MD1559 Enterprise Adviser Programme

1.1 The decision to deliver the Enterprise Adviser programme was made at the IPB session on the 18 August 2015.

1.2 As part of the LEP’s London Ambitions careers offer for schools, the Skills & Employment Working Group signed off a bid for £150,000 of funding from the Careers and Enterprise Company in June this year. On 31 July the LEP was advised that the bid was successful (at £125,000) and that the GLA (on behalf of the LEP) would be asked to enter into a funding agreement by the end of August.

2.1 150 volunteer Enterprise advisers (EAs) will be integrated into London’s developing career infrastructure and will be key to implementing the Career and Enterprise Company’s and LEP’s offer to schools. The Coordinators will be managed through the Mayor’s volunteering programme (Team London) based at City Hall and employed by the GLA (as the LEP’s accountable body). Team London will report formally to the LEP’s Skills and Employment Working Group as well as meeting regularly with LEP Officers to discuss progress.

2.2 The Enterprise Adviser programme will:

- Match 150 Enterprise Advisers with 75 London school
- Deliver 800 school visits between Enterprise and Adviser and senior management at the school
- Enable 75 London schools to create careers education strategies
- Work with schools where:

o 80% of schools have a higher than national average number of students receiving free-school-meals rate
o 25% of schools will be primary and 75% will be secondary
o 100% of schools will be non-fee paying

3.1 Implications will be considered further as part of the programme development. Team London has a number of policies to support volunteering programmes which include a diversity and inclusion policy. We will follow GLA best practice on hiring when recruiting to support the programme.

4.1 The £125,000 grant from the Careers and Enterprise Company will be managed by Team London. Team London is required to match-fund the £125,000 grant from the Careers and Enterprise Company. With agreement from the Careers and Enterprise Company, Team London will effect:

- £50,000 in-kind match from Team London’s wider engagement with London’s schools through the Team London Young Ambassador’s programme
- £50,000 in-kind match existing staff budget. An existing role within Team London will lead the programme.
- £25,000 cash match from the Team London programme budget.

5.1 The total estimated gross cost of this proposal is £250,000 and the net cost to the GLA will be up to the value of £125,000, with the balance of £125,000 being funded via a grant from the Careers & Enterprise Company.

5.2 The GLA will provide match funding for this project in the form of in-kind support via staff time up to the value of £50,000 and from the existing Team London Programme budget for 2015-16 totalling £75,000. The GLA cash contribution is made up specifically from the Young Ambassadors element of the programme up to the value of £50,000 (which was already planned to take place prior to the award of this grant) and an additional £25,000 cash contribution approved by MD1526. An estimated project budget (including the GLA match funding) is shown below:

Expenditure £000
Staffing Resource & Expenses 155
Training & Tailoring Materials for Enterprise Advisers 30
Reward & Recognition for Enterprise Advisers 5
Best Practice Sharing Events 10
Young Ambassadors Programme (already approved by MD1526) 50
Gross Expenditure 250

Income – Grant from Careers & Enterprise (125)

Net Cost to GLA (Match Funding) 125*

*As per above, GLA Net cost includes in-kind support via staff time up to the value of £50,000 and cash contribution of £75,000 from Team London Programme budget approved by MD1526.

5.3 Any changes to this proposal, including budgetary implications will be subject to further approval via the Authority’s decision-making process. All appropriate budget adjustments will be made.

6.1 Sections 1-3 of this report indicate that:

6.1.1 the proposals in respect of which the approval is sought may be considered to fall within the GLA’s powers to do such things as are facilitative of or conducive to social improvement in Greater London.

6.1.2 in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:

(a) Pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;
(b) Consider how the proposals will promote the health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and
(c) Consult with the appropriate bodies.

6.2 Section 1 above indicates that the contribution of funding amounts to the provision of grant funding and not payment for works, supplies or services. Officers must ensure that:

6.2.1 the funding is distributed fairly, transparently, in accordance with the GLA’s equalities and
in manner which affords value for money in accordance with the Contracts and Funding Code; and

6.2.2 an appropriate funding agreement is put in place between and executed by the GLA and the recipient of the funding before any commitment to fund is made.