A higher business profile is one of the benefits of getting involved in educational initiatives. Opportunities for businesses to get involved are wide-ranging and vary locally and nationally. Involvement may form part of your business’ wider Corporate Social Responsibility programme.

The Education Business Links case studies on the Department for Education and Skills website describe how businesses have worked with children and young people in local schools and colleges and the benefits this has brought them.

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ebnet/business/casestudy.cfm

Your local Education Business Partnership (EBP) will be able to advise on the activity that most suits your business and employees, as well as on the local need for particular activities. You can contact your EBP through the national network.

The business benefits for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are outlined on the website csr.gov.uk – here you can also find a useful resource section.

Business in the Community (BITC) has a range of resources relating to responsible business practice. The resource section of their website provides statistics on the business case for social responsibility, as well as a starter toolkit.

Education Business Links provide case studies of how businesses have worked with schools, and what benefits both schools and businesses have seen as a result.

As well as playing a crucial role in shaping qualifications, businesses have a lot to offer children and young people in education, as well as the education system itself. Your employees might have skills and ideas to share, or you might have resources or a service to provide that could directly benefit learners, educational institutions and the current and future workforce. There are lots of opportunities to get involved, and the benefits are wide-ranging.

For a general overview of what’s happening in education and where employers can usefully get involved, download the publication Shaping education, developing your workforce.

There are many opportunities for businesses to share skills and expertise with children and young people.

Education Business Links between businesses and local schools can include activities such as:

• work experience placements (for 14–15 year-olds);
• workplace visits;
• business mentoring;
• employee volunteering;
• presentations to schools.

These activities are explained in detail at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ebnet/business/activities_definition.cfm

You can arrange these activities through your local Education Business Partnership (EBP). EBPs are partnerships between educational and business organisations aimed at developing and promoting sustained links for the benefit of students, local schools and colleges. EBPs operate throughout England. Their core activities vary to reflect local needs and circumstances.

You can contact your local EBP through the national network.

Your local authority might also be able to provide guidance on working with local schools and colleges. You can find contact details for your local authority on the Business Link website.

Business in the Community’s (BITC) Business Action on Education programme works to build links between businesses and schools. It focuses on employability, enterprise, leadership and management initiatives.

BITC provides members with services ranging from conferences and seminars to advisory services and publications, including how-to guides for a range of initiatives.

Contact them to find out whether there are any appropriate business activities that would suit you, or just to view some of their case studies.

Children and young people benefit in many ways when businesses get involved in education. For example, some activities allow them to experience and prepare for the real working world, which can also improve their motivation.

Business involvement can also provide a chance to develop the school and college workforce, for example in curriculum and management expertise.

The National Education Business Partnership Network website outlines the main benefits children, young people and the school workforce gain from joint business and school activities.

Your local Education Business Partnership (EBP) is able to advise on the activity that best suits your business and employees, as well as on the local need for certain activities. You can contact your EBP through the national network.

The Education Business Links case studies describe how businesses have worked with children and young people in local schools and colleges and the benefits this has brought them.

Business in the Community (BITC) also provides case studies that show the impact of business involvement in education.

There are wide-ranging benefits to businesses and employees in getting involved in working with children and young people in education. The benefits depend on the sort of activity you get involved in, but might include:

• increased employee motivation through involvement in volunteering;
• development of leadership and management skills;
• an opportunity to shape the future workforce through work experience placements;
• raising the profile of your business in the community through linking with local schools and colleges.

The National Education Business Partnership Network outlines the benefits to businesses of getting involved with schools.

Your local Education Business Partnership (EBP) is able to advise on the activity that most suits your business and employees, as well as on the local need for certain activities. You can contact your EBP through the national network.

Education Business Links provide case studies of how businesses have worked with schools and colleges, and what benefits these have brought.

Decisions on volunteering programmes for your employees, and on which schools or age groups would benefit most from your support, are best based on local need.

To organise a partnership between your business and a local school, you should speak to your local Education Business Links consortium. They can help identify suitable options for you.

Details of how you can get involved through your local Education Business Links consortium are given at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ebnet/business/get_involved.cfm

Your local Education Business Partnership (EBP) can help businesses establish links with schools. Their advice will match what businesses have to offer and on local need.

Business in the Community’s (BITC) Business Action on Education programme works to build links between businesses and schools. BITC provides a service to members which includes sharing of knowledge, referrals to accredited partners, events, publications, advisory services plus a range of bespoke options.

Cares, the volunteering arm of BITC, acts as a go-between for businesses, the community and schools. Employees give their time and skills to the communities in which they live and work – working on anything from team challenges for groups of employees who want to paint and decorate a school, to mentoring students, teachers and heads.

Your business could become a member of a local Cares partnership anywhere in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. You can view the range of ways to get involved at: www.bitc.org.uk.

There is a range of organisations or go-betweens who can help businesses set up work experience placements for young people. They can advise on what age group would most benefit from the experience as well as how your business might benefit.

On the Education Business Links website, there is a free downloadable guide for employers who are considering setting up work experience placements.

For learners who are still in school or at college, the National Education Business Partnership Network (NEBPN) can provide you with advice on which might be the best organisation to help you set up work experience. It is likely that you will be referred to your local Education Business Partnership, your local Trident office, or your local Connexions office.

You can contact the NEBPN national office through their website www.nebpn.org or by phoning 0163 527 9914.

