Blackpool Opportunity Area Community Wide Assessment - Community Engagement

Background - Blackpool Opportunity Area

• Twelve Opportunity Areas have been identified by the Department for Education as part of its strategy to promote social mobility. Blackpool is one of these areas based on the Social Mobility Commission's social mobility index and education data. A local partnership has been formed with \"early years\" providers, schools, colleges, the Local Enterprise Partnership, businesses, charities and local authority to ensure all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

• A key aim of Opportunity Areas is to build young people's knowledge and skills and provide them with the best advice and opportunities, including working with organisations such as the Careers and Enterprise Company, the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses, and the National Citizen Service. The Department for Education (DfE) will target its programmes to ensure children get the best start in the early years, to build teaching and leadership capacity in schools, to increase access to university, to strengthen technical pathways for young people, and work with employers to improve young people's access to the right advice and experiences.

• Since the launch of the programme, an extensive period of preparation and research has taken place, including a review of data, and several stakeholder engagement sessions. An emerging theme from a consultation with stakeholders was the need for a town-wide assessment of the root causes of the social mobility issues in Blackpool. Stakeholders suggested a diagnostic process of this nature, if done correctly, could help shape the nature of interventions in Blackpool.

• It was agreed by Blackpool OA Partnership Board that a community wide assessment is carried out in two distinct stages;

Stage 1 is complete and this opportunity is for Stage 2: Community Consultation and Engagement