ECM Workbank Client Portfolio
In recent years schools have seen the expectations placed on them to improve standards in education escalate. The money has diminished along with available teaching time as well as increased administration. Now with the local government support being reduced and staff hours cut, schools are expected to commission the services that they need to fill the gaps in provision.
ECM Workbank provide a solution that saves valuable staff time, directs schools to services that have been tried and tested and reduces the cost of researching, commissioning and managing the service.
ECM Workbank provides services to children, young people, families and the wider community. They work to meet the schools improvement priorities, to enable young people to work towards their potential both academically and as a growing member of society.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation stated in 2007
“Just 14% of variation in individuals’ performance is accounted for by school quality. Most variation is explained by other factors, underlining the need to look at a range of children’s experiences, inside and outside of school, when seeking to raise achievement”.
By working with schools, partners from ECM Workbank can help ensure that schools can evidence the achievement from pupil premium funding which seeks to focus on disadvantaged pupils and is monitored via ofsted. We can work with you to address issues of health, wellbeing and behaviour and support vulnerable families.
ECM Workbank has worked with a number of clients delivering a diverse range of services, projects and activities. Our strength lies in our wide range of partners who have diverse skills, qualification’s and experience. Partners can work as individuals or come together as a multi-disciplined team of professionals capable of delivering commissions on behalf of the client. We have worked with schools both primary, secondary and special schools, Kent County Council, Kent Drugs and Alcohol Team, Kent Youth Services, Churches and Schools together, Canterbury LCSP, Children’s Centres, Maidstone Borough Council, Connexions Kent and Medway, Campus Reprovision learning disability team, North West Independent Advocacy, Music 4 Change, Animate Arts and Primary and Secondary Schools.
Testimonials
KDAAT Summer Project
“In the last 6 months, the Kent Drug and Alcohol Services Young People’s Team have successfully commissioned Workbank to coordinate and evaluate a programme of diversionary Summer activities with young people in areas of high alcohol related need. This was a very complex commission with 18 projects contributing to the programme and a need for workers in those projects to access training prior to them delivering their projects. The programme was conceived and developed in a short time scale and Workbank as well as the providers of diversionary activities for young people were required to work within tight timescales”
Jo Tonkin, Manager, KDAAT Young Peoples Services
Fathers Group, Sunshine Children’s Centre, Maidstone
“There are now 9 dads who come, some are new to the centre and some are ‘old hands’ who have always attended various sessions. Not all dads have English as their first language but the inclusive atmosphere and camaraderie that Paul has created means that there are no barriers to accessing the fun activities on offer. The dad’s have been busy planning the direction of the group and the services they have requested so far include health, job search, unemployment support and school registration details”.
The manager, Kay Beckwith & the locality coordinator, Fiona Miller, are thrilled with the response from the dads and Paul’s commitment to them. Kay said, “I am sure that the group will go from strength to strength and I imagine a time when I will need to provide a football pitch sized venue to house the happy throng!”
Kent Youth Service
“As Kent Youth Service we are excited about the possibilities that WorkBank opens up to us. Being able to source and effectively employ people with specific skill sets, often for very short periods of time, is always an issue for the Service . Hence having a wide range of people, with a wide range of skills who can be called upon at short notice – without the requirement to go through the usual employment hoops is a boon to our way of working”.
John Turner, Assistant Head of Kent Youth Service
Workbank meets a specific need for commissioners to be able to develop, deliver and evaluate activity within short time scales. This provides us with the opportunity to build our knowledge of the effectiveness of interventions which we can then use to bid for additional funding. In this way Workbank enables us to innovate as well as attract additional investment.
