UWE Bristol: Maximum impact, long term investment – Opportunity Action Plan

Maximum impact, long term investment UN I VERSI TY O F T HE W EST OF E NG LAND ( UW E BR I S T OL)

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Forewords Rt Hon Justine Greening

Founder of the Social Mobility Pledge & Former Secretary of State for Education Every young person in our education system knows that you don’t achieve success overnight.

Learning new subjects, mastering them, studying for and taking exams takes time. Our students have to be prepared to stick with things if they are going to realise their best outcomes.

The same is true of university outreach projects into communities where children 2

have traditionally been far less likely to go to university. The Future Quest Outreach project led by the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), seeks to widen access to higher education from a diverse range of socioeconomic backgrounds across the region.

From my own personal experience, I know how much this effort matters. Growing up in Rotherham in the 1980s and attending my local comprehensive school, I’d always dreamed of going to university - I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have that as a goal. My problem was there wasn’t much advice available from those I’d normally ask - my parents. No one in

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UWE Bristol’s Future Quest project has sought to help would-be students to make the right choice about the right course at the right university. my family had been to university. As much as my parents supported my aspirations and wanted to help, it was completely outside their experience. I knew studying for a degree was the right longterm decision for me but working out which course to do and which university to apply to was something I had to get advice on from others outside my family. For the first time, I realised that I’d have to make a lot of decisions myself and couldn’t always rely on family advice to help me.

I was at least fortunate in knowing exactly which subject I wanted to study - economics - and I knew I wanted to do a more applied version of the degree which narrowed down where I might study. I ended up doing an applied economics course at the University of Southampton which I loved although I’m sure there were other subjects that I might have considered - like law - but never did because I’d never met a lawyer and had no real idea what that degree entailed.

For lots of young people today, just like me, going to university is a step into the unknown.

They enter a world very different to the one they’ve known, especially if they have moved away from home. And lots of young people aren’t as sure as I was about which degree course would be not only worth investing in but one they can enjoy. I met other students at Southampton who’d enrolled on degrees they didn’t like as much as I loved mine. One dropped out after the first term, but I’m sure if he’d had the right advice earlier about which degree course might have suited him better, he might have stayed the course.

Lack of access to careers advice from parents or peers or advice that’s ill-informed, poor grades as a result of bad A-level choices, or simply not being sure about which course to enroll on are just some of the factors that see the university pathway get off to a bad start for many young people. And it’s not just about getting into university, it’s also about ensuring that young people can then progress through their course and perform at their best throughout it. For any student, there can be other challenges that can come up as their course progresses - family problems, financial difficulties or mental health issues.

UWE Bristol’s Future Quest project has sought to help would-be students to make the right choice about the right course at the right university.

It is an outreach programme which works with schools in disadvantaged areas across Bristol to ensure that young people with no experience of higher education can nevertheless have a real understanding of what it is, what it requires from them as a would-be student, and where it can lead. Through Future Quest, UWE Bristol collaborates with other regional higher education partners, local authorities and employers to better ensure that there is a level playing field when it comes to accessing higher education.

The Future Quest project is not just raising aspirations but the expectations of local young people about what they can achieve in their lives and then, crucially, helping them understand the steps they can take to translate those expectations into reality.

Universities have to work hard to help those facing more challenges than others to make the right choices. But if UWE Bristol can successfully reach into a wider community to support ‘first generation’ students through Future Quest, then it’s a great example of how universities like them can have a real impact on levelling up. The Future Quest project shows how far that effort

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00 Forewords can go and reinforces the fact that intervention should come at an early age if children are to have high expectations of what they can achieve educationally and identify a pathway to realise them.

However, change doesn’t happen overnight.

Tenacity and patience are required if Future Quest is to succeed and achieve long lasting results. The levelling up impact of the project could be cumulative as social norms adjust while the project continues. Yet that requires something in short supply in policy making circles - the patience to invest in outcomes that might take several years to become evident. It’s crucial that projects which indicate success but are

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essentially work in progress because they need a longer timeframe, should be allowed to continue to really understand and realise the longer term gains they provide. The National Collaborative Outreach Programme, now relaunched as the Uniconnect Programme, was originally funded for 4 years. This initial funding period is now coming to an end without any clear direction about the future for the programme. The danger is that the higher education sector remains beset by counterproductive, inefficient, ineffective “initiative-itis” when what it really needs is patient policy, allowing the trial of interventions the time they need to properly have impact and then be assessed for effectiveness. It also matters for communities. If they are constantly

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It is crucial that projects like Future Quest in Bristol are not just shortterm fixes or pilots but are given the time to properly embed into the communities they serve

being informed about the latest initiative which is never seen through to a longer term end, it’s no wonder that so many areas have lost trust in politics to change lives for the better.

difference on the ground, to connect them with opportunity and to build the trust needed between higher education institutions and a wider regional population.

In my own case, my choices paid off. I loved my time at university, especially the course I had chosen and, towards the end of my degree, my university experience also connected me up with my future employer, PwC. This opened up a career with lots of opportunities although I didn’t know that going into politics would be one of them. It is crucial that projects like Future Quest in Bristol are not just short-term fixes or pilots but are given the time to properly embed into the communities they serve, to make a

As this report shows, the UWE Bristol is demonstrating a clear commitment to being a levelling up university which overcomes the barriers that exist for many young people while bringing real, long term benefits to its students and to the region. The Future Quest project has been a real area of innovation for the university and its continuation can unlock the sort of maximum impact, long term investment policy approach that will pay real dividends - the approach that can underpin real sustained success on the ground.

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00 Forewords

Our aim is to support young people to develop a strong sense of themselves in the future as university students and in different career roles 6

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Suzanne Carrie Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity at UWE Bristol and Lead for Future Quest

Inequality in the UK and in the Bristol city region means that young people across our city do not have the same life chances and cannot contribute to our regional growth and skills needs. This is fundamentally unfair and I believe that universities have a significant role to play, working alongside businesses, schools and the government to address inequalities.

For too long a narrative of low aspirations or a focus on raising aspirations has underpinned outreach and widening access work. There is no evidence that aspirations differ significantly by postcode or by socio-economic status. Our experience of working with young people in secondary schools and colleges across our city region is that there are high aspirations – all young people want to have successful and interesting careers and to be able to support their families. We also repeatedly see that young people want to contribute to the development of an inclusive and fair society.

However, we know that young people in some areas of our city face particular challenges – economic barriers, gaps in provision and transport issues can limit how easy it is for those living in some areas of the city to access higher or further education. There are also significant differences across our city in the extent to which young people expect to go to university or achieve a professional role in the future. Being able to imagine yourself in a future role (as a university student or in a career role) is a critical part of taking the next step. Making sure everyone understands and can access the pathways to their future success can help make the next steps, including university and accessing higher skill roles feel more attainable. Having role models who show you that people like you can achieve what you hope to achieve can also really help you on your journey.

For the past four years, UWE Bristol has been leading the collaborative Future Quest outreach

programme. This opportunity, created through the UniConnect funding from the Office for Students, has enabled us to start to change the narrative of outreach programmes in our city region. Working collaboratively with the University of Bristol, City of Bristol College and SGS College (as the four Higher Education providers in our city) we have developed and delivered activities for young people in years 1013 to support them to understand the pathways into future careers through higher education.

Our aim is to support young people to develop a strong sense of themselves in the future as university students and in different career roles.

The funding has enabled us to work with third sector organisations including South Bristol Youth, Grass Routes and Ablaze and ensure schools and colleges are involved in the design and delivery of the activities.

Another initiative that we have launched is our #IamFirstGen campaign which provides universities, colleges and businesses with an opportunity to share the story of individual role models who are the first in their families to study in higher education. The importance of hearing stories from first generation individuals in positions of power, such as Rt Hon Justine Greening and Professor Steve West, ViceChancellor of UWE Bristol, is significant. We also believe that by better understanding the particular barriers that students with no family experience of higher education face, we can work with businesses, schools and universities to find solutions.

