Enrichment Expansion Programme launched with £22.5m funding
Image: Pupils at AKS Lytham on a DofE expedition
The Government has officially launched its Enrichment Expansion Programme through which it aims to give young people in disadvantaged areas greater access to high-quality enrichment opportunities.
The roll-out of the Enrichment Expansion Programme will be led by the Youth Sport Trust on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Education, with delivery partners including the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, and high profile ‘Enrichment Ambassadors’ helping to extend its reach. The programme comes with investment of £22.5 million, which will support more than 400 schools in disadvantaged areas.
Announced earlier this year, the Government's Enrichment Framework includes benchmarks which offer practical guidance on what a good enrichment offer looks like. This programme will help schools in disadvantaged areas put them into practice, so that every child can access high-quality enrichment as part of their education.
What is covered under the Enrichment Expansion programme?
Schools will receive tailored support to expand the opportunities they offer pupils, during the school day and after. Activities could include outdoor learning as well as music groups, engineering clubs and debating societies, sports and volunteering projects. These experiences build confidence, skills and a sense of belonging, helping young people stay engaged in their education and preparing them for success in the future.
Five Enrichment Ambassadors will support the programme, representing arts and culture; sport and physical activity, nature, outdoors and adventure, civic engagement; and wider life and future skills. Working alongside government, they will promote participation, highlight examples of effective practice and help to ensure more children can access high-quality opportunities.
Too many young people are missing out on opportunities because of where they live or the barriers they face
The programme responds directly to a ‘State of the Nation’ survey of more than 14,000 young people, which found that they want safe spaces, trusted adults, better mental health support and greater access to enriching activities, yet too many are still missing out because of where they live or the barriers they face.
Without enrichment, young people lose the confidence, skills and sense of belonging that help them succeed, and those least likely to take part are also more likely to become NEET (not in education, employment or training). Opportunities like these are therefore vital to keeping young people engaged, raising their aspirations and preparing them for the future.
In response, the government launched the Youth Matters Strategy in December last year, committing to halve the participation gap in enriching activities between disadvantaged young people and their peers by 2035.
Image credit: Farms for City Children
Funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and delivered in partnership with the Department for Education (DfE), the Enrichment Expansion Programme will help schools in disadvantaged areas to offer enrichment opportunities in line with the new benchmarks.
Schools Minister Georgia Gould said:
“This investment will help hundreds of thousands more young people access the activities that build confidence, spark ambition and open up opportunities for the future, helping more children stay on track in education and fulfil their potential.”
Minister for Young People, Vicky Foxcroft said:
“Every young person should have somewhere to go, something to do and someone they can trust, where they can discover new interests that help them develop the confidence they need to thrive.
“That’s why we’re supporting more than 400 schools to develop their enrichment offers, helping thousands more children access activities and opportunities that build skills, confidence and a stronger sense of belonging.”