Online approach to improve life chances for young people
A special virtual conference aims to ensure disadvantaged West Lothian children and young people receive the support they need. West Lothian Council's Inclusion and Wellbeing Service (IWS) work with pupils from all over West Lothian with a wide range of complex individual needs, at Connolly Campus in Blackburn and the Skills Centre in Whitburn.
The IWS team hosted their annual Partnership Planning Event recently, bringing 120 delegates together to look at how they can improve the life chances of local children and young people.
The new online format allowed them to invite partners from across Scotland and the University of Wisconsin in the USA to take part in the intensive two-hour long session.
IWS Headteacher Andrew Millar said: "The Partnership Planning Event was a great success and will help us focus on making things better for our children and young people in the future.
"We know there will be new challenges and additional supports required, to ensure this generation of school children are not disadvantaged by the Covid crisis and are supported to succeed in life.
"At the IWS, we work with the most disadvantaged children and young people in the area, so the challenges are required to be considered from different angles as often the traditional interventions and approaches have been unsuccessful in the past.
"By taking a community-based approach and bringing all the partners and wider network of the IWS together, new solutions are suggested which drive change in our curriculum and targeted support plans."
Positive feedback from those taking part included: "Personally, I was really inspired by this event. It gave me a much greater perspective of what challenges they face." and "It was liberating and energising to see how much more can be realised when we all work together to support our young people to achieve their positive destinations."
Executive councillor for education David Dodds said: "It's fantastic to see the dedicated team from the Inclusion and Wellbeing Service taking positive action to engage with partners and develop the services they offer.
"I'm sure the valuable lessons learned at this event will benefit local children and young people in the future."
