Learning and work
We take your education seriously and want you to achieve at the highest level you can. This is why we will work hard to support you through whatever education or training you decide to take on. Whether this is supporting you through an apprenticeship, helping you gain work related qualifications or supporting you for up to four years through university, we will help you achieve your goals.
What we can offer you
- Help with the cost of going to university:
- 16-19 Bursary - If you are aged 16-19 and in education, you should receive £1,200 each academic year from your college.
- Higher Education Bursary - If you are in higher education, you're entitled to £2,000, usually paid in instalments over the duration of your course.
- Vacation accommodation for higher education - You should either get somewhere to live or help paying your rent. Kirklees Council will pay you £141.90 per week while you are at university to help towards accommodation and living costs.
- Support from your Personal Advisor until your 25th birthday. Once you're at college or university, you can contact them for support both in and out of term-time.
- One to one support from the Virtual School post-18.
- Pastoral support for care leavers in Kirklees College.
- Pastoral support for care leavers at the University of Huddersfield.
- Support from the care leavers careers advisor.
- Guaranteed interviews for council jobs and apprenticeships providing you meet the criteria.
- Pre-apprenticeship qualification at Kirklees College.
- Financial incentives to support you to remain in education and higher education.
- Employment and skills support via the Council's Employment and Skills team can help you find work and apply for jobs. They will help build your confidence, prepare for interviews, overcome any barriers you might feel are stopping you getting a job and get you ready to start work.
- Introductions can also be made to local employers who are actively looking to recruit, offering work placements, work trials, training and volunteering opportunities to build your knowledge and work experience in industry. This support is tailored to you, helping with whatever you need, for both your current circumstances and future goals.
- Skills development via the Council's Employment and Skills team can help you develop your life, and work skills in multiple areas. With flexible courses such as creative, maths, digital, health and wellbeing, volunteering and more, there'll be something to suit your interests.
Your pathway plan
Whether you want to do a degree, a degree apprenticeship, become a doctor or a personal trainer, get it written into your pathway plan.
Pathway plans tells you about these.
Holidays
Kirklees Leaving Care Team will support you to find accommodation over the summer if your tenancy doesn't allow you to stay there all year, or you wish to return to Kirklees. You will receive the weekly allowance all summer.
Support from universities, colleges and other sources
It is vital that you 'Tick the box' on the UCAS form so your chosen universities and colleges can let you know what additional support you are entitled to. This could include finance, accommodation and other support services.
Ticking the box is confidential and the university will only share your information with people who need to know it, and who you have agreed should be informed.
Student Finance England will give you:
- a loan to pay for your tuition fees (up to £9,250 per year)
- a maintenance loan for your living costs (up to £9,978 per year, or £13,022 if you are in London).
You don't have to start paying your loans back until you are earning over a certain amount. As a care leaver, unless you are earning an income, you will probably be entitled to a full loan for both fees and maintenance. Your Higher Education Bursary does not count as income.
Lots of universities offer bursaries specifically for care leavers - you can see different offers on Propel .
Kirklees will support you with an annual fund to pay for books, trips and equipment or travelling expenses. Universities also offer hardship funds in case you have trouble paying for the things you need.
This is us offers a scholarship scheme with some universities. This provides free accommodation for young people without family support, including care leavers.
Some charities, like Rees: The Care Leavers Foundation , Buttle UK and the The Spark Foundation offer grants to care leavers.
Contact us
For more information about training, education and employment, in the first instance seek the support of our dedicated careers advisor.
More information
C&K careers has over 25 years' experience in delivering high quality, impartial careers guidance and advice services.
The National Careers Service is aimed at anyone aged 13 and over and provides impartial careers advice and guidance. You can take a skills test to find out what you're good at, explore careers or chat to an adviser.
The Prince's Trust offers support to young people, such as helping them find jobs, build their confidence or starting a business.
If you're looking for an alternative to doing a university degree, Not Going to Uni is for you.
BBC Bitesize: Careers provides lots of information on different education options, future careers, and the world of work. There is advice from experts and from young people who have taken different pathways after school.
The Uni Guide can help you with course searches and profiles, match your predicted grades to course entry requirements as well as giving you tips and advice about university.
Careerpilot provides a range of information and tools to help you explore your future career. There is information on education and training options, such as A Levels, T Levels and Apprenticeships, as well as information on job roles and sectors.
