§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment has been made of the results of the Neighbourhood Support Fund. [7381]
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§ Mr. Ivan LewisThe first of the Neighbourhood Support Fund (NSF) projects went live in spring 2000. The 653 community based projects have worked with almost 17,000 of the hardest to help young people. Recent evaluation of the programme by an independent research organisation shows that one third of leavers had moved on to education, training or employment with training. A further one in 10 had gone on to a local programme, including the Learning Gateway or the New Deal.
The next phase of the evaluation will draw on the experiences and perceptions of the young people participating in the projects. This will help to inform future strategies for engaging the hardest to help young people.
The stage 2 report will be published in the spring.
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to extend the Neighbourhood Support Fund; and if she will make a statement. [7382]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisA total of £60 million was made available to the Neighbourhood Support Fund spread over three years. The current programme comes to an end in September 2003 and Ministers have yet to decide whether NSF will extend beyond this date, and if so in what form. Any future levels of funding will be addressed and agreed as part of the Year 2002 Spending Review.
The current NSF projects are due to finish in September 2003. I am considering the future shape, design and delivery of NSF and where it sits in the context of the Connexions Service.