Implementing inclusive (I)VET: challenges and opportunities in liberal skill formation systems

FAs were co-funded by the Scottish Government (through SDS) and the European Social Fund until 2020\u201321. During this period, colleges had to dedicate significant resources to meeting compliance requirements and were awarded funding when pupils reached milestones e.g. upon registration, after three months\u2019 participation and upon completion. Owing to dropouts before meeting milestones, there were discrepancies in the resources committed by colleges and the funds awarded. A college may organise, promote and recruit for an FA but later be unable to deliver it because of dropouts, or deliver to much reduced numbers of pupils, thereby limiting the value on investment. On the positive side, some colleges found SDS funding to be flexible and access to additional resources to cover travel costs for pupils (e.g. travel between school and college or between school and work placements) was welcomed. Since 2020\u201321 colleges have been funded by SFC the same way they are funded for delivering FE courses \u2013 SDS continues to fund municipalities and ITPs delivering FAs. As such, the change in funding model has directly affected only colleges. While some colleges have viewed this change positively, finding it easier to deliver within established funding mechanisms (COL5, COL6), others have viewed it negatively, stating that it has resulted in increased compliance, less freedom in what they deliver and an associated reduction in capacity to deliver FE courses which may be more financially viable (COL1, COL3, COL4). There was universal agreement that the loss of the additional travel funds negatively impacts participation and the capacity to deliver work placements.