" at universities or real experience of different careers.
Around 25 third-sector organisations are expected to benefit from the fund, through a mixture of grants and business support, from April 2010 to March 2011. The administration will be handled by Ecotec, the YSDF managing body. Organisations who meet the criteria for YSDF funding and want to apply need to complete the YSDF Fourth Round form (downloadable from http://ysdf.ecotec.com) and email it to to arrive by noon on 4 February 2010. To contact Ecotec, please phone 0845 630 8699 or email .
Schools Minister IainWright announced the launch of bidding at the Association of Colleges' conference on IAG.
He said: "Many organisations in the third sector are already working with disadvantaged young people and parents in innovative ways that challenge negative stereotypes and raise aspirations.
"Today I am inviting these organisations to build on that experience and to develop exciting new approaches so that young people and parents get the impartial information, advice and guidance about learning and work opportunities that they need, including experiencing those routes at first hand.
"In particular I want to see proposals which will help young people and their families with low aspirations and capture their imagination through exciting forms of work experience, 'tasters' and work-related learning, and increase support through mentoring.
"The strategy we launched last month heralded a radical change in IAG, modernising IAG so that it is accessible for all of today's young people and relevant to the rapidly changing economy - to make sure every young person, whatever their background, can aim for the top."
Iain Wright also took the opportunity at the conference to launch revised statutory guidance to local authorities on assessments relating to people with learning difficulties. This follows a public consultation on the draft guidance earlier this year and a commitment made in the IAG Strategy.
He said "Identifying the training and support needs that young people with learning difficulties need is vital for their development and futures."
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