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Overview
Oxfordshire has seen a significant increase in its population of 16 to 19-year-olds arriving in Oxfordshire with their families through the Ukraine, Afghan and Hong Kong BN(O) pathways. Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) has identified several key challenges for this cohort in accessing education, employment, training, and broader support to meet their aspirations. To address this, OCC has commissioned a programme of research and knowledge exchange to understand the characteristics of this cohort, the opportunities and challenges which face this group in meeting their potential and the practical and policy steps which could be put in place to help achieve this aim. The overall objective is to ensure that newly arrived 16 to 19-year-olds in Oxfordshire will have pathways to information and guidance on their education and career options to have fulfilling lives and careers ultimately.
Our research questions are:
- What is the profile of 16 to 19-year-old newcomer populations arriving with their families from Afghanistan, Ukraine and Hong Kong?
- What are the educational and employment aspirations of newly arrived young people and their parents/ guardians?
- What are the pathways to information and guidance on education and careers for this group in Oxfordshire, and how does it compare to neighbouring and comparable local authorities in its approach?
- What tools and options are available to provide appropriate advice, guidance and provision?
- What are the current barriers and opportunities in a) designing and delivering this support, b) for young people to access this support and c) within the different groups of young people (based on, for example, nationality, gender and other relevant factors, including special educational needs)?
Principal Investigator
Researchers
Partners
Angela Turton & David Lewis, Oxfordshire County Council
Funding
The research involves a mixed-methods approach, including:
1) Secondary data analysis of existing data on the 16 to 19-year-old cohort to understand the cohort and to benchmark Oxfordshire against its neighbours and other demographically similar local authorities
2) Rapid evidence review of existing approaches, areas of best practice and policy gaps
3) Qualitative research interviews with key professional stakeholders, including local authority staff, education providers, employability providers, third-sector organisations and relevant central government officials
4) Research interviews/ focus groups with young people and parents/guardians