We are so proud to be a levelling up university and to continue to work with the Social Mobility Pledge team. This is part of our DNA at UWE Bristol and we enjoyed the experience of reviewing our work with the Social Mobility Pledge Team. We are looking forward to continuing our work with like-minded organisations as we deliver our Opportunity Action Plan.

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The Opportunity Gap

The Opportunity Gap 1 > The uk’s social mobility problem Social mobility is typically measured as the difference between a person’s occupation or income and that of their parents. When there is a weak link, there is a high level of inequality, while a strong one suggests a low level of social mobility.

Social mobility levels in the UK have been stagnant for years. This means that those born into deprivation are statistically likely to remain in those circumstances throughout their lives.

A Broken Social Elevator? How to Promote Social Mobility reports that, given current levels of inequality and intergenerational earnings mobility, it could take at least five generations, or 150 years, for the child of a poor family to reach the average income, on average across OECD countries. One in three children with a low earning father will also have low earnings while, for most of the other two-thirds, upward mobility is limited to the neighbouring earnings group.

Unsurprisingly, this is not uniform across the globe as social mobility has different rates in different countries. It can take just two to three generations to reach that average income in the Nordic countries but nine or more in some emerging economies.

Globalisation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution have successfully helped to reduce extreme poverty and eradicate famine. While celebrating that success, however, it cannot be denied that the flipside is that they have also deepened inequalities by transferring low-skilled

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jobs in high-productivity sectors in high-income economies to lower-income counterparts.

The OECD’s report also highlighted that, whereas many people born to low-educated parents between 1955 and 1975 enjoyed income mobility, this has stagnated for those born after 1975.

Over the four-year period looked at by the report, about 60 per cent of people remained trapped in the lowest 20 per cent income bracket, while 70 per cent remained at the top.

At the same time, one in seven middle-class households, and one in five people living closer to lower incomes, fell into the bottom 20 per cent.

This is borne out by the Social Mobility Pledge’s own research which reveals that, in the UK, young people are finding it harder to progress in the workplace than their parents or grandparents did.

Its study of 2,000 people revealed that most UK workers believe breaking through the ‘class-ceiling’ is harder for young people now than it was for earlier generations. A majority (60 per cent) of workers aged 35 to 64 believe economically disadvantaged people in the generation below them have a harder time advancing their careers than those one generation older.

The poll also asked thousands of workers aged between 18 and 64 to score how easy it is to get on in life, regardless of background, in the UK. With one being ‘very hard’ and 10 being ‘very easy’, an average score of five was registered, although a quarter of those polled rated it ‘hard’ or ‘very hard’.

The Opportunity Gap

Getting on as a disadvantaged young person, is either ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’, according to the majority (54 per cent) of respondents, rising to 62 per cent in London.

Only 44 per cent of respondents said progressing in life regardless of background is easier in the UK than elsewhere in the world.

Universities are crucial in facilitating an individual’s route to better opportunity and, at the same time, improving the communities in which they are located. It is important for us all that they adapt and consider new ways of working to make sure opportunities are directed at those who need them most. In a recent report by the Social Mobility Commission,

research shows that graduates are three times more likely to participate in workplace training compared to those with no qualifications.

Universities are key to facilitating those initial links with employers to ensure that their graduates are well-prepared for the workplace.

The Social Mobility Pledge has been set up to highlight and address these issues in the UK and, in doing so, to level up opportunity and build a fairer society. It encourages organisations to be a force for good by putting social mobility at the heart of their purpose. By sharing their own best practice with other businesses and universities, they are not only demonstrating their own commitment but creating a powerful shift towards purpose-led organisations.

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The Opportunity Gap

2 > Coronavirus The Office for Budget Responsibility’s Covid Reference Scenario predicts that the UK economy will contract by 35 per cent, with unemployment potentially peaking at 10 million.

But, just like the issue of social immobility, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is varied across the UK. While the 35 per cent national average figure is high in itself, it is the case that some areas – predominantly in the North West and Midlands – will see their economic growth reduce by almost 50 per cent. Only one of the twenty hardest hit areas are in the South East or London.

In addition to the significant diversity of geographic impact estimated by the Centre for Progressive Policy, the Resolution Foundation points to previous data suggesting that there is likely to be a large impact on those leaving full time education and graduating into an economy in the midst of turmoil.

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In the 2008 recession, the unemployment rate across the whole population rose from 5.2 per cent in 2007 to 8.5 per cent in 2011; for those with GCSE equivalent qualifications the unemployment figures were 22 per cent in 2007 and 32 per cent in 2011.

Large numbers of young people are now in the jobs market having had their career pathways significantly disrupted. One in three young people under 25 are employed in the three sectors most affected by the pandemic - travel, hospitality and retail. It has the potential to leave a long-term legacy of unemployment and will certainly impact those from disadvantaged backgrounds and on low incomes the most.

Coronavirus has shone a spotlight on the inequality that already exists and data suggests that it will have a varied and profound impact across locations, ages and education levels.

It is clear that the businesses and universities which do best as we recover from the crisis will be those that have stepped up to the mark in recent months for their employees, customers and communities. We need them now to lead the way in delivering solutions and sharing best practice.

The Opportunity Gap

The impact on those in the education system in these more disadvantaged communities is obvious.

Education closes the gaps between the life chances of different young people.

3 > Opportunity gap The impact of coronavirus across locations, ages and education levels also has an impact for social mobility in the UK. Our research shows that eight of 14 measures used to calculate social mobility will be impacted.

We have used existing place based social mobility analysis together with the predicted impact of coronavirus to examine the size of a community’s ‘Opportunity Gap’.

From our analysis we believe there are 16 areas in England at risk of a ‘double opportunity hit’.

Already amongst the worst areas for social mobility, they are going to be particularly badly hit by coronavirus. Those in the top 20 per cent, with the largest opportunity gap are referred to as COVID Opportunity Coldspots.

of grades of BAME and disadvantaged young people is significantly more likely to happen than for their better off counterparts. Unfortunately this year’s A Level results confusion has shown that they are precisely the group that has suffered the most. That has inevitably harmed their chances of getting into the university they were aiming for and those higher education institutions will find themselves on the front line in trying to prevent a further widening of the opportunity gap.

For those relying on part-time work that is now no longer available, university may even become unaffordable. Other students may have previously found it a struggle but nevertheless managed to balance study with wider family and financial responsibilities. Yet the sectors overwhelmingly impacted by the coronavirus lockdown are those that young people are most likely to work in – hospitality, retail, and sports and leisure. An estimated one in three young people under the age of 25 in work have roles in these sectors. For those already on a course, it may mean they simply cannot afford to see it through to the end and drop out. This would be a dramatic backward step on social mobility.

UWE Bristol’s experience, detailed in this report, demonstrates that it is possible to equip young people from some of the most deprived areas of the community with the tools to be able to access university, often the first in their family to do so, and also, as a result, access opportunity.

This opportunity deficit overwhelmingly impacts people from more disadvantaged communities and backgrounds and the gaps start opening up from the very start. Coronavirus widens that opportunity gap for young people at every stage of their formative years and it is becoming clear that we are at risk of a lost generation.

This report contains insights into the best practices employed by the Future Quest project which have worked well and which have had a positive outcome for those young people who have been in contact with it. It features case studies which illustrate the impact that its approach has had on individuals as well as analysis focusing on the community in which it is located.

The impact on those in the education system in these more disadvantaged communities is obvious. Education closes the gaps between the life chances of different young people. Research by the Sutton Trust showed that underpredicting

The Action Plan also considers how UWE Bristol might extend the length of the project so that it has a genuine chance of succeeding in the long term. It also suggests possible next steps and recommendations for further action.

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UWE Bristol

UWE Bristol

UWE Bristol is a University Alliance institution with a common mission to make the difference to our cities and regions. UWE Bristol is recognised for providing high quality teaching and research with real world impact to shape higher education and research policy for the benefit of their students, business and civic partners.

