Ministear airson (osnadh do dh'Oigridh Minister for Youth Employment

Angela Constance BPA/MSP

FIT:0845 7741741
E: scottish.ministers@scotland.gsLgov.uk

The Scottish Government

.Riaghaltas na h-Alba

Ms Kezia Dugdale MSP The Scottish Parliament EDINBURGH EH991SP

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Ur faidhle/Your ref: KD-19/12/11 Ar faidhle/Our ref: 2012/0000079 :) February 2012

Thank you for your letter of 19 December congratulating me on my new position. Let me reassure you, as Minister for Youth Employment, that the totally committed to supporting this agenda and that is why I have such appointment anywhere in the UK. My aim is to ensure that work with employers, training providers, colleges and third sector young people. Scottish Government is been appointed, the first all parts of Government organisations to support

As a first step in the consultation process, I have, held a strategic roundtable discussion with representatives of local authorities, the third sector, college sector and private sector employers on 15th December to consider how to maximise the effectiveness of this new resource. I will also be taking time over the coming months to broaden out this discussion and meet with, a wide a range of organisations and individuals, who have expressed an interest in this agenda. As you know, Activity Agreements are being rolled out to help very vulnerable young people into more formal training. They were introduced as we had identified a gap in the provision offered to young people upon leaving school. Whereas, Get Ready for Work is for young people requiring work based support in order to get into the workplace. Having visited Rathbone's centre in Musselburgh and seen for myself young people engaging in the Get Ready for Work programme, I am even more convinced that there is a place for both of these programmes. The evaluation of the Activity Agreement pilots, highlighted that the
Cidhe Bhictoria, Dun Eideann, EH6 6QQ Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ www.scotland.gov.uk
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programme rules for Lifeskills require it to be a more formal, standardised programme than an Activity Agreement; this means there is little crossover between the programmes. In terms colleges. revenue, We take the 3.3 of College funding, the Spending Review produced a very tough settlement for However, given the absence of powers of the Scottish Parliament over its own we are at the mercy of Westminster as it continues to cut Scotland's block grant. no pleasure whatsoever in having to pass on those cuts, which are a direct result of billion reduction in Scotland's block grant over the next few years.

As you will be aware, ahead of the next academic year, we have embarked on a full review of post-16 learni ng provision. To deliver a better system for our learners, we must ensure we are getting the maximum return for our investment by removing duplication and waste. As part of this we will take a very broad and radical look at the whole configuration of the college sector.

ANGELA CONSTANCE

Cidhe Bhictoria. Dun Eideann. EH6 6QQ Victoria Quay. Edinburgh EH6 6QQ www.scotland.gov.uk