West Dunbartonshire Council suggest pupils should be taught how to do washing and take bins out

Teaching young people how to budget their money, take the bin out or do their own washing could become part of West Dunbartonshire’s senior school curriculum.

It comes as education bosses at the local authority continue to take steps to help improve the number of young people leaving school and entering higher education or jobs.

In 2021 almost 91% of school leavers last year went to university or college, took on an apprenticeship or work of some sort.

A report brought before the education committee last week raised questions about preparing young people who are moving away from home for the first time.

Council leader Martin Rooney said: “The report states that more should be done to prepare young people travelling for study or moving away from home.

“Is that a responsibility that falls to the council, families or the Scottish Government?”

The education officers said that this was about finding out about what the council can do to support young people who weren’t prepared for the general life skills required from them.

Senior education officer Laura Mason said: “We really can’t underestimate that. It can be as simple as taking a bin out, putting on their own washing, budgeting their money to put tea on the table.

“Maybe we need to include that in our senior curriculum to help all young people leaving home.”

The report also said the council would do more to record the data of school leavers before the summer break and refer those without an offer to Skills Development Scotland, No One Left Behind (NOLB) or Young Person Guarantee (YPG).

West Dunbartonshire will also ensure pupils engage with partners to access a variety of opportunities under YPG & NOLB through two targeted events while using inservice days in August. It would aim to help ensure pupils making decisions about their future after school are well informed with up-to-date college, university and labour market information

Education officers will tap into the ‘former pupil’ network, to ensure young people are best informed about life at college or university from someone who they know, with first-hand experience as well as preparing young people moving away from home for the life skills they will need.

During the meeting, SNP councillor Karen Conaghan said: “I note in the action plan that we are talking about tapping into the ‘former pupil’ network and the partners involved are West College Scotland and Glasgow University.

“I was just wondering why we are just talking to Glasgow University as we have Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian and the University of West of Scotland right on our doorstep.”

It was confirmed by a council officer that West Dunbartonshire Council works very closely with Glasgow University who represent all of the universities across the country in terms of transition to university.