Effective Transitions Fund

Alternative Provision (APs) is education arranged by local authorities for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons would not otherwise receive suitable education. Included in this are Pupil Referral Units (PRUs). In 2019, pupils who finished their Key Stage 4 (KS4) education in Alternative Provision made up 1% of all KS4 pupils but represented 4% of all 16-year olds who were not in education, employment or training (NEET).¹

London generally has good transitions statistics as most students stay in the same institution post-16. However, where students change institution, London has comparatively poor sustained destinations.² A unique characteristic of APs is that they rarely provide post-16 education, so most students must find an alternative post-16 destination. This project seeks to provide additional support around transitions and aims to increase the number of sustained quality post-16 destinations and reduce the number of those who are NEET on leaving AP.

In London, there is an overrepresentation of Black Caribbean students in PRUs. Black Caribbean pupils represent 10.3% of the PRU population whilst making up only 4% of the overall London school population.³ Furthermore, evidence shows us that young black male students face particular disadvantages when making the transition from education to employment, and they are more likely to lack the networks, social capital and soft skills needed to find a good job.⁴ In London, young black men have some of the highest unemployment rates, despite levels of educational attainment having increased. In 2019, 33% of young black men were unemployed compared to 15% of young white men.⁵

The difficulties in changing institution that young black men in AP face are further compounded by the systemic barriers they face in both education and employment.^6,7 This results in significantly reduced sustained post-16 destinations for this target group, and as such a need for intervention.

The Mayor of London’s Workforce Integration Network (WIN) identified that building social capital for young black men in addition to accessing more employer-led careers activities could help improve outcomes for this group of Londoners.

Work is underway in London to improve the range and quality of young people’s access to careers education and work experience opportunities, through the Career Hubs. Further research suggests that universal provision could be supplemented by targeted activity with a more specific focus on black Caribbean boys, for example by pairing these young people with adults with relatable life experiences.⁸



In recognising the importance of social capital in careers decision making, the GLA propose this pilot will support young black men who are studying in APs to successfully transition and sustain their post-16 destination.

^{1. Department for Education, Destinations of key stage 4 and key stage 5 pupils: 2019).}

^{2. London’s Post 16 Trajectories report. July 2020.}

^{3. Department for Education, PRUs London England Data School Pupils and their Characteristics, 2020-21.}

^{4. The Runnymede Trust, Voices of the Underrepresented, October 2020.}

^{5. ONS 2020 and APS 2019.}

^{6. Institute of Race Relations, How Black Working-Class Youth Are Criminalised And Excluded In The English School System A London case study, 2020.}

^{7. GLA commissioned research, Workforce Engagement Network: Using Systems Mapping to Improve the Journey to Skilled Employment for Groups Underrepresented in the Labour Market, The Social Change Agency (2021).}

^{8. Boys on Track: Improving support for Black Caribbean and Free School Meal-Eligible white boys in London, The Centre for Education and Youth (2018).}

The overall aim of this project is to support young black men studying in Alternative Provision (AP) in London to effectively transition to a high-quality post-16 destination, defined as in education, employment or training (EET) and to sustain this destination for at least six months.

The GLA is seeking to build the evidence about what makes effective interventions for disadvantaged young black men to enable their transition to a quality post-16 destination. The evidence from this project can be used to achieve better outcomes for the target cohort, with the aim of increasing the impact of any future interventions in all education settings.

Objectives

• provide participants with better, more targeted support and guidance in their decision-making for post-16 destinations
• through careers guidance and education, equip participants with skills required to secure and sustain good quality post-16 destinations, in employment, education or training
• support participants to develop networks to help them navigate challenges arising from past experiences, or that they may face in their post-16 destination
• broaden the aspirations of participants in career pathways in which their demographic is underrepresented, through employer engagement, meeting young relatable role models studying in Further Education institutes and meeting role models working in these industries
• provide a programme of employer-led careers activities to raise awareness of London’s growth sectors and the wide range of different career pathways available to participants. e.g. in STEM and digital; health and social care; the green economy; the creative industries
• working with an externally appointed evaluator, build an evidence base of effective transitions for the target group and share the learning to a wider audience of stakeholders.

Primary beneficiaries (participants)

The primary beneficiaries for this project are KS4 (Year 10) students from London-based Alternative Provision, who must also satisfy the following criteria:

• eligible to receive free school meals
• identified as at risk of NEET by a member of teaching staff
• self-identify as male
• self-identify their ethnicity as Black (Black, African, Caribbean or Black British).

