Council gives hard-pressed young people financial support to help them stay on in education
Published 8 February 2012
Southwark Council have launched a radical scheme to pay hundreds of hard-pressed sixth form and further education students up to £200 a year to support them during their studies.
A pot of £300,000 will be distributed to over 30 schools and colleges in the borough and in other parts of the country.
They will then allocate the funds to more than 1,000 students most in need of financial support.
It follows the government's decision to scrap the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) last year which was previously claimed by 3,700 Southwark students.
Schools and colleges participating in the scheme include London Nautical School, Crossways Sixth Form College and Bacons College
The council says its Education Maintenance Supplement is one of the first schemes of its kind in the country.
It has been designed to encourage students from lower income families to remain in post -16 education and help cover the cost of academic books and travel expenses and any other necessary costs.
Applicants must be 16 to 18 years old, live in Southwark and be eligible for free school meals. Local students can apply if they are studying in Southwark or elsewhere in the country.
The money will come from the council's £3million Youth Fund which pays the university tuition fees for a number of high performing local students and creates 1,500 work-related opportunities to help other young people into jobs and training.
A survey last year by the Association of Colleges showed that almost half of England's further education colleges had seen a decline in student numbers - with the drop blamed on the axing of the EMA.
Catherine McDonald, cabinet member for children’s services said: "We brought in our £3 million Youth Fund after the government cut EMA, increased tuition fees and youth unemployment reached record levels.
"Many Southwark students told me the EMA made the difference between them being able to afford to stay on in sixth-form and further education rather than drop out.
"At Southwark Council we believe that all pupils should be able to stay on in education - regardless of their financial circumstances. Giving young people opportunities to progress is good for the young people themselves and is good for the whole borough."
For more information on the scheme please visit http://www.southwark.gov.uk/education