For learners who are in higher education, the National Council for Work Experience is the organisation that promotes, supports and develops quality work experience and work related learning. It also encourages employers to provide these opportunities for students. Their website outlines the different types of work experience and how these could benefit business.

The National Council for Work Experience also provides guidance for employers on how they can go about setting up work experience opportunities through different schemes for students in higher education.

There are various types of mentoring, or coaching, opportunities depending on what businesses or employees can offer. For example, an employee might be able to help with a student’s foreign language skills.

Local Education Business Partnerships (EBPs) can support businesses that want to establish links with schools. They can help with a range of activities, including mentoring, and can advise you on the best options for your business, taking into account the time you have available and the needs of the schools in your area. Your local EBP can be contacted through the national network.

The Mentoring and Befriending Foundation is able to offer support and advice to organisations wishing to set up a mentoring or befriending programme. Visit their website for further information.

Businesses can get involved in educational activities to different extents. There are various options including attending a careers fair for school leavers, sending speakers into schools, providing opportunities for teachers to visit your business or taking on a work experience student. Becoming a school governor might also be an option for some employees.

Your local Education Business Partnership (EBP) can support businesses that want to establish links with schools. They can help with a range of activities and can advise you on the best options for your business, taking into account the time you have available and the needs of the schools in your area. Your local EBP can be contacted through the national network.

The School Governor’s One-Stop Shop provides information about what is involved in becoming a governor, the commercial benefits it could bring to your business, and the personal development opportunities it could offer your employees.

The School Governors’ One-Stop Shop can tailor a school governor recruitment programme specifically to your business.

Links to further information and advice about being a school governor can be found at: http://www.sgoss.org.uk/faq.htm#moreinfo.

Businesses can not only shape qualifications and training, but they can also bring leadership skills, market knowledge and an understanding of finances that could help the education system. Many businesses already do a great deal of valuable work with schools and have seen the morale of their own employees improve when doing so.

You can find out about opportunities for getting involved and for sponsorship by emailing the Department for Education and Skills at:
Business.relations@dfes.gsi.gov.uk.

Trust schools
Businesses can partner with other organisations, such as community groups and charities, to form a charitable foundation or Trust which will govern a school or group of schools.

Working through a Trust offers the opportunity for businesses to put in place a coordinated and common approach to school governance as the Trust will appoint the majority of governors to the schools’ governing body. It is an opportunity for businesses to raise aspirations in their local community, sharing expertise and skills with local schools and contributing to policy development. Businesses offer advice and guidance through the Trust, they do not sponsor Trust schools.

Forming a Trust offers businesses a chance to interact with young people who are going to be employees of the future. Businesses could see an improvement in employee morale and retention as a result of their becoming involved.

For schools, acquiring a Trust is a way to raise standards. Forming a trust gives stability to relationships within a school or group of schools.

The summary leaflet for employers, Opportunity for all: Trust schools, outlines the business opportunities and benefits of getting involved in a Trust.

Academies
Through sponsorship, businesses can help establish Academies. These are part of a programme designed to help with school attainment levels. The academies programme targets those secondary schools with the lowest levels of attainment and in the most deprived communities. Academies are established by business sponsors, faith or voluntary groups, working with central government and local education partners.

You can read about academies and how businesses can become involved, at: www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/academies/

Specialist schools
Businesses can become partners in the Specialist Schools Programme through sponsorship of specialist schools who are also supported by Government funding. Specialist schools are innovative, high performing secondary schools which specialise in certain subjects. By taking part in this programme, businesses can directly raise educational standards. Details on specialist schools can be found on the Standards Site.

If you want to know more about sponsorship opportunities for business, visit: www.ssatrust.org.uk/sponsorship/default.aspa

National Skills Academies
Businesses can get involved in establishing National Skills Academies. This is as an opportunity to develop and deliver training which meets the needs of their sector.

National Skills Academies will focus on vocational education and skills training for young people (16-19 year-olds) and adults. They will be sector-based centres of excellence with national reach. In time, at least one National Skills Academy will be developed for each major industry sector.

Employers with a record of success in business can become sponsors of National Skills Academies. Your industry’s Sector Skills Council (SSC) can advise you on how to become a sponsor.

SSCs are employer-led, independent organisations that provide employers with a forum to express the skills and productivity needs of their sector.

Each of the 25 SSCs which make up the Skills for Business network, represents one business sector needs and is responsible for improving skills and productivity in the UK.

To find out which SSC represents your industry, visit the Skills for Business website at: www.skillsforbusiness.biz

You can also view a list of SSCs at: www.ssda.org.uk/ssda/default.aspx?page=16

Employees who become school governors directly contribute to standards in education. There is no direct cost involved, but there is a time commitment.

The School Governors’ One-Stop Shop provides information about what is involved in becoming a governor, the commercial benefits it could bring to your business, and the personal development opportunities it could offer your employees.

The School Governors’ One-Stop Shop can tailor a school governor recruitment programme specifically to your business.

Links to further information and advice about school governance can be found at: http://www.sgoss.org.uk/faq.htm#moreinfo

The Department for Education and Skills does not sponsor or endorse external educational initiatives or activities, but is keen to hear from organisations looking to provide support or investment to educational projects.

If you would like to get in touch with the Department, please send an email to business.relations@dfes.gsi.gov.uk.