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It has a strong focus on real-world learning experiences which support the development of students to become ready and able graduates who are confident in their abilities, adaptable, enterprising and ready for the part they have to play in the world.

UWE Bristol leads the Future Quest Programme across Bristol and surrounding areas as part of its social mobility efforts. Future Quest is one of the partnerships that form the Uni Connect programme (previously National Collaborative Outreach Programme, NCOP) funded by the Office for Students (OfS). Uni Connect consists of 29 partnerships of universities, colleges

UWE Bristol

and other local partners supporting the government’s social mobility goals by rapidly increasing the number of young people from underrepresented groups who go into higher education.

The partnership involves all four main providers of higher education in Bristol (other providers are University of Bristol, City of Bristol College and South Gloucestershire and Stroud College). The higher education providers work collaboratively with the West of England Combined Authority, local authorities, charities and employers, delivering engaging activities, advice, guidance and information to 41 schools and colleges, supporting young people’s progression into higher education.

The programme started in January 2017 and is expected to run until July 2021. It supports two main strands of activity. > Establishing local outreach hubs with cross-England coverage to help schools and colleges access the higher education outreach they need and provide a platform for wider collaboration. > Targeted higher education outreach investing into local areas where there are unexplained gaps in higher education.

It is intended to complement and add value to the work that higher education providers undertake through their access and participation plans.

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Future Quest

Future Quest Outreach Hub The Future QuestOutreach Hub enables students, parents and carers and school staff to access information and opportunities available in their area as well as creating an axis for sustainable partnership working to shape outreach across the region.

This is achieved by: > Building expectations - Challenging the discourse around aspiration-raising and rolemodelling a new language of expectations through outreach activities with learners, workshops with delivery staff and teachers, advisory groups with school leadership and local outreach providers, partnership governance and demonstrating impact through evaluation. > Cultivating collaboration - Creating networks and facilitating opportunities to enable learners, parents and carers, school staff, providers and partners to work together to co-design new and innovative outreach activity, challenge and improve provision, develop reflective practice and recognise and utilise each other’s strengths. > Advocating impartiality - Supporting learners to research options and explore possibilities by providing objective information, advice and guidance on the Future Quest website, offering

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sessions with careers guidance professionals, signposting to a range of information sources, outreach and work experience opportunities and working in collaboration with other providers to facilitate access. > Personalising experience - Enabling individual learners to build their own personal narratives for the future by developing activity that encourages exploration of strengths, mapping goals and pathways and experiencing the worlds of higher education and work. There will be opportunities to share stories through case studies and through the #IAmFirstGen campaign. > Connecting opportunities - Building connections between existing collaborative partnerships and local providers of education, skills and employment to ensure that all learners have access to a full range of opportunities that supports them to visualise clear pathways for the future. Provision will be targeted to address gaps and tailored to meet the needs of the participants.

Future Quest

Future Quest Targeted Outreach Through the targeted higher education outreach programme Future Quest aims to support learners with knowledge of higher education and potential future pathways. It helps them to understand the skill requirements for study and future life, while encouraging the ability to develop self-reflection, selfawareness and self-belief.

By the end of July 2020 Future Quest had engaged with more than 6200 eligible learners as well as another 4300 learners not in the original targeting criteria in 40 schools and two colleges.

The Future Quest phase one impact evaluation report showed programme successes with learners in: > Increasing knowledge of how to get to higher education > Advancing a realistic understanding of the role that higher education could play in their future > Developing positive personal traits such as confidence, grit and curiosity > Building strong speaking, listening and writing skills

Informed by phase one evaluation findings and research by Harrison (2018) on the lens of ‘possible selves’ and access to higher education, Future Quest created a progression framework which maps onto a learner’s educational journey and informs the key outreach intervention points and aims. The framework has progressive phases which follow the learner on their journey to deciding their future. Within these phases are learner outcomes that are measurable goals which can be achieved by the learner during the phases of their progression and which also align to Gatsby benchmarks and Ofsted’s inspection framework.

Using the progression framework, Future Quest created and developed programmes of targeted higher education outreach activities, promoting social mobility among identified postcode areas where higher education progression is lower than might be predicted from GCSE results.

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Future Quest

Future Quest Progression Framework UWE Bristol’s social mobility strategy through Future Quest is defined by high impact, progressive and sustained activities, delivered to learners in schools and colleges.

A Progressive Cohort Programme

The Importance Of Mentoring

Through the Future Quest programme schools have selected cohorts of their learners who take part in a progressive and sustained selection of activities that complement and build upon each other. The phase one evaluation demonstrated the impact of the cohort programme approach, in which learners are selected and work as a group, including at times working with children from other schools. Future Quest have two cohort programmes:

Evaluation of mentoring activities through Future Quest has shown mentoring has been pivotal in encouraging learners to set goals and make plans for where they will go post 16.

> South Bristol Youth Programme: Years 9 and 10 in 26 schools. Focusing on building confidence, cultural capital and communication skills in a variety of settings across Bristol. > Grass Routes Programme: Working from Years 9 to 13 in 4 schools. Co-designed with school staff and learners to develop activities that encourage trying new things, overcoming fears, taking on challenges and building resilience.

Opportunities for engaging and interacting with employers are key to this programme.

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Future Quest works collaboratively with local charity Ablaze and the schools to deliver mentoring to year 11 learners via the following models, agreed with the schools at the start of the academic year: > In-house mentoring delivered by staff outside of core school hours > In-house mentoring - delivery from external organisation and mentors > In-house mentoring - 1:1 session’s with 2x sessions from external mentors > Group Mentoring Programme – delivered by business and community volunteers.

Future Quest

Mentoring has been pivotal in encouraging learners to set goals and make plans for where they will go post 16 Building on UWE Bristol’s Equity programme, an award winning talent programme for BAME undergraduate students, Future Quest has worked in collaboration with schools and learners to develop a BAME mentor project. BAME mentors were recruited from the UWE Bristol student ambassador scheme. These mentors were trained in the GROW Coaching model and were supported to understand their power as inspiration - being in a position of influence to younger people. Having relatable role models studying subjects the learners were interested in, with similar life experiences, created fruitful and meaningful interactions and the development of a programme of activity which met the needs of the learners and gave them a sense of autonomy through the co-design process .

The learners involved identified a list of requirements which they have challenged Future Quest and their school to support them to address: Trips and Events which will educate more people about BAME opportunities and issues.

Support in how to ensure representation of BAME individuals is shown around their school Fundraising to attend BAME events.

Targeting stereotypes, providing role models of BAME students in a variety of subjects.

The school has supported the learners to set up a BAME network which will enable the students to continue to take leadership roles in improving BAME representation in their school.

The Future Quest mentors continue to support the learners to explore and develop activities to meet these objectives.

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Mental Health, Wellbeing and Resilience

Mental Health, Wellbeing and Resilience Of the activities that Future Quest offers to schools and colleges, the most in demand focus on mental health, wellbeing and resilience. The need for schools and colleges to support learners to access support has increased as people start to talk about their mental health more. Feedback from both learners and school staff led Future Quest to develop a set of activities that are delivered face to face, as well as a wealth of online resources to help support the needs of the learner, parents and carers and school staff.

Future Quest runs resilience and healthy behaviours workshops, introducing learners to the concept of resilience, the steps to take when dealing with a stressful situation and how to approach failure. Learners are introduced to resilience by exploring images and words associated with being resilient and by reflecting on how they may already demonstrate signs of resilience. The workshop outlines the steps to take when using resilience to deal with a stressful situation, which are then applied to a discussion about a case study around failure where empathy is encouraged.

The Developing Healthy Habits workshop focuses on developing proactive and positive behaviour towards challenging situations and building resilience. Learners explore and reflect on their own responses to particular challenges and identify helpful and unhelpful coping strategies, moving towards setting goals that will enable them to develop healthy habits relating to the themes of physical activity, relaxation, healthy eating and trying something new.

