2009/10 - an exciting year!

Welcome to Bolton & Bury Education Business Partnership website. 2009/10 promises to be an exciting and challenging year, with many developments and new initiatives in the pipeline. Machinery of Government changes at a national level will create further opportunities for us to operate for the benefit of local young people, employers and communities.

Local Authorities took on responsibility for EBP core funding from April, which will mean a greater emphasis on local needs and learner driven provision. This provides an opportunity for us to align work-related learning, careers, enterprise, personal, social and health education and economic wellbeing for the benefit of all young people in the area.

Throughout the changes Bolton & Bury EBP will continue to deliver high quality Work Experience, Mentoring, Professional Development, Enterprise Challenges, Student Conferences and support with Employer Engagement across the curriculum. As a creative and innovative team we will also continue to develop new initiatives, alternative funding streams and move further towards becoming a sustainable social enterprise serving the communities of Bury and Bolton. In order to achieve this vision the EBP plans to work with local businesses to establish training and development opportunities in two key sectors: Engineering and Retail.

The current economic climate has affected us, as a small business, like many others, but it has also highlighted the need to support local communities and young people, providing the right mix of skills and experience to help in times of uncertainty. Enterprise Learning is high up our agenda, with the strong belief that young people need enterprising attitudes and we continue to work with a number of schools to deliver Enterprise across the curriculum.

All of our work relies on businesses, large and small. Even in these uncertain times local employers are very supportive of programmes from work experience to workplace visits, teacher development to curriculum design. It is this input from employers that makes learning real, that engages young people with the world of work and future opportunities. With the appointment of a dedicated Employer Engagement Officer the EBP intend to work more closely with employers to develop extended programmes and work experience and support young people on Diploma pathways. 

Recent announcements regarding the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) have provided some concern for providers of work experience but rest assured that we will be fully committed to the safety of the young people we work with as well as protecting those employers who work along side us.

With in this challenging new period as the ISA guidlines are rolled out Bolton and Bury Education Business Partnership will remain as an umbrella body for CRB as well as being able to perform the ISA checks required for protecting both young people and employers alike.

Bolton & Bury Education Business Partnership
Suite A, 1st Floor, Knowsley House, Knowsley Street, Bolton, BL1 2AH
Tel: 01204 375790  Fax: 01204 375799