This is a pilot and we are looking for a provider (or a consortium of providers) who understand the target cohort and show a willingness to test new innovative methods and consider other ways to deliver the outcomes.

The provider will be expected to have their own connections with the primary beneficiary group, via APs, or must specify what other means they will use to recruit participants. The GLA, in addition, will provide some light touch introductions to relevant APs through the Careers Hubs.

The provider will be expected to build and sustain relationships with the beneficiaries. A key outcome of the project is sustained, quality post-16 destinations for participants. Therefore, evidence of a track record of long-term engagement with the beneficiary group is essential.

The provider will be expected to deliver a series of activities which address careers education and helps to build social capital for participants.

As part of the wider aims of the project, which includes understanding which of the interventions have impact, the provider is required to work closely with an external evaluator. They will work together during an incubation period (prior to commencement of delivery), to develop the project’s ‘Theory of Change’ model, and then continue to work together throughout the project to evaluate the project and capture the learning. As part of this process it is anticipated that small adjustments might be made to the delivery model with the GLA’s and the provider’s approval.

The first stage of the Theory of Change process has been completed and the following progression outcomes were identified. These should help the provider determine the activities that could be delivered.

Progression outcomes

Short term (6 months) outcomes (Year 10 students)

• trust and rapport established within support network 
• a 'safe space' is created to talk, share, communicate and learn 
• transformational conversations within support network happen 
• meaningful encounters with employers lead to increased confidence in participants  
• increased awareness of self (skills, interests and ideas about possible selves) 
• participants develops soft skills including teamwork, communication, presentation.

Medium term (12 to 18 months) outcomes (Year 11 students)

• participants more able to articulate a possible self (or range of possible selves) derived from career related learning and include knowledge of how to progress into those selves 
• participants more motivated to engage and achieve at school, leading to improved educational attainment 
• increased emotional resilience and able to engage positively in their future. 

Long term (24 months) outcomes (Year 12 students) 

• participants transition into a sustained post-16 destination that is a good fit for their skills, abilities, interests and longer-term career aspirations
• the support network is well established to use when needed. 

Example of project activities

AsThis project requires a range of activities and interventions at the different stages of the project. We suggest the provider considers what types of activities might be appropriate and relevant at the following stages:

Stage 1: recruitment of participants

Stage 2: building trust and engaging the participants

Stage 3: building social capital and providing employer-led careers education

Stage 4: supporting transition to post-16 destinations

Stage 5: sustaining post-16 destinations

As part of the research for this project, additional thinking was done around building social capital. We would like the provider to include similar activities to the example below; details of how exactly they are implemented will be up to the provider.

Initial thinking suggests the importance of helping to build social capital, and this should include a network of role models representative of different destinations e.g. relatable role models from FE colleges and from different places of work and training (including, for example apprenticeships, internships, entrepreneurs or SME’s).

This approach creates a tiered network for the participants to access support. This approach might involve the formation of smaller networks, or small accessible ‘family groups’, within the larger network. Whereby participants develop close-knit relationships to make bonding easier and support their personal development.

The provider might then offer a programme that establishes and strengthens the connections between the different tiers. For example, bonding activities, soft skills sessions, employer-led careers activities, 121/IAG support and coaching/mentoring training.

Although AP students are the primary beneficiaries, this approach is expected to support all participants in the network to build their social capital and employability skills and potentially the opportunity to gain a recognised qualification.

Project timelines

The provider will be expected to engage with the external evaluator during the incubation phase, (see list below), as soon as the funding agreement has been signed, and this phase is expected to continue until the start of the spring term (January 22).

The delivery phase is anticipated to commence by the spring half term (February 22).

The project will work with students in Year 10 and continue to work with them throughout Year 11 and then for the first 6 months of their post-16 destination.

The overall funding window for delivery is from late November 2021 to February 2024.

• provider appointed: late November 2021
• incubation period: November 2021 to January 2022
• delivery commences: February 2022
• project finishes: February 2024.

Mayor of London complementary initiatives

The GLA currently delivers initiatives which provide similar types of support and/or support similar cohorts of beneficiaries. The GLA will expect the provider to avoid duplicating other activity and look to complement existing activity.

