Game Changer

Delivery organisation – Real Ideas Organisation

Project contact – Lenna Bithell  | lenna.bithell@realideas.org | 0845 862 1288 | Devonport Guildhall, Ker St, Plymouth PL1 4EL

Introduction to organisation

In 2007 a renegade unit was formed; they escaped from regular every day jobs and set up base across the south west of England. Ten years on, wanted by Government Departments, national funding bodies, the public sector, schools and corporate clients, they survive today as innovators, pioneers and social entrepreneurs.

If you have a calling, if no other employer feels right, and if you have what we’re looking for, maybe you should join the RIO team…

As you might have guessed, at RIO we do business differently; we’re not your usual bunch of weary co-workers dutifully shuffling paperwork and clockwatching till 5pm. We’re an energetic, passionate and creative team; our hands are always getting dirty delivering real change for people and communities, and our collective fingers are in a broad range of pies – from education, regeneration and transforming public services, to supporting new business start-ups and even baking bread.

We deliver strategic contracts, we run our own projects and we use our skills and knowledge to help other folk do the same. The work is broad and varied, so you’ll never get bored!

We firmly believe in using our powers for good and addressing social problems; finding solutions that are co-designed and co-produced by the people we work with.

Project summary

Game Changer will transform the lives of 1035 young people living in challenging circumstances in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly today. It will support them to overcome the complex challenges they face; understand their individual aptitudes and interests; develop skills and experiences; build connectivity and networks; resulting in at least 55% of them moving into work or long term learning.

Specifically, Game Changer will deliver four outcomes:

• Participants are better equipped to address their personal barriers to engagement.
• Participants report increased confidence and well-being.
• Participants report increased knowledge and confidence in their plans for future careers.
• Participants are ready to re-enter mainstream education, employment or apprenticeships

To do this, we are harnessing an extensive network of local businesses, voluntary and third sector providers, schools, NHS, housing associations, innovators and sector specialists who will work together to transform the lives of 1035 15 – 24 year olds. In addition, Game Changer will build innovative, on-going ways of working to sustain beyond BBO funding.

Who will benefit and how will it work

The process of growing up, becoming independent, developing resilience and reaching your potential is challenging for all young people. For those who struggle with drug or alcohol dependency, mental health issues, disability, experiences in the care sector or similar, complex circumstances, the journey is even more difficult.

Game Changer will work with:

15/16 year olds at the Acorn Academy, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly’s PRU, all of whom have been excluded from mainstream schools

Disengaged 15/16 year olds in Liskeard School plus two others, who are at risk of becoming NEET

• 16 – 18 year old care leavers, reached through Cornwall Neighbourhoods For Change
• 16 – 18 year olds who are home educated, reached through BF Adventure
• 16 – 18 year olds with mental health issues, reached through Pentreath Industries and referrals
• 18 – 24 year olds currently on Talent Match, who are long term unemployed and need additional support to move forward
• Unemployed or economically inactive 18 – 24 year olds referred by JCP, Devon & Cornwall Housing, PLUSS, Headstart, Careers South West
• ‘Hidden’ 18 – 24 year olds, who are unemployed or economically inactive, reached by Game Changer via peer networks, through social media and other personal contacts

34 young people, who have experienced a number of the challenges described above, have co-designed the Game Changer programme. Their insights have led to the Game Changer programme, which offers a powerful mix of:

• Personal support, through a Game Changer Navigator, a personal coach/mentor who will support and guide an individual’s journey. In some cases, the Navigator will be an existing coach or mentor, or the young person will be assigned a Navigator when they join Game Changer.
• Individually tailored, challenge based learning opportunities for young people to better understand their interests, aptitudes and talents and develop new skills.
• Bespoke, individual and small group employment experiences including short, ‘taster’ opportunities; 5 – 10 day work challenges; and longer individual work placements. 60/70 companies, across 7 key growth sectors in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have already agreed to provide employment experiences, with the Chamber of Commerce providing links to many more companies, organisations and opportunities to respond to the needs of every individual young person.
• Specific programmes that respond to particularly complex individual situations, including those experienced by young people in the care system; those with significant mental health issues; and young people who are electively home educated.

This project is funded by the Big Lottery until December 2019.

Participant eligibility – Young People aged 15 to 24 the in Cornwall & the IoS who are NEET or at risk of NEET

Referral routes – It is expected that the majority of referrals will be via Talent Match Cornwall, Liskeard School, Acorn Academy, Pentreath, BF Adventures, CN4C, DCH, Headstart, PLUSS, JCP and will be fed directly into RIO via Kate Reed on kate.reed@realideas.org

Delivery Partners

Cornwall Marine Network (CMN) will work with the Marine sector to innovate and strategically work towards a step change within the sector by working with young people.
They will practically influence and enable employers to create and increase the range of interactions and opportunities for young people to explore the sector and create pathways to employment and careers

Creative Kernow will work with the Creative sector to innovate and strategically work towards a step change within the sector by working with young people.
They will practically influence and enable employers to create and increase the range of interactions and opportunities for young people to explore the sector and create pathways to employment and careers

Cornwall College / Software Cornwall will work with the Construction and Digital sectors to innovate and strategically work towards a step change within the sector by working with young people.
They will practically influence and enable employers to create and increase the range of interactions and opportunities for young people to explore the sector and create pathways to employment and careers.

Cornwall Food Foundation will work with the Food and Hospitality sector to innovate and strategically work towards a step change within the sector by working with young people.
They will practically influence and enable employers to create and increase the range of interactions and opportunities for young people to explore the sector and create pathways to employment and careers

The Eden Project will work with the Tourism and Hospitality sector to innovate and strategically work towards a step change within the sector by working with young people.
They will practically influence and enable employers to create and increase the range of interactions and opportunities for young people to explore the sector and create pathways to employment and careers

Creative Kernow will work with the Creative sector to innovate and strategically work towards a step change within the sector by working with young people.
They will practically influence and enable employers to create and increase the range of interactions and opportunities for young people to explore the sector and create pathways to employment and careers

Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change will offer support to care leavers that are NEET or at risk of NEET, helping them to recognise and overcome the barriers that they have that prevent them from engaging in EET

BF Adventures will work with Electively Home Educated young people to support them through the process of recognising and addressing their barriers to EET.

Acorn Academy will be referring pupils from their establishment to allow them to begin to work through the process of re-intergrating with mainstream education.

White Gold will provide individual support to project participants who have a history of offending behaviour or are at risk of offending to enable them to fully engage and benefit from Game Changer

Cornwall Chamber Of Commerce will engage with employers to increase visibility of the programme and to enlist their support and investment in it with the aim to creating sustainability to the project.