JoinedUp

Persistently disadvantaged children leave school on average 22 months behind their better off peers. 

This gap is widening at primary level, suggesting a likely further widening at secondary in years to come, especially in the wake of COVID-19.

Children and young people are compartmentalised by ‘the system’, meaning support often comes too late or only focuses on one area of a child’s life. 

Families can end up being supported by a baffling number of professionals. We need to change the system supporting children and young people, not just incrementally improve individual schools, youth centres or social care provision. 

Yet currently, school leaders, youth workers and social workers are trained in isolation from each other and – mostly – carry on working in silos throughout their careers. There is little opportunity for leaders to understand each other’s perspectives or to develop new ways of supporting children and young people.

There is a mismatch between the structure of the system and what is needed for children and young people to thrive.

UK Youth, Frontline, Dixons Academies Trust and the Reach Foundation have come together to change this.

This collaboration of award-winning and trusted organisations will bring together school leaders, social workers and youth workers to better support disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.

They are piloting their year-long Collective Leadership Programme for those who are deeply committed to the idea that – as leaders – it is their responsibility to create a system that allows all children to enjoy lives of choice and opportunity.

Each year, 20 school leaders, 20 social workers and 20 youth workers will seek to answer the question: ‘how can we collectively create a system that enables all children and young people to enjoy lives of choice and opportunity?’ 

Together, they will: 

1. Build strong, cross-sector relationships and work in local clusters to understand the concerns, joys, and hopes of children and young people in their area. 
2. Visit and be inspired by schools, youth centres and social care settings that are already challenging the status quo and improving lives for children and young people 
3. Develop the specific leadership skills required for excellence in their profession and the insights and relationships required to start changing the system for children and young people in their area. 
4. Design and trial new ways of working together locally to support children and young people in their care 
5. Influence the system by sharing learning with policymakers, funders and senior system leaders 
6. Ultimately, create a system of support, powered by strong relationships, that does not ‘compartmentalise’ children and young people. At the end of the year, we will deliberately sustain the network so they become an ongoing, purpose driven group of leaders learning from and challenging each other to change the system for the better.

School leaders, social workers and youth workers will join up to explore the nature of disadvantage and existing ways of working in both local and national levels. 

Ed Vainker, OBE – CEO, Reach Foundation. Ed was the co-founder and Principal of Reach Academy Feltham, an all-through Free School that opened in 2012. It was judged outstanding in 2014 and has quickly built a strong reputation in the sector. Ed oversees the Foundation’s cradle to career model, including the Reach Children’s Hub and Convening Model. Ed has sat on several policy commissions and was awarded the OBE in 2019. Prior to founding Reach he was based in Washington DC working for Teach For All. 

James Townsend – Director, Reach Foundation. James joined the Reach Foundation as Director of Strategy and Growth in November, 2020. He has previously held roles as an Executive Director at Teach First and at STiR Education, where he was Chief Programme Officer.

Ndidi Okezie, OBE – CEO, UK Youth. Ndidi is an influential public advocate, delivering transformational change in a variety of contexts. She is deeply committed to youth work, life skills development, and youth equality. Ndidi is also a board member for youth homelessness charity Centrepoint UK, the National Citizen Service and The Mulberry Schools Trust. 

Tomos Davies – COO, Frontline. Prior to joining Frontline Tomos worked in operations and programme delivery at several education charities including STiR Education, Teach First, Teach For All and Teach For India. He is also a school governor and a charity board member.

Mary Jackson – Chief Executive, Frontline. Mary has worked on the senior team at Frontline for over six years. She has over 15 years’ experience in leadership, change management and communications at operational and strategic levels. Prior to joining Frontline she project managed Reclaiming Social Work in Hackney and was a founding direction at Morning Lane Associates, where she supported children’s’ services team with organisation change programmes in over 40 local authorities.

Maddie Dinwoodie – Chief Programme Officer, UK Youth. Maddie joined UK Youth in 2015 as Director of National Programmes, was promoted to Deputy CEO in 2018, and to Chief Programme Officer in 2021 and was briefly interim CEO in 2019. Currently leading a team of 28 staff, Maddie has overall responsibility for the design and delivery department. Taking a human-centred design approach, the department works to translate evidence and insight, into solutions that tackle into the sector’s biggest issues. Drawing on key strategic relationships across the youth sector and influencing decision makers to create opportunities for innovative youth work and driving the growth of UK Youth. Before joining UK Youth, Maddie was Senior Head of Projects and Impact at Media Trust and Operations Manager for Trekforce Expeditions.