Personal development pathways
Assess
Plan
Do
Review
Goal: to develop well-rounded and happy YP who are equipped to navigate the adult world.
Following our assess, plan, do, review protocol
Assess
(on arrival at Raise)
- Consultation from local authority
- Receive documentation e.g., EHC Plans
- Assessment of fees, risks, needs of YP
- RTY comprehensive assessments including wellbeing: motional, teen star, thrive, PASS and education: baselines, cognitive ability, Lexia, IDL, DASH, Kudos (careers), Educational Psychologist assessments, SNAP-B
- Referral for further assessments if mental health diagnosis suspected e.g., ADHD, Autism, learning difficulties etc. to help tailor support
- ACEs assessment – devise plan to increase protective factors
- Receive previous mental health assessments / paperwork from educational psychologists
- Network with external agencies already involved with the YP e.g. YOT, CAHMS, connections, psychologists, LAC nurses, social workers, healthy young minds etc.
- Populate one page profile about each YP – including their likes and dislikes as well as things important to them. Prepare for comprehensive completion of pupil passport.
- Assess ability to be independent and work by using work star for post 16s.
- Health behaviour assessments on arrival at Raise e.g., smoking, substance misuse, sleep, diet, sexual health, personal relationships etc to identify individual YP requiring more support / intervention work.
Plan
1. Career plan / pathway
Start with Kudos online assessment to identify suitable career pathway, launch pad and work star assessment. Then provide talks from different professionals, impartial careers advice, careers advisor, work experience, CV / Interview workshops, visits to further education providers etc.
2. Produce bespoke personal development plan
Reduction in offending, improve wellbeing and personal safety, internal referral process to psychologist / counsellor, thrive practitioners or personal development professionals based on needs, increase healthy lifestyle choices e.g. quit smoking, reduce substance misuse, increase exercise, improve diet, register with GP, referral to mental health services e.g. healthy young minds Oldham or adult mental health services, psychosis team or autism team etc as required.
3. Provide educational opportunities based on level
Functional skills, vocational subjects (hairdressing, barbering, brick laying, mechanics), GCSEs in English, Mathematics, Psychology and Science, level 1 qualifications such as health and social care, understanding healthy living, pre-tenancy, work skills etc. (see NOCN document).
4. PACE approach employed throughout Raise
Trauma informed – emotionally available adult – network with other agencies e.g. CAHMS, 360, housing, psychologists, early help to help each YP whilst at Raise
5. Preparation for adult life
Independent living, pre-tenancy qualification, charity work, increase altruism, see “how we build character” document, understanding healthy living curriculum, work skills curriculum, nurture curriculum.
6. Self-regulation techniques
Teach .b mindfulness regulation techniques, thrive sessions (1:1 or in groups), nurture sessions, therapeutic art, music therapy etc
7. Plan based on assessments
1 page profile/pupil passport, teen star, work star, motional, PASS assessments
8. Increase dopamine
Introduce YP to safe activities that increase dopamine e.g., sport, music in the studio, martial arts, Greystone’s BMX park. Dopamine is lower in adolescent brains, leading to increases in risk taking behaviours.
Do
1. Deliver bespoke personal development plan
Insomnia, anxiety, depression, substance misuse, criminality, sexual health, smoking cessation plan etc based on identified needs.
2. Embed fundamental British values and equality throughout curriculum
e.g. LGBT themed sessions during pride month
3. Deliver lessons in small groups or 1:1
YP enjoy an enriched curriculum including Maths, English, Science, vocational studies, sports / PE, music technology, nurture, thrive, mindfulness, wilderness therapy, art, understanding healthy living, work skills, careers, pre-tenancy, IDL, Lexia, DASH etc. Other bespoke options include brick laying, barbering, hair dressing, personal training, mechanics, health and social care, Psychology, Citizenship GCSE, horticulture, and CSCS cards.
4. YP are regularly assessed on the cycle of change
To assess how effective their personal development plan is, they complete termly assessments including PASS, teen star, work star, motional, IDL, Lucid exact and lexia. Their plan is then reviewed and changed if necessary. High intensity 1:1 sessions with our counsellor or Psychologist are offered as necessary. Motivational interviewing is employed for YP who have no motivation to improve their health or change negative lifestyle choices.
5. YP signposted for support
Signpost YP to support in their own community including CAHMS, adult mental health services, early help, YOT, 360 substance misuse, healthy young minds, LAC nurses, sexual health clinics, career advisors, doctors etc. We consider attachment and past experiences with agency involvement prior to referring YP. YP are involved at each stage of the referral process.
6. Work 1-2-1 or in groups with mental health professionals within raise
7. Behaviour change interventions
Around substance misuse, sleep, diet, exercise, self-harm etc are offered as needed.
8. Careers – careers / further education advice
Clear goals and pathways, kudos, work star, work experience, voluntary experience, charitable work, CSCS cards, skills centre, horticulture etc. Previous students have secured full time employment in horticulture, beauty and animal care sectors.
9. Equip YP with the knowledge/skills to seek support after leaving Raise
Do this through increasing trust in external agencies, knowledge of referral processes, knowing where to seek help / support, positive destinations e.g., career which provides support. Planning meaningful visits around the YP local community and possible networks of support and opportunities.
10. Develop well rounded positive citizens
Citizenship GCSE, Fundamental British Values embedded throughout college life, thorough understanding of other religions and cultures, charity work to enhance altruism, Men’s group to challenge unhelpful or sexist attitudes, sessions around LGBT during pride month.
