Plus ça change...? Innovation and continuity in UK youth employment policy during the Great Recession

In response to rising youth unemployment in the context of the Great Recession, the UK introduced since 2010 numerous policy innovations in of its youth transitional labour market policy, focusing especially on Active Labour Market Policies (ALMPs) and Vocational Education and Training (VET). But is the intense reform activity indicative of a significant path-shift in policy trajectory in a direction of greater social investment, when considered against the UK’s pre-crisis institutional legacy? Focusing on key measures implemented in England between 2010 and 2015, we draw on Hall (1993) ‘degrees of change’ conceptual framework to analyse the content of recent policy innovations and assess their relative degree of continuity with the UK’s characteristic features as a ‘liberal youth transitions’ regime (Pohl and Walther, 2007). We find that despite significant changes in policy instruments’ design, the UK’s policy goals and overall youth transition model exhibit striking continuity with the pre-crisis period. In the dimension of ALMPs, we find continued emphasis on supply-side policies aimed at encouraging young people’s early labour market entry, prioritising work experience and early activation. VET shows signs of potential paradigmatic change, with numerous measures seeking to significantly transform the VET status and level of employer involvement. However, the depth of institutional change is limited, as evidence suggests continued employer resistance to stronger coordination mechanisms and a more active role as VET providers rather than consumers

Effective curriculum practice at below Level 2 for 16/17 year olds

In order to understand current, effective provision and delivery for students not yet ready for Level 2 courses in post-16 institutions the Department for Education commissioned two research projects, with aims to inform policy developments around the forthcoming transition year. This report provides an analysis of course content and curriculum that most effectively supports the progression of students participating in below Level 2 programmes at the age of 16 (defined as those without 5 A*-C grade GCSEs and who are not yet in a position to succeed at Level 2)

Mapping investment in adult skills – which individuals, in what learning and with what returns?

The report explores how public investment in adult skills through the Adult Skills Budget compares with other funding streams, such as investment by employers. This review took place before the apprenticeships levy on large employers

Study supporting the evaluation of the council recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning

The aim of this study is to support the Commission in evaluating the actions taken in the Member States in response to the 2012 Council Recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning (VNFIL). It focuses on whether the objectives of the Recommendation have been achieved in terms of enabling individuals: to identify and document their skills and competences acquired through nonformal or informal learning; and to obtain either full or part qualifications compliant with recognised national and European standards for the benefit of their professional and social development. The study finds that Member States have made good progress in developing VNFIL arrangements since 2012 even if service provision often remains asymmetrical or fragmented across different levels of education and training as well as different occupational sectors. The contribution of the Recommendation to the progress made is best visible in those Member States where VNFIL arrangements were mostly inexistent prior to 2012, but less apparent in the remaining Member States. Nevertheless, the Recommendation is deemed to have given some strategic direction to policy discussions on VNFIL across the Member States. This study concludes with possibilities to consider for enhancing the influence of EU interventions on Member States’ VNFIL policies and processes

Alcance do cambio organizativo no sector público europeo

O presente artigo comeza a desentrañar as características dos organismos públicos e do seu contorno (é dicir, aqueles factores que motivan e influencian os procesos de cambio neste sector), á vez que trata de dilucidar algunhas das implicacións que entrañan as aproximacións ao cambio organizativoEl presente artículo comienza a desentrañar las características de los organismos públicos y de su entorno (es decir, aquellos factores que motivan e influencian los procesos de cambio en este sector), a la vez que trata de dilucidar algunas de las implicaciones que entrañan las aproximaciones al cambio organizativo