The paper integrates evaluative research findings from two projects that had simultaneous impact on young people during 2005-6. The first project Pathways to Success P2S (2000-2007) has a focus on the development of vocational learning and is funded by the European Social Fund as part of a large regional regeneration project in South Yorkshire. The second project Rotherham Ready (2005-2009) has a focus on developing an enterprise culture in schools is funded by Yorkshire Forward, a regional development agency in the UK. Both projects aim to bring sustainable changes to the school curriculum by increasing engagement in vocational education and the development of skills and knowledge that will be important to successful future employment. These initiatives are taking place at time of the development of major curriculum policy changes aimed at the 14- 19 age range in England. The paper will report on how the curriculum introduced and supported by these projects is meeting the needs of young people drawing evidence that has been collected from key delivery partners including schools, training organisations managers and beneficiary students. The development of the vocational curriculum ( P2S) was studied in three contrasting case study schools and the achievement of a sample of students engaged in vocational learning were tracked via an analysis of achievement data at individual, subject group school level. Group interviews took place with school staff and students to provide data on how the vocational curriculum was impacting on motivation towards learning and the intentions of students for future employment, continued education, or vocational training. The Government in England intends to raise the school leaving age from 16 which will result in considerably greater participation in vocational programmes than is currently the case. Bearing this in mind the paper will look specifically at what can be learned from our data about managing these developments and secondly the impact of these projects on young people and their schools. The theoretical framework used will draw from the literature of organisational and change management. Insights into the impact of the projects on young people will be analysed in relation to the national policy agenda for increasing participation in education, training or employment post 16.Interviews with key players, focus groups of students, analysis of attainment data, policy analysis Identification of success factors that have underpinned the development of vocational and enterprise education in the Local Authority. How the local interventions relate to the national and international policy agendas for vocational and enterprise education . Coldwell M., Holland M. et al (2004) Walk in jobs- Creating Pathways to Success Curriculum Briefing 2 (3), p14-16 UK Coldwell M.,Holland M. et al (2006) Developing Enterprise Culture in a Northern Education Authority in the UK. Paper presented at ECER , Geneva. Davies P.,Brant. (2006) Business Economics and Enterprise, Routledge Holland, M., Coldwell, M., Trickey, S., Rybinski, D., Jones, H., Morgan, B., andByford, H. (2003) Pathways to 'Opportunity and Excellence': Collaborative curriculum innovation In South Yorkshire. Paper presented to the BERA Annual Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland DfES (2006) Transforming the education system for 14-19 year olds. http://www.dfes.gov.uk/14-19/ London Holland M., Trickey D., Coldwell M., New Pathways: evaluating the implementation of a major work- related programme in Northern England Paper presented to the Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association (AERA), Chicago, April 2003 Holland M., Tricky D., et al ( 2004) Innovative use of the European Social Fund in the development of vocational education 14 - 16 in South Yorkshire, UKPaper presented at ECER, University of Crete European Commission (2004 Final Report of the expert group - education for entrepreneurship: Making progress in promoting entrepreneurial attitudes and skills through Primary and Secondary education. Belgium Hytti. U. and O'Gorman (2004) What is enterprise education? An analysis of the objectives and methods of enterprise education programmes in four European countries. Journal of Education and Training Vol46, p11-23 Ofsted (2004) Learning to be enterprising - an evaluation of enterprise learning at Key Stage 4 Ofsted, London Ofsted (2004) Pathways to parity: A survey of 14-19 vocational provision in Denmark, Netherlands and New South Wales, HMI 2124, January 2004 Ofsted (2005) developing enterprising young people - features of the successful implementation of Enterprise Education at Key Stage 4, London Stephen, N., et al (2002) Determined to Succeed: A Review of Enterprise in Education, Scottish Executive, Edinburgh