Goals at action (Do) stage
- Educate and support YP to learn to trust adults and local agencies for themselves as people in their own right. Work on the barriers of the past (family and personal histories) and teach them to live in the now and develop themselves for the future.
- Help YP to be able to access support for themselves.
- Career pathways – provide YP with positive outlook of the future and motivation to work.
- Careers events to expose them to new career options.
- Travel training and accessing free travel whenever available.
- Provisional driving licence.
- Independent living skills – pre-tenancy, bills, tax, insurance, mortgage, rent etc.
- Registered with GP, dentist etc
- Connected to people, places, and lifestyles that matter.
- Increase resilience, self-reliance, positive activities / hobbies, positive friends, social skills.
Partnership
Whilst at Raise, the YP will become connected to multiple services around the YP for support (see diagram below) e.g., social care, housing, youth offending teams, meeting probatory terms, mental health support, counsellor, health behaviour change, psychological support, early help, sexual health clinics, positive steps, healthy young minds, youth champion, form tutor, teachers, emotionally available adults, personal assistants, early intervention psychosis team, autism team, friends, family, employer, peers etc.
These multiple agencies will then come together to through Raise pathway meetings and become more involved in attending EHCP review meetings and formulate plans and outcomes for the YP. All aspects of the YP’s life should be well supported. All professionals will attend EHC plan reviews to feedback and refine the plan.
In order to ensure this level of wrap around care, Raise will develop relationships with services e.g. local NHS services etc (Fig.1, page 6) and work on direct referral pathways. This will enable our YP to receive support without being on waiting lists of months.
The end goal of the plan will be to support the YP so they no longer require the extent of services offered whilst at Raise. They will also be equipped with the knowledge and skills to access the help and support from services when needed.
After leaving Raise, YP should also be in a positive job role or on a further education course. Thus, that the employer or further education provider will be a further source of support for the young person. The YP will also be able to seek support from other agencies as required, but be less reliant on them (see diagram below).
Impact and outcomes
1. Qualifications
Functional skills, GCSEs, vocational e.g., CSCS etc, increase self-esteem and opportunities for the future.
2. Independent living qualifications.
e.g., get ripped, food safety, independent living, pre-tenancy, health and social care, citizenship GCSE, understanding healthy living.
3. Positive citizens
Due to PSHE, SMSC and fundamental British Values teaching.
4. Reduction in negative behaviours
As recorded on behaviour watch.
5. Increase in attendance.
6. Behaviour & attitude improvements
As assessed through SNAP-B and teen star scores.
7. Ability to independently access external services, e.g. MH services, 360, adult mental health services, sexual health clinics, doctors, housing officers, food banks etc.
8. Engaging with other agencies and independent careers advisors, e.g. positive steps, connections, Kudos Inspire.
Review
As each YP will have a bespoke personal development plan, review processed may differ slightly. For example, one YP may have the goal to reduce substances and thus their review would involve an assessment for substance misuse. Others may have anxiety or depression scales as part of their review process.
All YP will have the internal assessment methods of: PASS, Star Online, Thrive, motional, Work Star, watch meeting progress, BW reports, teacher progress, subject progress, MyConcern reports, SNAP-B, educational progress.
External assessments include: employment, reduction in offending behaviour, parental anecdotes, social worker reports,
Review and repeat of assessments e.g., annual review, PEP, strategy meetings, case planning forums, parents evenings and pupil reports.
Internal monitoring
SLT, SMT, case concern meetings, the watch meeting, briefings.
Important outcomes
1. Ability to emotionally regulate
Demonstrated by improvements in motional scores, Thrive assessment and reduction in incidents over time.
2. Improved decision making
Reduction in incidents over time, reduced offending, reduced substance misuse, reduced risky behaviours e.g. unsafe sex.
3. Clear focus / career plan
Assessed through connections, Kudos online, work star scores improving, progress in careers lessons and GCSE careers, positive work experience report, outline map of five step careers pathway plan and PASS assessment scores improving.
4. Ability to live independently
Assessed through completion of work skills level 1, pre-tenancy level 1, independent living level 1, understanding healthy living level 1 and health and hygiene in the home level 1.
5. Stable accommodation
The ability to look after their accommodation, pay bills and rent on time etc.
6. Improved mental health and wellbeing
Assessed through Psychologist assessment tools / reports including PHQ-9, GAD-7, Fagerstrom nicotine dependence questionnaire etc. Also assessed through Thrive profiling by qualified Thrive practitioners.
7. Educational achievements
Assessed through qualifications obtained e.g. GCSEs, functional skills, level 1 NOCN qualifications, improvements in IDL, lucid exact, DASH and Lexia scores.
8. Resilience, decision making and problem solving
Ability to bounce back and manage relapses and setbacks by improved problem solving skills and knowing where to seek help and support when required locally, and being able to access own internal strengths and confidences that had been developed by trained co-supported experiences during our provisions of support and personal development which enables YP to be able to solve problems on their own and access the support they need to move forward.
End goal
Each YP should leave Raise with clear future career goals and a set pathway to achieving their goals. They should also demonstrate marked improvements in emotional regulation, well-being and mental health outcomes, compared to when they joined Raise.
Importantly, YP should leave with necessary services and support around them, and the knowledge where to seek help and support in the future. YP will also have the skills to live independently including how to pay bills, understand tax, cook, clean, find employment, be positive tenants, form positive relationships and lead a fulfilling life without requiring money from illegal avenues.