At UWE Bristol, mental health is a strategic priority. It plays a core part in shaping the university’s future for students, staff and partners in all aspects of university life. It looks at ways to make sure the experience is positive for them, providing an environment in which they are able to thrive. UWE Bristol wants their community to know that it’s okay not to feel okay and make it easy for them to get the help they need, when they need it, in a way that suits them.

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Mental Health, Wellbeing and Resilience

The need for schools and colleges to support learners to access support has increased as people start to talk about their mental health more.

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#IAmFirstGen

#IAmFirstGen Campaign According to The Telegraph ‘50% of students starting their degree in 2017 were the first in their family to go to university’. This was the first time the amount of first generation students have matched those who aren’t first generation[1].

Despite this seismic shift in the type of students accessing higher education, there is still a lack of positive role models who are from similar backgrounds.

This is where the idea of #IAmFirstGen was born, giving young people from first generation backgrounds strong and relatable role models.

UWE Bristol will forge connections both locally and nationally with people that were the first in their family to graduate and then went on to take on leadership positions in some incredible organisations.

‘As someone who is a first gen graduate I realised quite early on when I started at UWE there were not many others like me, most of my friends were from more traditional HE backgrounds and I felt really out of place. It wasn’t until I started working at The Students Union that I began to meet others with similar backgrounds to me, which was really important for me then (and now) to see that other people like me have not only gone through uni but worked their way up the university to be in leadership positions’ By telling these stories the transformative power can be shared on what higher education can bring to young people, especially those from first generation backgrounds.

Importantly for Future Quest, #IAmFirstGen doesn’t talk about building young people’s aspirations. The team notes how often young

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people have high aspirations regardless of their background and the evidence backs this up.

There is no clear link between aspiration and outcome – having higher aspirations does not make you more likely to succeed. Instead, Future Quest focuses on creating expectations of higher education and building self-confidence, constantly reminding learners that they are more than capable of achieving amazing things.

Having relatable role models that have had similar backgrounds and have gone on to lead organisations is one of the ways this can be done.

The role of #IAmFirstGen ambassadors and employers will be to share their experience of their background and from being the first in their family to graduate. Seeing the range of different career pathways will help learners to be equipped with the ‘know what’ and ‘know how’ to navigate higher education, as well as their future careers.

The #IAmFirstGen blog will curate a set of stories that help learners to see relatable role models.

The #IAmFirstGen campaign will liaise with employers to provide work experience and mentoring opportunities for first-in-family students, providing opportunities for students to experience different sectors and supportive mentors that provide encouragement and help when exploring career pathways.

#IAmFirstGen

Key Elements of UWE Bristol’s Social Mobility Contribution Through Future Quest Collaboration > Collaboration is at the heart of the Future Quest programme.

The motivation at every level has been to strive to achieve the best results for young people participating in the programme, always with the ultimate aim of setting the direction and standard for outreach provision across the city.

Impartiality > Design of the Future Quest programme was created impartially, specifically to address the city’s unique barriers. Time was spent with learners, school staff, parents and carers, listening to their needs and discussing possibilities. The findings lent themselves to co-designed programmes, embedded, fit for purpose, sustainable and accessible to all.

Personalisation > Enabling individual learners to build their own personal narratives for the future.

Role Models > Working with role models with similar backgrounds from the local community to show examples of what could be emulated.

Pathways > The Future Quest programme stresses the importance for a learner to have a clear pathway to a long-term destination Expectations > Future Quest focuses on expectations of a learner rather than aspirations, asking learners to consider whether a life outcome is likely or not. Expectations in disadvantaged groups tend to be much lower than their advantaged peers.

It wasn’t until I started working at The Students Union that I began to meet others with similar backgrounds to me, which was really important for me then (and now) to see that other people like me have not only gone through uni but worked their way up the university to be in leadership positions’ 21

Case Studies

Case Studies

Future Quest case study: the college programme Intro > In the early part of the programme Future Quest used a cohort-based approach by selecting small groups (15) of target learners from Years 9-13 in identified schools to work with on a progressive programme of activities. We expanded this cohort approach to the two colleges, City of Bristol College and SGS College, by embedding progression coordinators and identifying Uni Connect learners to form larger cohorts (50+) to attend four post 16 events hosted by the two Universities, UWE Bristol and University of Bristol through the academic year, as well as 1:1 progression support and mentoring and access to other opportunities through the Universities or partner organisations.

Challenge >

However, its delivery and evaluation teams highlighted towards the end of the first year that the cohort approach didn’t work as well in the college setting: numbers were too big, timetables were too varied and the learners didn’t form the same identity with their cohort as they did in the school, and were therefore less inclined to attend the events and were less impacted by activities.

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Approach > In response to this, the City of Bristol College progression coordinator proposed a new approach based on the identification of curriculum areas with high Uni Connect learner numbers, together with college data from curriculum areas where fewer students were progressing on to a higher education route than expected, and built a programme of activities around these; working closely with curriculum leads and study coaches on development and timetabling.

This targeted approach enables learners to build on their identity within their programme of study and form relationships and rapport with Future Quest coordinators through repeated interactions. Among the activities taking place are: exploration days (incorporating subject taster sessions, campus tours, study skills and personal statement writing workshops), workplace visits and experiences (including Houses of Parliament, Airbus, Tobacco Factory and Thorpe Park), HE pathways navigation and support, and 1:1 mentoring.

City of Bristol College have worked in collaboration with SGS College on the development of their Future Quest programmes and both colleges have tailored these to meet the specific needs of their students.

Case Studies

Result > A sustainable, embedded and collaborative programme has been developed within both of the colleges for the benefit of Future Quest students, which has the potential to influence practice across the institutions. It has been informed by college data together with Future Quest monitoring and evaluation data and has evolved within the life of the Uni Connect programme in rapid response to the needs of the learners.

An individual learner’s experience is summarised below: Georgia Farr, 19 and a NCOP student at City of Bristol College, has just been accepted onto a BA (Hons) Business Management and Marketing degree course at UWE Bristol. She has spent four years at City of Bristol College and credits the support she has received there to help her stay on track and achieve her aim of studying at university.

In Georgia’s first year at college, she began her Level 3 Business Technical qualification though, due to difficult personal circumstances, she was unable to complete the course. City of Bristol College referred her to Team, a Prince’s Trust programme that was being run through the college. It was a 12 week programme and it included a residential visit to Devon. During this course, Georgia’s confidence grew and she received support and guidance from a mentor that was assigned to her. At this point, she really doubted herself and her ability to go to university, even though she had always wanted to study business while she was at school.

The next academic year, Georgia returned to college to study a Level 2 Air Cabin Crew qualification. Although she enjoyed the course, she said, “I never felt passionate about it,” and she did not complete the programme.

In her third year, Georgia again started her Level 3 Business Technical qualification programme and she thrived. Due to her setbacks previously, she said she wanted to, “Go for the top grades,” and that, “She felt proud every time she received a distinction for my coursework.”

Georgia said that with her teachers and through her progression coordinator, she was able to explore progression routes ranging from different career options through to higher education and apprenticeships. She said, “When I started the course, I was a ‘maybe’ about university.

However, when I finished, I was a definite yes.

Some people said it would be a waste of time.

However, I realised it would help me get the knowledge and skills I need for the future, when hopefully I will run my own marketing business.”

During this time, Georgia also visited UWE Bristol for a Taster Day and worked with a team of students to deliver a presentation about how they would deliver an event. She said, “They made it feel like it was an actual lesson so we could imagine what it would feel like to be at UWE. We also had lots of presentations given to us by the business tutors from different courses, for instance business and finance, so we could see what they were like too.”

Georgia achieved a Distinction in her first year on her 90 Credit Diploma although, due to personal circumstances, she was unable to continue into her second year on the programme. She began to live independently in supported accommodation through Launchpad, close to UWE Bristol. Unfortunately, she could not receive funding for both the accommodation and a full time course at the same time, so she continued her studies part-time and began a Level 2 AAT accountancy qualification at City of Bristol College.