If an AP is already working with a provider delivering an existing project, but also wishes to work with the provider of this project, it is this provider’s responsibility to ensure that the activities of each project are sufficiently complementary to enable evaluation of the impact(s) of this project as distinct from any other support that the participant may be receiving.

Participants should be referred or signposted to other existing provision where this is more appropriate to their needs. Where there is the potential of duplication with other projects, projects should contact the GLA who will decide whether there is sufficient scope to add value or whether that AP is not suitable for this programme.

Examples of other existing MoL initiatives include:

My Ends programme

Rise Up programme

Stronger Futures programme

Headstart Action programme

Continuing Participation

Aspire Higher

Head2Work

Getting Back on Track

And nationally, DfE targeted support for vulnerable young people in serious violence hotspots

The GLA will award one grant to a bidding organisation (a ‘lead bidder’ or ‘lead provider’), however, where appropriate, bidders are encouraged to work in partnership with other organisations as sub-grantees, sub-contractors or informal delivery partners. If the lead bidder wishes to deliver this project through partnership working with other organisations this must be stated in the application (see Appendix 2) and the role of each partner must be clearly defined.

The total budget available is £200,000 over the delivery period. Included in this is £5,000 of SEED funding, which will be made as a one-off upfront payment as soon as the funding agreement has been signed by both parties.

Payments will then be made on a quarterly basis on completion of progress reporting requirements and evidence of actual project expenditure. Reporting and evidence requirements (including relating to all the peer network members) for outputs will be finalised during the incubation period.

The required outputs to be delivered over the lifetime of the project are listed below:

• recruitment of the beneficiaries (participants): minimum of 60, proposed evidence - list of participants (details of data requirements to be confirmed during incubation period), to be reported quarterly
• beneficiaries engaged in programme: minimum of 60, proposed evidence - evidence of activities participants engage in (details of qualifying activities to be confirmed during incubation period), to be reporterd quarterly
• beneficiaries achieving eligible post-16 destinations: minimum of 60, proposed evidence - details of the destinations (details of evidence and data requirements to be confirmed during incubation period), to be reported quarterly
• beneficiaries in sustained in an eligible post-16 destination (for 6 months): minimum of 60, proposed evidence - evidence of sustained destination, or if it changes new destination (details of evidence and data requirements to be confirmed during incubation period).

Bidders are asked to complete the Delivery Plan in Appendix 2 showing their proposed delivery milestones and a project budget, based on their proposed outputs. Bidders will be asked to propose their target outputs at or above the minimum listed above. Proposed targets should factor in any anticipated participant drop-out during the delivery and sustained periods.

The GLA will fund:

• operational delivery costs
• core staff and volunteer costs
• associated overhead costs (for example, heating, lighting, stationery) – up to 15% of total project costs
• low value equipment costs (up to £1,000 in total, for audio-visual, sports and similar)
• up to £2,000 contribution towards organisational development costs (for example, accredited training or a new CRM system to better capture outcomes.

The GLA will not fund:

• activities that directly replace cuts by statutory bodies (apart from where such funding was explicitly time-limited and for a discretionary purpose)
• capital items
• statutory provision for example school provision.

An external evaluator has been commissioned to evaluate the Effective Transitions Fund. Effectively and robustly evaluating this project provides the opportunity to evidence the effectiveness and impact of careers interventions for young people in making successful transitions to quality post-16 destinations.

A rigorous fund evaluation is crucial in building the evidence base. To answer the fund evaluation aims, the external evaluation team will develop standardised data collection tools which the provider will be asked to administer throughout delivery. The exact nature of these will be discussed and refined during the incubation period. However, it will include: a baseline survey of the participants which will be taken again at two further points on the project timeline, details of the activities each young person has undertaken, and their destination. For example, it will cover demographics (such as age, gender, ethnicity), some details of the activity they engage with (such as advice sessions), their engagement with the programme, and post-16 destination data.

Bidders must set out their commitment to evaluation and destination tracking and commit to securing the necessary permissions from young people to enable effective destination tracking and data sharing with the GLA and their appointed evaluator. Bidders must set out their commitment to evaluation and destination tracking and commit to securing the necessary permissions from young people to enable effective destination tracking and data sharing with the GLA and their appointed evaluator. Bidders should set out how they intend to resource their input into the evaluation and any costs required in order to be able to effectively support and implement the evaluation of the project. These should be included in the delivery plan in Appendix 2 and the associated project costs.

