Our Funders

SCHOOLS NorthEast is kindly funded by ONE NorthEast and the Learning and Skills Council. Chris Roberts, Regional Director, LSC North East, and Lesley Calder, Head of Skills and Europe, One NorthEast offer their personal comments.

Chris Roberts

"If we are to tackle the skills challenges facing the region head-on, schools must have a more strategic role in the region’s economic agenda. Today’s school children are tomorrow’s workforce.

"Schools are well placed to influence young people and make them aware about the importance of learning and gaining qualifications, and the contributions they can make to the region’s future prosperity.

"I welcome this initiative because it will give schools a stronger voice to help influence key regional policies. Only by working together can we build a better future for our region."

Lesley Calder

"The Agency has developed and strengthened its relationship with schools, helping them to establish a regional network to ensure representation, engagement and feedback from the school sector in all areas of regional development. Harnessing the power of schools in this way is a unique opportunity, particularly given the fact that no other body such as this exists in the country.

"Put simply, young people are the region’s future. If we don’t invest in them now, we will never achieve the ambitious targets set out in the Regional Economic Strategy."