« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Context
The educational maintenance allowance ( EMA), introduced in 2004 1, provides financial assistance to 16-19 year olds from low income families who attend school or college full time. Its original purpose was to increase participation and retention in post-16 education and more recently it has been viewed as a tool to prevent young people from becoming 'Not in Education Employment and Training' ( NEET).
It is estimated that 35,000 young people between the ages of 16-19 fall into the NEET category and it has been found that financial incentives can be an important factor in encouraging those at risk of becoming NEET to consider their education, employment and training options.
The EMA comprises a means-tested weekly allowance payable fortnightly during term time and twice yearly bonuses. These are paid directly to the student on satisfactory adherence to a learning agreement made between the young person and the educational establishment.
Aims of the Research
This research was conducted to gather evidence of young people's awareness and experience of the EMA. The work, commissioned by the Scottish Executive's Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department, aimed to assess the EMA's impact on young people's choices and pathways, in particular to assess if EMAs prevent young people becoming NEET.
Research Approach
The research combined qualitative and quantitative approaches to collect data and the views of 37 stakeholders and 229 young people across 23 schools and 6 colleges in 5 local authority areas.
Interviews with EMA co-ordinators in schools, bursary officers in colleges, EMA lead contacts in Education Authorities and officers in the Scottish Funding Council gathered views and experiences of administering and processing the EMA and the effect it had on young people.
Three groups of young people - 14/15year olds, 16+ year olds EMA recipients and 16+ year olds not in receipt of the EMA were interviewed and surveyed about their EMA awareness and experience. Schools and colleges selected young people for inclusion in the research and amongst the group of consultees they were asked to involve those young people at risk of becoming NEET.
Main Findings
- A range of promotional activities were used to raise awareness of the EMA amongst school pupils. These varied as a result of the financial and human resources that were available and the existence of local promotional opportunities. EMA marketing occurred in the summer term, due to the practicalities of the application process. The timing of the promotion reflects the fact that the EMA was not positioned as a NEET prevention tool at the local and area level
- The EMA conditions were applied differently between EAs, within schools in the same EA and between FE Colleges, due to a range of factors like different monitoring systems, the amount of control exhibited by the EA, the levels of discretion in schools and the interpretation of Scottish Executive Guidance
- EMA awareness and understanding was poor amongst 14/15 year olds. Awareness was normally as a result of being involved in the research or knowing friends of family members in receipt of the EMA. The majority of 14/15 year olds involved in the research could not be considered 'at risk' of becoming NEET, most had aspirations to go to university, college or some form of training. For those who did not have clear plans, a financial incentive like the EMA was considered an influential factor
- The majority of EMA recipients were studying Highers and had planned to stay on at school, regardless of the financial allowance. The payments gave recipients greater financial independence, less need to work part time and provided them with more time to study. It did mean that the majority of theses pupils did not experience the positive benefits of part time work. The EMA was predominantly spent on personal items and activities. There was no stigma attached to receiving the EMA
- There were mixed views about the effect of the EMA. Some pupils felt that the weekly allowance helped them to attend more regularly and increased their punctuality and some felt that working towards the bonus motivated them to study harder
- College students tended to place greater importance on the influence of the EMA on their post-16 choices. These students also used the EMA to meet study and travel costs or contribute to general household income and expenditure
- Parental advice/expectation along with career or HE aspirations were the key influencers in post-16 pathways. These were always interconnected with other factors like educational ability, school experience and specific course requirements. Less influential, but still identifiable considerations were: uncertainty and indecision which led to maintaining the status quo, readiness to move into a different learning or working environment and the EMA
- The EMA had some less positive effects, mainly the administrative workload attached to it, a sense of unfairness that existed amongst non- EMA recipients and in some cases it encouraged a small group of young people to stay on at school when alternative EET routes were more appropriate
- A number of positive EMA effects were identified, including the improvement in the attendance and punctuality of some young people, increased retention in colleges, increased personal responsibility of young people and important financial support for college students
- EMAs seemed to provide financial incentive to those students who do not need to be encouraged to stay on in education. The EMA was not an influential factor for the majority of young people in this study. However, the involvement of a low number of pupils at risk of becoming NEET has meant that the research has found limited evidence to ascertain whether the EMA is having an impact on preventing young people in Scotland from becoming NEET
« Previous | Contents | Next »