Her support at the college continued though; she felt respected by various members of staff and felt that they were all working together to support her. She approached her progression coordinator, with whom she worked when completing her Level 3 programme, to complete her UCAS application. She was encouraged to apply for the three-year degree course at UWE and reference her extenuating circumstances – she has now been offered a place for September 2020. Georgia said, “Without this support to make me feel like I could do it, I would have only applied for the Foundation programme.”

23

Action on C19

Action on C19 UWE Bristol responded quickly to the

changing situation in March 2020 and

quickly put together strategies to ensure its staff, students and wider community were safe and supported during the pandemic.

Staff A large number of the University’s staff managed the transition to remote working. This has involved many working flexibly around child care or caring duties, with the focus for UWE Bristol being on output not hours worked. It continues to have a core team on site supporting its students who remain living on campus.

Wellbeing is a significant focus, with all of its key messages from the Vice Chancellor including a note on wellbeing and it has developed a number of resources to support both students and staff that align to its Mental Wealth First strategy.

Staff have demonstrated their ability to adjust to the world of digital. In order to build on this momentum it has provided daily digital skills training sessions to colleagues across the campus with more than 500 colleagues engaged in these so far.

Students Teaching for the remainder of 2019/20 was online, and the University remained open, although the buildings were closed. It communicated alternative assessment arrangements for all students and ensured that this crisis did not negatively affect their final grade. It communicated regularly with students, paying particular attention to its most vulnerable students. The UWE Bristol Cares cohort of care leavers, estranged students and carers were all contacted individually to ensure they were safe and able to continue with their studies remotely. The University made sure that students had access to IT and provided financial support to those in need.

24

Some students remained living in University accommodation and it supported them by creating an online community to look after themselves and each other. Students who left UWE Bristol accommodation did not have to pay for their final term’s accommodation.

The University had already developed online and remote mental health support for students and staff and continued to promote its online counselling, the 24/7 crisis textline and to encourage students to use its SAM App to help understand and manage their anxiety.

Its employee assistance programme provided staff with additional support during this period.

As it moves into the new academic term, UWE Bristol is developing a blended approach to student learning, utilising digital and on-campus activities.

It has created an extended start for new and existing students to help them settle in. The programme will help them to engage with programme teams, their cohort and the University more widely in a low-risk environment, where they are free to experiment with new technologies, enhance their digital capabilities and build the confidence to succeed whether online or face to face. This builds on the University’s experiences of working digitally with its students, and with applicants during the past few months: digital engagement can be a positive step in helping young people to overcome social anxieties and build trust in each other and it saw strong engagement in its online and digital activities during lockdown.

Transitions both to university and from year-to-year are critical moments for students and are frequently remembered through their lives. These experiences are usually derived from meeting other staff and students as well as experiencing the culture of the university. Clearly, many students are concerned about what university will be like this year, in particular how teaching will run, how technology will be used and how they’ll interact with each other.

Block 0 is designed to allay some of these fears.

Data Analysis

Data Analysis England Analysis Part A: Social Mobility

When developing an action plan to boost social mobility and opportunities, it’s important to thoroughly understand the context of place, and the particular challenges certain communities face.

In this section of the Opportunity Action Plan we analyse the challenges those individual communities face in terms of social mobility and the impact of COVID-19. The combined and interlinking impact of those two elements enable us to quantify a community’s “Opportunity Gap”.

For the purposes of this analysis we have focused on Filton and Bradley Stoke which is the location for the UWE Bristol’s main campus, as well as the adjoining constituencies of Bristol East, Bristol North West and Bristol South.

Social Mobility research conducted in 323 local authorities in England and Wales shows the top 20% of local authorities are labelled as ‘hotspots’, areas where social mobility is good, and the bottom 20% of local authorities are identified as ‘coldspots’, areas where social mobility is poor.

It is important to note that just because an area is designated a hot or cold spot based on the current rankings, that is not the complete picture. An area which is a social mobility hotspot for most indices can also mask sharp decline in social mobility at different life stages such as early years.

These complexities highlight that social mobility cannot be tackled with a ‘one size fits all approach’. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the challenges those individual communities face is vital and we assess social mobility below through those life stages.

Overall Ranking Office Constituency

Ranking/533 constituencies

Campus

Filton & Bradley Stoke

216

Commuter location

Bristol East

366

Commuter location

Bristol North West

462

Commuter location

Bristol South

509

Commuter location

Bristol West

199

25

Early Years

182

Schools

392

Youth

313

Adulthood

39

26

England

Filton and Bradley Stoke

Filton and Bradley Stoke

Data Analysis Life Stage National Rank/533

Percentage of Nursery providers rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

94

93

Percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a good level of development

55

53

Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a primary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

84

83

Percentage of children eligible for FSM achieving at least the expected level in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2

32

39

Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a secondary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

78

72

Average Attainment 8 score for pupils eligible for FSM

34

39

Percentage of young people eligible for FSM that are not in education, employment or training (positive destination) after completing KS4

92

88

Average points score per entry for young people eligible for FSM at age 15 taking A-level or equivalent qualification

23

26

Percentage of young people eligible for FSM at age 15 achieving two or more A-Levels or equivalent by the age of 19

26

34

Median weekly salary of all employees who live in the local area

461

443

Average house prices compared to median annual salary of employees who live in the local area

7

8

Percentage of people that live in the local area who are in managerial and professional occupations

36

30

Percentage of jobs that are paid less than the applicable Living Wage Foundation living wage

16

25

Percentage of families with children who own their home

74

65

Data Analysis

Filton and Bradley Stoke Analysis Filton and Bradley Stoke is the constituency in which UWE Bristol has its campus. Three of its indicators are in the top 100 rankings and three are in the bottom 100; across all life stages, Filton and Bradley Stoke ranks at 216/533 on the Social Mobility Index.

Early Years

Youth Life Stage

At the early years life stage, Filton and Bradley Stoke performs well at 182/533. Ninety-four percent of nurseries in the constituency are rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted, slightly better than the national average of 93% and ranking Filton and Bradley Stoke as 242/533 for this measure. In the other measure for this life stage, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a ‘good level of development’, Filton and Bradley Stoke is ranked 208/533; 55% of those children achieve a good level compared to the national average of 53%.

The youth stage sees Filton and Bradley Stoke rise to rank at 313/533. Ninety-two percent of young people who were eligible for free schools find themselves in a positive destination (defined as being in education, employment, or training) after completing Key Stage 4. Twenty-six percent of FSMeligible young people will achieve two or more A Level or equivalent qualifications by age 19, those that do take A Levels will have an average points score per entry of 23.

Filton and Bradley Stoke ranks at 418 and 456 for these measures respectively.

School Life Stage

Adulthood Life Stage

Ranking at 392/533 at the school stage, Filton and Bradley Stoke are in the bottom 30% of constituencies. Eighty-four percent of pupils eligible for free school meals attend good or outstanding primary schools, but with only 32% of them achieving the expected level in reading, writing, and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, the national average being 39%. At secondary level, attendance of FSM eligible pupils at good or outstanding schools is 78%, making Filton and Bradley Stoke the 235th best constituency, and an average Attainment 8 score of 34 places Filton and Bradley Stoke as the 41st worst.

At the adulthood life stage, Filton and Bradley Stoke ranks best at 39/533. Just 16% of jobs pay less than the real living wage, the area’s best measure across all life stages, and average earnings are £461 weekly – the English average is £443.

Housing is 7 times the annualised salary, and home ownership is at 74%, the 78th best area for this measure.

The percentage of jobs in the area that are managerial and professional stands at 36%, ranking Filton and Bradley Stoke at 113/533 for this measure.