Data protection

For the purposes of current Data Protection legislation, The Careers & Enterprise Company is the Data Controller, The GLA and successful service providers are the Data Processors (where Data Controller and Data Processor have the meanings as defined in the Data Protection Act 2018). Some of the information that you are required to collect and store about participants will be personal, sensitive and confidential. You will need to ensure that you take data protection into consideration and comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018.

A comprehensive data sharing agreement will be shared as part of the grant agreement process. However, providers will also need to evidence their own data protection process (including their data handling policy) as part of the bidding application. Further information on the use and access of personal data held by the GLA, details of organisations with whom it regularly shares data and information with, how long data is retained and how to change consent, will be provided to participants through a privacy statement on engagement.

How to apply to deliver the Effective Transitions Project

As set out in Section 5, the GLA is seeking to award one grant to a single ‘lead bidder’ to deliver this project. The ‘lead bidder’ may choose to work in partnership with other organisations as sub-grantees, sub-contractors or informal delivery partners.

We are seeking bids which fulfil the following criteria:

• be able to evidence successful delivery of some of the elements through a similar project or model
• demonstrate cultural competence to provide high quality and relevant support for the target group of participants
• have clear delivery plans to deliver their proposed outputs
• be willing to engage fully with an ongoing programme of evaluation based upon the Theory of Change model for this project.

Deadline

Completed bids should arrive on or before Friday 12 November by 5pm at the latest. See our how to apply section for more information.

The proposal

The written proposal should answer the following questions and include evidence where relevant:

Question 1: tell us about your organisation and what is it about your organisation that puts you in a unique position to successfully deliver this project?

You should include details of relevant experience your organisation has of delivering similar or complementary projects; give details of your staff’s relevant experience, ethos and skills; provide details about partnerships and relationships with relevant organisations including (but not necessarily limited to) relationships with APs, FE institutions, employers, other providers and statutory bodies.

Question 2: tell us how your organisation proposes to deliver this project and why you have chosen this delivery approach?

You should include the types of activities you propose to deliver to achieve the expected outcomes, which should include any activities being delivered by sub-contractors, sub-grantees or other partner organisations. Provide examples of previous successful delivery, and, if relevant, how you might adapt these approaches for this project.

Describe how you will recruit, engage and retain the target group of AP participants.

Describe how you will attract, engage and retain FE and in work supporting participants (acting as relatable role models) including how many you intend to recruit and how you will support them taking into account potential challenges and barriers they may face.

Describe how you will support the network to become sustainable beyond the lifetime of the project.

Describe the types of activities you propose to deliver at the different stages 1 to 5 of the project, such as 1: recruitment of participants; 2: building trust and engaging the participants; 3: building social capital and employer-led careers education; 4: supporting transition to post-16 destinations; 5: sustaining post-16 destinations.

Question 3: tell us how your organisation will effectively manage this project to ensure it is delivered effectively and safely?

You should include details of your proposed project management and reporting arrangements; your data collection and protection processes (including how you will ensure necessary permissions to collect and share participant data will be collected) and how you will support the evaluation.

Additionally, include your organisation’s approach to safeguarding, equal opportunities and health and safety given the target group and proposed activities. A Risk Assessment is also included in Appendix 2 for you to complete which will be included in the assessment of this question.

Question 4: Tell us why your bid represents good value for money?

You should explain why your proposal represents good value for money. The unit costs per sustained destination result will also be assessed as will the project costs breakdown you will provide in the Appendix 2.

The Appendices

Appendix 1: (for reference only): Draft Grant Agreement template

Appendix 2: (to be completed): GLA ETF Project Delivery Plan Excel template (published together with this Request for Proposals). This includes tabs for:

• worksheet 1: Proposed Outputs
• worksheet 2: Costs Breakdown
• worksheet 3: Project Delivery Plan
• worksheet 4: Subcontractors or Subgrantees
• worksheet 5: Risk Assessment

Appendix 3: GLA ETF Due Diligence Word template (published together with this Request for Proposals)

Appendix 4: Subcontractor/ Subgrantee Declaration Template (published together with this Request for Proposals)

Scoring and evaluation of bids

Fully compliant applications that are received by the deadline set out in the ‘key dates’ table in section 8, will be scored by a minimum of two scorers, each scoring independently. In order to maintain a consistent approach, we expect that the same scorers will score all applications submitted. Scores will be moderated by scorers following completion of their independent scoring, and the total score available from the written application will be 100%. Each question can receive a total of 3 points and scores will be awarded to individual questions in accordance with following principles:

• 3 - an answer that demonstrates a good understanding and addresses the GLA defined requirements
• 2 - an answer that demonstrates a reasonable understanding and addresses some of the GLA defined requirements
• 1 - an answer that demonstrates little understanding of the question and/or addresses few of the GLA defined requirements
• 0 - an answer that demonstrates little or no understanding of the question and/or addresses none of the GLA defined requirements.

