Workforce

If you work with a young person in school years 9, 10 or 11, who is in receipt of free school meals, then you will have a role in delivering the COO-L Prepaid Card. Mainly this will be doing what you are best at: providing high quality advice, guidance and support so young people can reach their potential. However if you work in schools or directly with Looked After Children, then there will be a request for additional responsibility in distributing cards and PINs from 1 May 2010 and assisting young people with card related enquiries.

We have been working closely with internal teams at Tower Hamlets to ensure that young people most in need are referred to the scheme. We have now reach the 300 limit and due to funding can issue additional cards. You are still welcome to  refer names to us, but we will only be able to issue the cards once another young person drops out. We will review use of the cards every three months and young people whom have not used their bursary will be contacted with a view of withdrawing the bursary and issuing a card to another young person. Simply go to the contact us section on the website to contact us.

We would like you to be the first point of call for young people to support them. There are many reasons that young people don't take up activities: finance is one but they also need information, encouragement and confidence; this will come from parents and carers but will also flow from the positive interactions they have with our workforce. We also hope they may find the experience of working with a professional a positive one and come back for other advice, perhaps around health or job hunting.