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Appendix 3 Background to Telephone Interviews with the Scottish Councils' Education Industry Network Members
Purpose of interviews
The prime purpose of these interviews is to identify if, and how, learning from part-time work is being used currently and to explore the potential for its use to be increased. Are there relevant initiatives in Scotland, for example in vocational education, or as a result of Agreements for Excellence and increased curriculum flexibility, that might link to the part-time work experiences of school pupils? Are there existing models that might be applied to the recognition of the part-time employment experiences of schools pupils? These might be seen in ways in which other 'out of school' experiences are drawn into the pupil's formal learning in school, for example through formal work experience, extra-curricular activities such as Young Enterprise or voluntary work linked to citizenship.
A second purpose is to provide evidence on the nature and extent of relevant initiatives across local authorities in order that this might be considered as one of the factors when choosing the localities for the planned focused studies.
Details of what SCEIN members may be able to provide
Members of SCEIN are commonly part of their authority's educational development and advisory support services, and will have a responsibility for enterprise in education in some way. Remits vary. Some have a very wide, but related remit, for example, enterprise in education + EPSD + Citizenship + Guidance; others will have enterprise in education alone; some will have enterprise in education + science and technology, for example, in their remit. It depends very much on the size of the authority how remits are divided up. Their individual responses will, therefore, need to be considered in the light of the range and nature of their responsibilities. There is also a difference between those who have a clearly strategic function where much of the developments are at a school level - and those who are also operational. The second group are more likely to have a clearer idea of what is actually happening at school level.
All SCEIN members have systems for consulting and informing schools in their areas, and these interviews are intended to prompt interviewees to use these networks to seek further information on the nature and extent of relevant current developments in ways that will be useful to the research. There will be a second stage contact to pick up on information gleaned by SCEIN members' subsequent contacts.
Other links
The HMIe inspection task on Cross-sectoral Provision for Young People is likely to provide related information (blank copies of the questionnaires used are attached). It is hoped that the research team may be able to access relevant data (although it is important to note that the situation in authorities is very fluid and the data for this survey was collected in the summer of 2003).
Analysis
The analysis will provide a thematic interpretation of interviews and will give a snapshot of current related developments across authorities.
Draft telephone interview schedule:SCEIN members
Note: These interviews will be semi-structured and exploratory in nature. Listed below are examples of areas that are likely to be touched on as part of these interviews.
1. Introduction
- Explanation to interviewee of purpose of research, links to the survey of school pupils; to Chief Executive contacts re permits; to recognition of part-time employment experiences. Clarification as required
- Explain the need to map the situation in authorities to assist with the choice of localities for focused studies.
1. Status of information provided
- Research team will have full access to data to allow use for choice of localities for focused studies.
- Aggregated data to show picture of provision and developments across Scotland without identifying authorities to be produced.
- Any particularly sensitive areas (or ones that would identify an authority or respondent inappropriately) to be noted as they occurred.
2. Remit of SCEIN respondent
- Aspects of work eg enterprise, world of work, guidance, EPSD, employer links etc
- Nature of role eg balance between strategic and operational
- Who else in the authority might be involved in related developments
3. Part-time employment definition
Confirmed as 'any paid employment including family-based work'. Clarification of definition if required. (Definition provided in advance in briefing papers for interview).
4. Part-time employment
- General attitudes and issues at authority level? At school level? (eg extent to which seen as positive or negative, types of impact noted on individuals and schools etc)
- Links with permit system at authority level? At school level?
- Links between part-time employment and monitoring of attendance?
5. 'Recognition' of part-time employment
Using the 5 possible models of recognition (sent under confidential heading to the SCEIN respondents as part of prior briefing):
- Extent to which currently happening re part-time employment. Any examples of good practice/contacts.
- Extent to which likely to be seen as desirable (and by whom)
- What would be needed to make each model work; factors helping and hindering.
- Issues re young people with special needs
- Any useful contacts or key informants
- Put models in order of priority re feasibility
6. Part-time employment - other issues
Any other issues re part-time employment if not already covered (eg differing attitudes in rural/urban areas; links with guidance/individual monitoring; differing attitudes re young people under and over 16; perceived impact on attainment; perceived impact on school-related activities such as sports, supported study, Young Enterprise; parental attitudes and expectations)
7. Work experience
- General attitudes and issues at authority level? At school level?
- Health and safety approval issues
- Use five models of 'recognition' applied to work experience, as above
i. Extent to which currently happening re work experience. Any examples of good practice/contacts.
ii. Extent to which likely to be seen as desirable (and by whom)
iii. What would be needed to make each model work; factors helping and hindering.
iv. Issues re young people with special needs
v. Any useful contacts or key informants
9. Vocational links/college linked qualification/college links
- Extent and nature of these links to schooling; age and stage; flexibility in curriculum; 'recognition' element of these experiences; qualifications
- If no current 'recognition', the extent to which it is seen as desirable or feasible (by whom?)
- Extent to which school/authority leads in developing these links
- Issues for young people with special needs
10. Voluntary/unpaid work/other 'out of school' experiences
- Extent and nature of these links to schooling; 'recognition' element of these experiences.
- Check any use of young people's self-employment experiences
- Issues for young people with special needs
- If no 'recognition', extent to which this is likely to be seen as desirable or feasible (by whom?)
11. Comparison with other authorities
(If time allows - to be handled sensitively)
- Perceived differences in approach comparing own authority with others
- Focus of authority in Enterprise in Education Plan
12. Any other relevant issues or additional comments from interviewee
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