Individual questions will be weighted to represent the importance that GLA attach to answers, and a table of questions, weighting, maximum scores, and the maximum percentage that each question can achieve, is shown in the table 2 below.

Bid section: Due Diligence

• scoring: pass/fail
• weighting: needs to pass to be compliant for proposal to be scored.

Bid section: Question 1: tell us about your organisation (organisation’s experience, competence and understanding of the delivery environment)

• scoring: out of 3
• weighting: 35%

Bid section: Question 2: tell us how your organisation proposes to deliver this project Delivery Proposal and Delivery Plan)

• scoring: out of 3
• weighting: 35%

Bid section: Question 3: Tell us how your organisation will effectively manage this project (proposed project management and reporting arrangements. Risk Assessment)

• scoring: out of 3
• weighting: 15%

Bid section: Question 4: tell us why your bid represents good value for money (proposed budget, output, value for money)

• scoring: out of 3
• weighting: 15%

Interviews

After this evaluation, the GLA will invite the top ranked bidders to the Interview stage of the procurement. Bidders are asked to ensure they are available for interviews via Microsoft Teams on 24 November.

If invited to interview, a maximum of four people may attend, and applicants must ensure that key members of their delivery team, including consortium partners, attend. The interview will seek to clarify the bidder’s delivery team’s understanding of the project methodology and rationale, and interview questions will be selected from the application form. The GLA may however ask supplementary questions to ensure that they have understood the responses of applicants.

Bidders will be notified by 21 November if they will be required to attend interviews. Bidders that will not be required to attend interviews will also be notified by this date.

The final scoring of bids will give 80% weighting to written bids and 20% weighting to interview responses:

• Proposal, Delivery Plan, and Due Diligence form combined score: 80%
• interview score: 20%.

Applicants will be able to access the following support:

• email support ([email protected]). All email enquiries will be answered within six working days of receipt and the answers published online.

The GLA will receive and answer questions which are received up to 5pm on Wednesday 3 November. These questions will be published on the GLA Funding Opportunities web pages on a weekly basis. Final FAQs and answers will be posted on Friday 5 November.

Key dates

• request for proposal launched: Friday 15 October
• Q&A session: Tuesday 2 November
• final questions posted: Friday 5 November
• bid deadline: Friday 12 November, 5pm
• interview notifications: Friday 21 November
• clarification interviews: Wednesday 24 November
• notification of successful bidders: week commencing 29 November.

Appendix 1

Example of GLA Grant Funding Agreement template

Appendix 2

GLA ETF Project Delivery Plan template

Appendix 3

GLA ETF Due Diligence template

Appendix 4

ETF Subcontractor Declaration Form

Completed bids should be sent using our online form and to arrive on or before Friday 12 November by 5pm at the latest.

A completed bid comprises of:

• the Proposal – submitted using a Word or PDF format, in no more than 10 sides of A4, including evidence (in font size 11)
• Appendix 2: Delivery Plan – download from the Appendixes section and complete all 5 tabs of the Excel workbook
• Appendix 3: Due Diligence Form – download from the Appendixes section and complete each question in the Word form
• Appendix 4: Subcontractor Declaration From - download from the Appendixes section and complete each question in the Word form

The GLA is seeking to award one grant to a single ‘lead bidder’ to deliver this project. The ‘lead bidder’ may choose to work in partnership with other organisations as sub-grantees, sub-contractors or informal delivery partners.

This project will be awarded as a grant and no match funding is required. There is 5,000 pounds seed funding right at the start. The provider is being asked to get involved in the incubation phase, which is where we establish the base line for evaluation of the project.

The remainder of the grant payments will then be made on a quarterly basis on completion of progress reporting requirements and evidence of actual project expenditure.

The minimum outputs expected are stated in the Request for Proposals form.

