English Language and Employment Support for Ukrainian and Hong Kong BN(O)s

Scope/ Key Deliverables

The programme is a priority for the Ministry. The Supplier will need to deliver at pace the following three objectives:

Objective 1: To assess learners' initial English Language skills and identify barriers to entering the employment market, or into higher paid roles, and develop tailored support plans.

Measure of Success 1: For 90% of all students to have a tailored support plan which identifies barriers to employment with agreed steps to reducing these barriers. For 85% of all students that have completed the course to report that employment support sessions were helpful, at the point of their completion of the course (to be determined by exit survey).

Objective 2: To provide English Language tuition to up to 4,000 individuals comprising of 50% Ukrainians and 50% HK BN(O)s, of which two thirds are unemployed and one third are in low-paid employment.

Measure of Success 2: For all eligible learners to have improved by at least half a level of Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) qualification compared to their baseline at the start of the programme.

Objective 3: To provide high-quality, individualised employability support to up to 4,000 Ukrainians and HK BN(O)s in parallel to providing English Language classes.

For English Language Provision:

Provide virtual intensive English language lessons of up to 20 hours a week as a minimum, delivered flexibly to suit the cohort's needs and a less intensive option of 3 days a week. This will include (but is not limited to):

1. Assessing students English learning needs.
2. Helping students improve reading, writing, speaking and listening in English aimed to enable them to access the employment market.
3. Providing specific language skills for those seeking employment in specific professional employment e.g., healthcare and education professions.
4. One to one support including regular check-ins to motivate and monitor progress.
5. Regular checks on attendance levels and learning of the English language.
6. End of course assessment leading to English certificate.

For Employability Support

Employment support should be delivered 1-2 hours per week after week three, increasing in intensity from week seven or fifteen if offering the less intense option. Depending on individual's needs, these sessions may be one-to-one support or provided in group settings. This will include (but is not limited to):

1. Assessing student's employment support needs.
2. Support with seeking recognition of existing professional qualifications where the qualification is relevant to the employment sought. The Supplier will not be expected to fund these but instead support beneficiaries through the application process.
3. Signposting to job boards and/or job opportunities.
4. Support with CV writing and job applications.
5. Undertaking interview practice including providing actionable feedback and role-playing cultural norms around interviewing as needed;
6. Support in preparing for self-employment, including but not limited to, signposting to local entrepreneurship services, and training to understand business, the UK tax system and how to access financial support and start-up capital.
7. Ensure that paid-for vocational and/or technical training is provided to a recognised standard (for example, in-line with qualification levels in England).
8. The supplier should be mindful of other employability schemes