Childcare and Education News October 2007

• Oxford University’s Skill Centre for Social Enterprise has recommended creating an ethical stock exchange to encourage investment in social enterprises. For more information see Creating a Social Stock Exchange on our publications section.
  
• A study by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, and think tank The Young Foundation has claimed that the government isn’t supporting social innovations. The study says that because of a lack of willingness to develop innovative social ideas by organisations such as universities ideas are being lost. For more information see In and Out Of Sync on our publications section.
  
• The Prime Minister has announced a scheme to offer employers £400 to take a person off the dole queue and train them for work. Gordon Brown has said that 64 of Britain’s largest companies have signed up to the scheme. He said “Today, with two-thirds of a million job vacancies, the bigger barrier to full employment is not the lack of jobs, but the lack of skills.”
  
• The TUC has called for more training for unskilled workers. Last year 41% of graduates received workplace learning, whilst only 12% of those who left school without qualifications received training. General Secretary Brendan Barker said “Unless employers start to offer skills training equally, the inequality is only going to get worse”. For more information see Time to Tackle the Training Divide on our publications section
  
• After a pilot scheme the Adult Learning Grant will be rolled out nationally. The £35million scheme will help workers over 19 to train whilst at work. Eligible adults will receive up to £30 a week to pay for qualifications. More details are available from www.direct.gov.uk/alg
  
• A youth scheme called the Kickz Project is set to receive £11million funding to expand across the country. The project gives young people the chance to take part in sport 3 times a week.
  
• The government is piloting a scheme to encourage young people who are eligible for free school meals or who are in the care system to take part in out of school activities. 20,000 teenagers are eligible for £40 a month to spend via a website on various activities such as theatre trips or outdoor pursuits. For more details visit www.dcsf.gov.org
  
• The Learning and Skills Council has announced that nearly three quarters of firms signed up to the Train to Gain service have not previously trained their staff. The scheme provides a public sector business advice service.