27

460

Schools

233

Youth

320

Adulthood

261

28

England

Early Years

Bristol East

Bristol East

Data Analysis Life Stage National Rank/533

Percentage of Nursery providers rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

91

93

Percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a good level of development

49

53

Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a primary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

89

83

Percentage of children eligible for FSM achieving at least the expected level in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2

41

39

Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a secondary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

78

72

Average Attainment 8 score for pupils eligible for FSM

35

39

Percentage of young people eligible for FSM that are not in education, employment or training (positive destination) after completing KS4

90

88

Average points score per entry for young people eligible for FSM at age 15 taking A-level or equivalent qualification

26

26

Percentage of young people eligible for FSM at age 15 achieving two or more A-Levels or equivalent by the age of 19

23

34

Median weekly salary of all employees who live in the local area

426

443

Average house prices compared to median annual salary of employees who live in the local area

8

8

Percentage of people that live in the local area who are in managerial and professional occupations

30

30

Percentage of jobs that are paid less than the applicable Living Wage Foundation living wage

24

25

Percentage of families with children who own their home

64

65

Data Analysis

Bristol East Analysis Bristol East is part of the city of Bristol. None of its indicators are in the top 100 rankings and one is in the bottom 100; across all life stages, Bristol East ranks at 366/533 on the Social Mobility Index.

Early Years Life Stage

Youth Life Stage

At the early years life stage, Bristol East performs poorly at 460/533. Ninety-one percent of nurseries in the constituency are rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted, worse than the national average of 93% and ranking Bristol East as 408/533 for this measure. In the other measure for this life stage, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a ‘good level of development’, Bristol East is ranked 418/533; 49% of those children achieve a good level compared to the national average of 53%.

The youth stage sees Bristol East fall to rank at 320/533. Ninety percent of young people who were eligible for free schools find themselves in a positive destination (defined as being in education, employment, or training) after completing Key Stage 4, but only 23% of FSM-eligible young people will achieve two or more A Level or equivalent qualifications by age 19.

Those that do take A Levels will have an average points score per entry of 26.

Bristol East ranks at 487 and 314 for these measures respectively.

School Life Stage Ranking at 233/533 at the school stage, Bristol East is in the top half of constituencies. Eightynine percent of pupils eligible for free school meals attend good or outstanding primary schools, with 41% of them achieving the expected level in reading, writing, and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, the national average being 39%. At secondary level, attendance of FSM eligible pupils at good or outstanding schools is high at 78%, making Bristol East the 234th best constituency, but an average Attainment 8 score of 35 places Bristol East at 427/533.

Adulthood Life Stage At the adulthood life stage, Bristol East ranks at 261/533. Although 76% of jobs pay at least the real living wage, average earnings are £426 weekly – the English average is £443. Housing is 8 times the annualised salary, the average, but home ownership is at 64%, below average. The percentage of jobs in the area that are managerial and professional stands at 30%, matching the average.

29

476

Schools

260

Youth

517

Adulthood

123

30

England

Early Years

Bristol North West

Data Analysis Life Stage National Rank/533

Percentage of Nursery providers rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

87

93

Percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a good level of development

54

53

Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a primary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

80

83

Percentage of children eligible for FSM achieving at least the expected level in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2

39

39

Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a secondary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

100

72

Average Attainment 8 score for pupils eligible for FSM

35

39

Percentage of young people eligible for FSM that are not in education, employment or training (positive destination) after completing KS4

80

88

Average points score per entry for young people eligible for FSM at age 15 taking A-level or equivalent qualification

24

26

Percentage of young people eligible for FSM at age 15 achieving two or more A-Levels or equivalent by the age of 19

25

34

Median weekly salary of all employees who live in the local area

440

443

Average house prices compared to median annual salary of employees who live in the local area

8

8

Percentage of people that live in the local area who are in managerial and professional occupations

41

30

Percentage of jobs that are paid less than the applicable Living Wage Foundation living wage

16

25

Percentage of families with children who own their home

58

65

Bristol North West

Data Analysis

Bristol North West Analysis Bristol North West makes up part of the City of Bristol’s Parliamentary constituencies. Three of its indicators are in the top 100 rankings and four are in the bottom 100; across all life stages, Bristol North West ranks at 462/533 on the Social Mobility Index. Bristol North West is the second worst of UWE Bristol’s areas, and a social mobility coldspot.

Early Years Life Stage

Youth Life Stage

At the early years life stage, Bristol North West performs poorly at 476/533. Only 87% of nurseries in the constituency are rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted, worse than the national average of 93% and ranking Bristol North West as the 32nd worst area for this measure. In the other measure for this life stage, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a ‘good level of development’, Bristol North West is ranked 250/533; 54% of those children achieve a good level compared to the national average of 53%.

The youth stage sees Bristol North West fall to its worst rank, at 517/533. Only 80% of young people who were eligible for free schools find themselves in a positive destination (defined as being in education, employment, or training) after completing Key Stage 4, the 12th worst area. Just 25% of FSM-eligible young people will achieve two or more A Level or equivalent qualifications by age 19, those that do take A Levels will have an average points score per entry of 24.

Bristol North West ranks at 438 and 380 for these measures respectively.

School Life Stage

Adulthood Life Stage

Ranking at 260/533 at the school stage, Bristol North West is in the top half of constituencies.

Although only 80% of pupils eligible for free school meals attend good or outstanding primary schools, 39% of them achieving the expected level in reading, writing, and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, matching the average.

At secondary level, attendance of FSM eligible pupils at good or outstanding schools is 100%, but an average Attainment 8 score of 35, below the 39 average, places Bristol North West at 461/533.

At the adulthood life stage, Bristol North West ranks at 123/533, its best ranking.

Only 16% of jobs pay less than the real living wage, although average earnings are £440 weekly – the English average is £443. Housing is the same cost as across England, but home ownership is lower at 58%, the 108th worst area for this measure.

The percentage of jobs in the area that are managerial and professional stands at 41%, ranking Bristol North West at 57/533 for this measure.

31

428

Schools

377

Youth

522

Adulthood

308

32

England

Early Years

Bristol North West

Data Analysis Life Stage National Rank/533

Percentage of Nursery providers rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

91

93

Percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a good level of development

50

53

Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a primary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

67

83

Percentage of children eligible for FSM achieving at least the expected level in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2

44

39

Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a secondary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

89

72

Average Attainment 8 score for pupils eligible for FSM

32

39

Percentage of young people eligible for FSM that are not in education, employment or training (positive destination) after completing KS4

87

88

Average points score per entry for young people eligible for FSM at age 15 taking A-level or equivalent qualification

17

26

Percentage of young people eligible for FSM at age 15 achieving two or more A-Levels or equivalent by the age of 19

23

34

Median weekly salary of all employees who live in the local area

418

443

Average house prices compared to median annual salary of employees who live in the local area

8

8

Percentage of people that live in the local area who are in managerial and professional occupations

27

30

Percentage of jobs that are paid less than the applicable Living Wage Foundation living wage

19

25

Percentage of families with children who own their home

59

65

Bristol South

Data Analysis

Bristol South Analysis Bristol South is part of the City of Bristol’s constituencies.

None of its indicators are in the top 100 rankings but four are in the bottom 100; across all life stages, Bristol South ranks at 509/533 on the Social Mobility Index. It is the worst of UWE Bristol’s locations, and a social mobility coldspot.

Early Years Life Stage

Youth Life Stage

At the early years life stage, Bristol South performs poorly at 428/533. Ninety-one percent of nurseries in the constituency are rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted, worse than the national average of 93% and ranking Bristol South as 383/533 for this measure.

In the other measure for this life stage, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a ‘good level of development’, Bristol South is ranked 382/533; 50% of those children achieve a good level compared to the national average of 53%.

The youth stage sees Bristol South fall to its worst ranking, at 522/533. Eighty-seven percent of young people who were eligible for free schools find themselves in a positive destination (defined as being in education, employment, or training) after completing Key Stage 4. Only 23% of FSM-eligible young people will achieve two or more A Level or equivalent qualifications by age 19, those that do take A Levels will have an average points score per entry of 17. Bristol South ranks as the 34th and fifth worst for these measures respectively.

School Life Stage Ranking at 377/533 at the school stage, Bristol South is in the bottom 30% of constituencies.

