Information campaign – Raising the Participation Age

In 2013 the Government announced it was increasing the school leaving age from 16 to 18 from 2015.  The Council was legally required to raise awareness of the change among schools and colleges, young people and parents, and with employers and training providers. With research showing that less than 15% of parents and young people were aware of the change at the time of the announcement, Trisha was asked to devise and deliver a targeted multi-agency campaign to address this.

Her strategy included the creation of a new website; a YouTube video; posts on Facebook and Twitter; laminated information cards which were distributed to young people; road shows; presentations at school and college open evenings, parents evenings and employers ‘events; posters and leaflets distributed through one stop shops, libraries, children’s centres, job centres, GP surgeries and town and parish council noticeboards; leaflets for employers and chambers of commerce; and adverts on bus backs and billboards at bus and train stations.

Other activities included targeted briefings and a successful media campaign, with media briefings, press releases and articles with case studies, a phone in with key stakeholders on Radio Cornwall, adverts on commercial radio stations and information on community and youth radio stations, in School Messenger and town and parish council newsletters.

The campaign ran from March to September, with the final evaluation showing 70% of parents and Year 10 and 11 pupils were now aware of the new school leaving age, with more than 50% of employers and training providers reporting that they were aware of their responsibilities.