WEST Somerset was one of 12 districts nationally to receive Government funding for the Opportunity Area programme,

The programme aims to boost its lowest ranked position on the national Social Mobility Index, which rates the chances that a child from a disadvantaged background will be able to do well at school and get a good job.

It is now a third of the way through its three-year, £6 million programme, and in the second of two Free Press reports, we look at some of the work going on to help schoolchildren and young people in the area.

“The West Somerset Opportunity Area programme is holistic,” said Julia Ridge, West Somerset Opportunity Area lead for Somerset County Council, and the link between the Department for Education and the West Somerset community.

“Some other areas’ programmes just target a few aspects like maths or English, but we are investing in a whole system.”

The programme has been following Education Department guidelines on how to create sustainable change for schoolchildren, by funding audits to identify areas for development in schools, as well as existing strengths.

It has also been choosing the most effective way to address issues, providing good quality training for staff, bringing in professionals to work alongside staff and reinforce the training, and carrying out reviews.

And it has been buying resources and looking at how to support parents, through various initiatives.

The programme’s targets for adults (post 16) are to increase the percentage of young people achieving level three (equivalent to A levels) qualifications at age 19, and help ensure all young people leaving West Somerset College will go on into further education, employment or training.

Opportunity Area money is funding three new vocational post-16 training opportunities at West Somerset College that started in September last year, in hairdressing, hospitality and construction.

It also provided a free transport scheme to the college for post-16 students, to see if it could help them access learning.

The Opportunity Areas Programme has also seen a tie-up with a number of national initiatives, working with three national partner organisations to provide a comprehensive offer for children and young people.

And a number of initiatives have been developed for business and enterprise, including:

* New routes into work through training and other opportunities.

* Developing enterprise and employment opportunities.

* Funding a careers fair.

* Working with West Somerset businesses to identify training opportunities for young people.

* Developing transport possibilities.

For the full report, with details of projects, buy tomorrow’s Free Press.