Only 67% of pupils eligible for free school meals attend good or outstanding primary schools, but 44% of them achieving the expected level in reading, writing, and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, the national average being 39%. At secondary level, attendance of FSM eligible pupils at good or outstanding schools is 89%, making Bristol South the 140th best constituency, but an average Attainment 8 score of 32 places Bristol South as the 15th worst constituency.

Adulthood Life Stage At the adulthood life stage, Bristol South ranks at 308/533. Only 19% of jobs pay less than the real living wage, but average earnings are £418 weekly – the English average is £443. Housing is 8 times the annualised salary but home ownership is at 59%, the 416 area for this measure.

The percentage of jobs in the area that are managerial and professional stands at 27%, ranking Bristol South at 350/533 for this measure.

33

222

Schools

363

Youth

230

Adulthood

58

34

England

Early Years

Bristol West

Bristol West

Data Analysis Life Stage National Rank/533

Percentage of Nursery providers rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

93

93

Percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a good level of development

55

53

Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a primary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

64

83

Percentage of children eligible for FSM achieving at least the expected level in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2

38

39

Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a secondary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted

71

72

Average Attainment 8 score for pupils eligible for FSM

41

39

Percentage of young people eligible for FSM that are not in education, employment or training (positive destination) after completing KS4

88

88

Average points score per entry for young people eligible for FSM at age 15 taking A-level or equivalent qualification

27

26

Percentage of young people eligible for FSM at age 15 achieving two or more A-Levels or equivalent by the age of 19

34

34

Median weekly salary of all employees who live in the local area

507

443

Average house prices compared to median annual salary of employees who live in the local area

9

8

Percentage of people that live in the local area who are in managerial and professional occupations

44

30

Percentage of jobs that are paid less than the applicable Living Wage Foundation living wage

13

25

Percentage of families with children who own their home

52

65

Data Analysis

Bristol West Analysis Bristol West is one of the constituencies that makes up the City of Bristol. Three of its indicators are in the top 100 rankings and two are in the bottom 100; across all life stages, Bristol West ranks at 199/533 on the Social Mobility Index – the best of UWE Bristol’s locations.

Early Years Life Stage

Youth Life Stage

At the early years life stage, Bristol West performs well at 222/533. Ninety-three percent of nurseries in the constituency are rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted, matching the national average. In the other measure for this life stage, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a ‘good level of development’, Bristol West is ranked 216/533; 55% of those children achieve a good level compared to the national average of 53%.

The youth stage sees Bristol West rise to rank at 230/533. Eighty-eight percent of young people who were eligible for free schools find themselves in a positive destination (defined as being in education, employment, or training) after completing Key Stage 4. Thirty-four percent of FSM-eligible young people will achieve two or more A Level or equivalent qualifications by age 19, and those that do take A Levels will have an average points score per entry of 27. Bristol West ranks at 208 and 214 for these measures respectively.

School Life Stage Ranking at 363/533 at the school stage, this is Bristol West’s worst area. Although a very low amount (64%) of pupils eligible for free school meals attend good or outstanding primary schools, 38% of them achieve the expected level in reading, writing, and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, the national average being 39%. At secondary level, attendance of FSM eligible pupils at good or outstanding schools is 71%, below average, but an average Attainment 8 score of 41 places Bristol West at 123/533.

Adulthood Life Stage At the adulthood life stage, Bristol West ranks very highly, at 58/533. Only 13% of jobs pay less than the real living wage, consequently average earnings are £507 weekly – the English average is £443. Housing is 9 times the annualised salary, and home ownership is lower at 52%, the 56th worst area for this measure. The percentage of jobs in the area that are managerial and professional stands at 44%, ranking Bristol West at 35/533 for this measure.

35

Data Analysis

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic is varied across the UK. This has a worrying impact for social mobility in the United Kingdom.

36

Data Analysis

UWE Bristol Analysis Part B: COVID-19 As well as considering the social mobility baseline for a community, our analysis also reflects the developing impact of Coronavirus on opportunity. The Office for Budget Responsibility’s Covid Reference Scenario predicts that the economy of the United Kingdom will contract by 35%, with unemployment potentially peaking at 10 million.

But just like the issue of social immobility, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is varied across the UK. While the 35% national average figure is high in itself, it is the case that some areas – predominantly in the North West and Midlands – will see their economic growth reduce by almost 50%. Only one of the twenty hardest hit areas are in the South East or London.

In addition to the significant diversity of geographic impact estimated by the Centre for Progressive Policy, the Resolution Foundation point to previous data suggesting that there is likely to be a large impact on those leaving full time education and graduating into an economy in the midst of turmoil. In the 2008 Recession, the unemployment rate across the whole population rose from 5.2% in 2007 to 8.5% in 2011; for those with GCSE equivalent qualifications the unemployment figures were 22% in 2007 and 32% in 2011.

An exacerbating factor for those leaving full time education without a degree is the varied impact of the virus on different sectors of the economy.

While sectors such as financial sectors will emerge from the coronavirus pandemic relatively

unscathed, with a contraction of just -5%, sectors like retail and hospitality, which have a higher proportion of workers who haven’t completed higher education, will contract by -50% and -85% respectively.

So the data suggests a varied and profound impact across locations, ages, and education levels. This has a worrying impact for social mobility in the United Kingdom, as we predict that 8 out of 14 measures used to calculate social mobility will be impacted. We have combined existing place based social mobility analysis with the predicted impact of coronavirus to estimate the size of a communities developing “Opportunity Gap” and ranked these throughout England.

From our analysis we believe that there are 16 areas in England at risk of a ‘double opportunity hit’: already amongst the worst areas for social mobility, they are going to be particularly badly hit by coronavirus. These areas are Babergh, Bolsover, Broxtowe, Cannock Chase, Corby, Crawley, East Cambridgeshire, East Northamptonshire, Erewash, Melton, North Warwickshire, Norwich, Rutland, South Derbyshire, Tamworth and Wellingborough.

Local Authority

Opportunity Gap

Ranking

Corby

318

1

South Derbyshire

310

2

Wellingborough

308

3

Melton

306

4

North Warwickshire

296

5

South Gloucestershire

142

186

City of Bristol

132.5

201

37

Data Analysis

South Gloucestershire’s Economy Sector

1

2

3

GVA (£m)

196

2193

134

GVA (&)

1.7

19.4

1.2

9.9

Decline (%)

-85

-40

-17

-70

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

716

366

765

1247

618

1076

953

509

775

172

4.3

6.3

3.2

6.8

11.0

5.5

9.5

8.4

4.5

6.8

1.5

-90

-5

+50

-45

-55

-40

-20

-20

-35

-50

-60

1120 484

South Gloucestershire’s Largest Sectors Sector GVA (£m)

Administrative and support

Manufacturing

Construction

Public admin

Real Estate

2193

1247

1120

1076

953

Biggest Impacted Sectors Sector Predicted Decline

Education

Accommodation and food

Construction

Other services

Manufacturing

-90%

-85%

-70%

-60%

-55%

South Gloucestershire’s biggest sectors are administrative and support services, manufacturing, construction, public administration and defence, and real estate. Two of these, manufacturing and construction, are also in the worst impacted sectors, with two in the least impacted sectors. A large health sector has been noted as being able to provide a buffer to COVID-induced shocks in the economy; in South Gloucestershire the health sector makes up 3.2% of the economy, the fourth smallest sector. In South Gloucestershire, economic growth is predicted to decline by 39.7% - this is worse than the 35% contraction across the UK as whole.

Although facing severe economic reduction, South Gloucestershire’s strong position on the Social Mobility Index is able to provide somewhat of a shield against Opportunity Gaps, although we still predict that an Opportunity Gap of 142 points will arise, the 186th largest in England.

