Customising Your "U" Choose Programme

Young people are invited to choose their challenges from a range of Challenge cards. The cards are colourful and suitable for young people with limited basic skills. There is a wide choice of challenge packs and you can ‘pick and mix’ packs to suit your own client group. There are three packs of general challenges and other more specialised packs, including those listed below:

Every Child Matters
We now have a range of challenges based on the “Every Child Matters” framework. This makes it possible to plan a programme of work which meets all the ECM targets. An advantage of this is that it helps the young people themselves to develop a deeper understanding of the ECM framework.

The Every Child Matters resources have been developed in conjunction with the National Children’s Bureau, funded by NOKIA. They provide an ideal platform for inter-agency intervention with young people as they are framed in terms which are common to all service providers.

Vocational Challenges
The "U" Choose programme can be used to support vocational education for the group of young people who could fall into the NEET category when they leave school (Learning and Skills Council jargon for Not in Education, Employment or Training!). "U" Choose can be used to encourage young people to taste different vocational areas and do a series of work based challenges. The various packs of vocational cards have been developed with support from the LSC, trade organisations and Sector Councils.
Challenge packs currently available are:

• Business Administration
• Construction
• Fitness and Sport
• Hair and Grooming
• Health and Social care
• Horticulture
• Hospitality and catering
• Retail

"U" Choose can be used post-16 as an E2E accreditation system. "U" Choose is on the list of E2E non-formal awards eligible for funding – see the Learning and Skills Council website.

Traveller Challenges
Chrysalis-Club 2000 has developed 4 packs of cards with West Midlands Consortium Education service for Travellers, Lincolnshire TES and Lincolnshire and Rutland LSC. Currently we are developing new e-learning materials with 5 different authorities under a DfES pilot to raise traveller achievement.

Scottish Challenges
Scottish advisors collaborated to develop a pack of challenges that had a “Scottish flavour”. These can be used alongside other packs so that young people feel that their heritage is valued.

Expressive Arts Challenges
These challenges encourage young people to do specific challenges related to the Expressive Arts, i.e. Dance, Music, Drama, Literature, etc.

Developing Parenting Skills Challenges
Suitable for use by young men or women, these challenges help to develop awareness around issues of family planning, childcare, and some of the realities of life as a parent. Young people could do one or two challenges from this pack as part of their general portfolio, or they could base a substantial part of their programme on parenting challenges, if that was appropriate for them.

You may want to look at some sample materials to see if they are relevant to your needs. To order sample materials please complete the form on the Contact Us page. Alternatively ring Chris on 0121 237 4812 to discuss your needs.

You will be given an opportunity to look at the various challenge packs when you attend our initial training day. You can then decide on the combination of packs to best support your programme.