There is a minimum expectation that 60 participants will benefit from the project achieving the outcome of sustaining their post 16 destination 6 months after leaving school. It is for providers to decide how many participants to recruit to meet the minimum outcome expectations.

We will be looking at the end of the 2 years to make sure at least 60 participants, have gone through the support and have made the progression to transition into successful Post 16 destinations.

The evidence would be them going into their placement and then 6 months after to be able to demonstrate that they are still sustained.

In regard to evidence and evaluation, we have our external evaluator commissioned by the Careers & Enterprise Company who will work with the provider and give guidance on evidence requirements.

More details will become available as to how the evaluation will be undertaken and what kind of data will be required. And certainly, one of the requirements will be for the provider to get an agreement from participants for their data to be shared as evidence of taking part in the project.

In the application form online there is a section in there which is the delivery plan and within the delivery plan there is a costs breakdown tab. This must be completed as part of the application submission.

It is important to remember to submit all appendices with your application. The requirements are outlined in the application process and all appendices requiring completion are contained within the proposal and appendices section.

The preference would be in person, however if virtual delivery was suited to the project than that maybe be an acceptable form. Bidders should outline the proposed delivery in their bids.

There is just one round of funding and one grant is available. It’s a one-month open funding round and the deadline is 5:00pm on Friday 12 November.

Bidders should note, a quick start needs to be made in late November/early December. This is because we want the project to begin supporting participants early in the spring term, preferably before the February half term. This project is designed to support this years’ Year 10 students and it’s important they are given as much support as possible whilst they are still in education.

Yes, £200,000 is for one project. Please also refer to Q1.

No, this is not a requirement of the project.

No limitations. This type of project does lend itself to a full range of different types of organisations that might be in a position to deliver it.

The project has been designed so that it's accessible for smaller organisations to apply for, and whether that be singly or in a consortium.

It’s important to be able to demonstrate a track record or experience of working with the cohort or cultural competency to be able to work with the cohort to deliver the types of activities that we have suggested. There's flexibility about the delivery and types of activities provided because this project is about testing new approaches and being innovative.

We are open to both approaches. This project complements the London Career Hubs, which is a pan London programme and we do have an AP Community of Practice for offering some light touch support to this project. We are seeking the provider(s) to demonstrate being able to engage with APs and recruit participants swiftly.

For example, an application may propose a specific area because of an identified need in a specific area. It is essential that the project participants are London residents.

That is £200,000 and £5,000 of that would be the Seed funding at the beginning to support with the incubation phase and to get set up.

This is a project designed to test new approaches and be innovative.

The minimum number of sustained outcomes is 60, and the GLA and evaluators will work with providers throughout the project on what works. The project will be monitored throughout to ensure value for money is provided. It is advised that bidders be realistic in the bids as to what can be achieved and how many students you think you need to recruit in the beginning to reach the 60 outcomes.

The funding opportunity launched on 15th October and closes at 5pm on Friday 12th November. By the 21st of November we will confirm whether you’ve been invited to the interview. This will be the top scoring applications. Interviews are planned to take place on the 23 November.

This project is not set up for direct payments to students. It is a grant payment to the provider to deliver the service.

Not Directly, but this project has been inspired by the Win (Workforce Integration Network Program) programme, which was partly funded by Moving on up.

There is a minimum of 60 participants who will successfully transition into their Post 16 destination. As well as this the kind of support expected to see would be: Activities that will help build trust and confidence and connect participants with relatable role models in their peer network.

We would also expect there to be opportunities for them to meet with employers, to receive career activities and work insight visits and experiences; be provided with up to date Labour market information so participants can think more broadly about what the opportunities are and what their post 16 destination might look like.

Yes, what we want is a minimum of 60 participants achieving sustained post 16 destination outcomes. It is for bidders to tell us how many you would start with in the recruitment, bearing in mind how many you think you can retain for the 2 years of the project.

There is nothing in the rules of the fund to state that an organisation based outside the UK cannot apply but there is an expectation that the project will provide face to face delivery (unless lockdown requirements are applied again). The application would need to demonstrate how this requirement would be achieved clearly.

In relation to actual participants or beneficiaries that would be from alternative provision institutions. The bidders should demonstrate that they have relationships with alternative provision institutions, to identify students who would most benefit from taking part in this project.

The provider is also expected to recruit relatable role models for the peer network who are either already in work or studying in FE institutions.