Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) School Coordinators: equality impact assessment

Executive Summary

The implementation of DYW School Coordinators has been a long term ask from across the DYW network. Following the great success of DYW Coordinator pilots in Glasgow and Fife, we are supporting the introduction of DYW School Coordinators in all mainstream secondary schools across all 21 DYW Regional Groups. The Coordinators will have an impact on:

• Young people – primarily secondary school pupils;
• Secondary school staff members;
• Employers;
• DYW regional group staff who will manage the Coordinatiors against Key Performance Indicators (KPI);
• Skills Development Scotland (SDS) Careers Advisors;
• MCR Pathway Advisors and;
• Local Authorities.

The DYW School Coordinators may also engage with parents/guardians by offering them opportunities to join sessions alongside their children. This helps both parents and young people have an awareness of the pathways that young people can explore.

The Scottish Government, as per the public sector equality duty of the Equality Act 2010, is required to assess the impact of any proposed new policy or revised policy/ policy changes. As such, this Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) is reviewing the implementation of DYW School Coordinators and to assess the equality impacts it has on the following characteristics: age, disability, sex, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, and religion or belief. The finds of this assessment has been presented in the Key Findings Section below.

Overall, this EQIA has effectively shown consideration of the protected characteristics and thus meeting the equality duty. We put actions in place to ensure the Coordinators have a positive impact on these characteristics. Whilst this policy only focuses on supporting young people (Secondary school pupils) to better access and sustain opportunities, and therefore is not available to other age groups, this focus is justified. As per evidence indicates, young people require additional support to better access and sustain opportunities compared to other age groups. This is particularly acute due to the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is important that other age groups are not displaced as a result of implementing the Young Persons Guarantee – to which the DYW Coordinators contribute to - particularly those which evidence suggests are also likely to have worse labour market outcomes. As such, the Young Person's Guarantee will be an important part of a range of interventions that support people of all age groups access and sustain opportunities. For example, the Scottish Government has committed to delivering a National Transition Training Fund to provide support to 10,000 people facing redundancy and unemployment. These interventions will also be impact assessed under the equality duty.