Sector Key 1 Accommodation and food services 2 Administrative and support services 3 Agriculture, mining, electricity, gas, water and waste 4 Construction 5 Education 6 Financial and insurance activities 7 Human health and social work activities 8 Information and communication 9 Manufacturing 10 Professional, scientific, and technical activities 11 Public administration and defence 12 Real estate activities 13 Transportation and storage 14 Wholesale and retail (including repair of motor vehicles) 15 Other

38

Data Analysis

City of Bristol’s Economy Sector

1

2

3

4

5

GVA (£m)

345

688

386

809

957

GVA (&)

2.4

4.8

2.7

5.7

6.7

9.3

9.2

Decline (%)

-85

-40

-17

-70

-90

-5

+50

6

7

8

1322 1301 886

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

550

1498 857

1776

538

1754

523

6.2

3.9

10.6

6.0

12.5

3.8

12.4

3.7

-45

-55

-40

-20

-20

-35

-50

-60

City of Bristol’s Largest Sectors Sector GVA (£m)

Real Estate

Wholesale and retail

Professional activities

Financial and insurance

Human health

1776

1754

1498

1322

1301

Biggest Impacted Sectors Sector Predicted Decline

Education

Accommodation and food

Construction

Other services

Manufacturing

-90%

-85%

-70%

-60%

-55%

Bristol’s biggest sectors are real estate, wholesale and retail, professional services, financial and insurance, and human health and social work. None of these are in the worst impacted sectors, while three (real estate, financial and insurance, and human health) are in the least impacted sectors. A large health sector has been noted as being able to provide a buffer to COVID-induced shocks in the economy; in Bristol, the health sector makes up 9.2% of the economy and is the fifth largest sector. Bristol’s economic growth is therefore predicted to decline by ‘just’ 33.0% - this is better than the 35% contraction across the UK as whole.

Taking into consideration the smaller than average economic reduction in Bristol, as well as its slightly weaker position on the Social Mobility Index, we predict that an Opportunity Gap of 132.5 points will arise, the 109th smallest in England.

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Insight & Assessment

Insight & Assessment UWE Bristol’s Future Quest project improves the prospects of those young

people that are influenced by it. It is committed to working with its partners

to reach out to communities that are furthest away from a level playing field and to equipping them with the tools that will not only help them get into university but also to flourish when they get there.

Future Quest is a gold standard for outreach projects. It features inspiring ambassadors and the impact of mentoring and outreach programmes is clearly increased by harnessing people who themselves have benefitted from social mobility.

It removes barriers to social mobility by building informed and well-evidenced processes that ensure factors preventing social mobility, including mental health issues, are minimised. It has made particular efforts to reach its BAME community.

It is able to influence others as it capitalises on its resources, experience and good reputation to help shape social mobility practices in other education facilities. It provides guidance and support for employers in creating clear and accessible pathways towards potential fulfilment. It works collaboratively with its partners in public and private sector bodies and fellow higher education establishments, recognising the University’s crucial role as an agent for change.

Projects like Future Quest ensure that no one is left behind in being able to access higher education. It delivers information and support to those communities who have little or no connection with higher education and provides young people, and their parents and carers, with options for their future.

It goes further than just offering details on universities. It creates a culture of understanding of how and why going to university could be a good thing. It builds up skills and confidence which will be valuable throughout their lives and those it reaches through its #IAmFirstGen campaign begin to truly identify themselves as potential students and employees, with pathways that can change their lives.

However, the communities it reaches out to are precisely those which would benefit from a long

By the end of July 2019 Future Quest had engaged with

5100 eligible learners It undertook 245 different activities It engaged in 6000 hours of interaction

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Insight & Assessment

term approach. Future Quest will best serve the community and truly level up opportunities for its young people if it can take root and grow.

Its effects will undoubtedly be cumulative and it should be allowed to embed in that local community. Intervention always takes time to be effective and it is unlikely that the four year funding it has been allocated will enable it to demonstrate its real value. It needs to be able to become a systemic fix for this community.

A business would typically have a 25 year investment strategy and we should begin to consider similar time frames for other programmes.

There needs to be an articulation of long term programmes that have the potential to provide long term solutions. Of course it is crucial that outcomes are quantified and properly assessed but that needs to be over a longer period of time within a wider framework.

Future Quest will best serve the community and truly level up opportunities for its young people if it can take root and grow.

Following coronavirus, perhaps now is the time to review the length that projects should be given to prove themselves. Economic recovery from the pandemic is likely to take years and disadvantaged communities will be badly served by a never-ending series of short term fixes. Piecemeal funding does not allow organisations to plan ahead effectively.

Communities need to have time to be able to trust new schemes and projects when it is all too common for our political system to embrace the new with each administration change, to allow our elected representatives to reap the reputational rewards.

Future Quest not only enables more disadvantaged people to go to university, it also levels up those communities by giving them access to

the opportunities that university can offer. It connects them up with potential employers and life experiences that can change their lives. It can also change their communities, improving the local and national economy by upskilling those who might otherwise have remained in low-skilled, low-paid jobs. It is an unrealised gain for the region as it makes sure that the talent that undoubtedly exists there is not wasted. The impact of COVID 19 will be significant on already disadvantaged communities so it is even more important that the project can continue to develop and respond to local circumstances. UWE Bristol has shown that this model works and could be replicated by other universities across the country. It just requires a new patient style of politics to allow it to establish itself as an invaluable and long term resource for Bristol.

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Recommendation

Recommendation Maximum impact, long term investment The Social Mobility Pledge is working with over 500 businesses and universities to ensure that, no matter where they are born or what their start in life, everyone has access to the same opportunities. It is encouraging them to adopt a purpose-led approach, with determined leadership and a strategic approach to achieve that for the long term.

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Recommendation

projects that can be initiated by other universities.

It should contribute to developing a blueprint that can be used by other levelling up universities, not just in the west of England but across the country, particularly in social mobility coldspots.

The University could also consider how it can further target access opportunities to identified underrepresented groups, increase their length and breadth of early engagement and further develop progression tracking and development targets for those involved in outreach access programmes.

It should acknowledge that these will be longterm projects with measurable targets. Above all, it should replicate the collaborative approach that has already delivered early results in the Bristol area, searching out organisations - schools, colleges, local authorities, charities and businesses - in its extensive outreach and widening participation activities. Consideration should be given to how universities can link up with businesses already signed up to the Social Mobility Pledge to strengthen the initiative’s offer on employability.

Those relationships are therefore much more embedded within the community, encouraging trust and long term results.

This report demonstrates how effective UWE Bristol’s successful outreach project, Future Quest, is in developing relationships with those local communities who are furthest away from a level playing field so that they are able to make better informed decisions about their future. It allows them to consider a life beyond that of their parents’, enabling them to access opportunities that previously would not have been available to them. Working with the Social Mobility Pledge, we recommend that UWE Bristol should develop a campaign called ‘Maximum impact, long term investment’ campaign as part of its commitment to the national recovery following coronavirus.

Our research has indicated that Bristol North West and Bristol South will be social mobility coldspots as a result of the impact of COVID 19.

This situation is likely to hit young people and the most disadvantaged in these areas the hardest so it is even more crucial that the University continues its important work in levelling up the community of which it is part. BAME communities are more likely not only to be directly affected by the pandemic itself but also by its social and economic impact and the University should continue to work with the Social Mobility Pledge to explore what further work can be done to improve prospects for these particular communities.

It is clear that outreach projects require time to bed into the communities in which they operate and build on the cumulative experience that is acquired during that process. Young people and their families need to see the potential of these schemes through lived experience and through role models from their communities who have gone through the system and benefited from it. UWE Bristol should be an advocate for long term investment in Future Quest in the Bristol area so that it can continue to build on its success to date and also for similar outreach

The role of universities in the country’s recovery from coronavirus will be crucial. They can deliver highly educated, highly skilled young people back into their communities who will in turn prosper from having the ideas, innovation and skills that they will bring with them. UWE Bristol is already helping to deliver this in its own region and the ‘Maximum Impact, long term investment’ campaign will enable it not only to continue its valuable work locally but to disseminate a blueprint that will allow other universities to follow suit.

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