Croft Street Hub (CSH) - Midlothian Council: Planning the project

This section includes information on the planning process, including roles and responsibilities, governance arrangements and outcomes of the project.

What staff were involved, what were the roles and responsibilities and how did you involve school staff/teachers?

There are 4.5 full-time key worker staff who deliver sessions to groups of young people. Each member of staff has a specific area of work they lead on, such as music or gardening. The staff also provide one to one support for young people.

There are two tutors who teach formal aspects of the curriculum including numeracy and maths, literacy and English. The tutors deliver formal qualifications in an informal way.

All secondary schools in Midlothian refer young people to the Croft Street Hub (CSH). School staff are assessors for SQA qualifications undertaken by the young people attending Croft Street Hub.

Local authority staff from the Newbattle cluster and the No One Left Behind Team support the transition of young people into positive destinations. They provide additional support such as coaching and mentoring for young people starting college courses or foundational apprenticeships.

What were the key parts of the project that you planned?

The project planned to have a community hub-based model where a range of learning opportunities could take place using a Community Learning and Development (CLD) approach. This included planning for sessions on the personal and social development of young people, focussed on various themes that were affecting them, such as online safety and knife crime.

Youth workers designed sessions to support the physical and mental wellbeing of young people, using therapeutic approaches such as art therapy. A range of accredited and non-accredited courses were researched to support lifelong learning pathways, including the Duke of Edinburgh Award, the SQA’s Personal Development Award and bike maintenance qualifications. Work experience placements were sourced to develop the interests and aspirations of the young people. Opportunities for outdoor learning were also identified, including landscaping and garden maintenance within the Croft Street Hub’s community garden.

Youth workers also collaborated with NHS staff to provide the Healthy Respect Clinic.

What were the shared expectations with school and what were your outcomes?

The shared expectation was for an alternative curriculum to be developed and provided for young people who were not attending or engaging with school. The alternative curriculum aims to guide young people through a range of qualifications by making connections to their interests, as a vehicle for meaningful engagement. As a result, young people develop a portfolio of achievement to support them into the next stage of their learner journey.

All outcomes that were expected to be achieved mirrored those within Midlothian Children and Young People’s Service Plan.

How was the project managed?

The curriculum delivered by the Croft Street Hub is aligned to the local authority's Community Learning and Development (CLD) plan and the Communities and Lifelong Learning plan.

Midlothian schools and the Croft Street Hub work closely together to support each young person referred. This is through multi-agency meetings, end of term reports, attendance on SEEMiS and regular contact with guidance staff and deputy headteachers.