Calling Young People - Connexions Needs YOU! Is it a dating agency, travel company or bus service...............? It might be, but not in this case!  Connexions is a new service for young people aged between 13-19 years.

At the moment the Government is deciding which areas of the country will be starting their service in April along with other areas which will start the year after or in 2003. 

It is being developed to meet YOUR needs in achieving a ‘smoother’ ride into your future.  This doesn’t mean lots of old people sitting in a room and deciding what’s best for the ‘youth of today’. It’s about professionals and young people working together and finding out exactly what young people want and need.

In other words, keeping it real and making it work.

You mean, lots of adults asking our opinion and then ignoring everything we’ve said?

Definitely not.  Let’s be honest, if you said "We feel that school should be closed down so that we can have a party" or "All young people should be given a million quid" that would not be keeping it real!! 

So its about communicating both ways, if you’ve got something important to say then professionals and adults need to listen and then together a service can be built that all young people can benefit from. 

Different Connexions services across the country will work in different ways, but the main ideas will be the same.  Services will want to involve young people in various ways, including :-

• Feedback through questionnaires, informal chats, group work sessions.  Asking YOU what you want, finding out whether and how it can be delivered and what you thought of the service you have already received.
• Steering groups.  These will involve groups of young people who will represent all other young people in their area.  They will be working with Connexions to look at the development of the service, how it is staffed and how information advice and guidance is accessed.  They may also be involved in recruiting staff by helping Connexions to write a person specification (what type of person would be right for the job). They could also develop ‘REAL’ examples of problems that young people face for Connexions to use in job interviews to find out how applicants could deal with the situation.
• Feedback from young people about how they could get involved in developing the service.

What exactly will Connexions help me with?

Connexions is about bringing services together to give young people easier access to the advice, guidance and information they will need.  This will cover subjects like sexual and general health matters, careers, drugs, housing, finance, relationships and family, education, employment, training, leisure and other issues that may effect YOU.  All these subjects could not be covered by one organisation or person.  If you have a problem, you will want the best person possible to give you support and information. 

Connexions is designed to make sure that you are connected to the right service without having to call hundreds of different people or wander around your town or city searching for support.

Yeah right! How are you going to do that then?

You are already aware of Careers Advisers, in many areas the Careers Service will become a part of the new Connexions Service.  So if your local Careers Services is becoming a Connexions Service, this doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to get Careers information or advice.  The new service will still give you the same level of support as before, it just means that you will get wider access to support services through one place. 

• Find your local careers service

At the heart of Connexions Services are Personal Advisers / Core Advisers / Mentors.  Each young person will be allocated an adviser who will provide support for the period between the ages of 13-19yrs.  Some young people will need to see their adviser more often than others, but whatever YOU need, your adviser will be able to help put you in the right direction of the experts.  Your adviser will be able to provide information to other services about your particular situation or problem, whilst still offering general support throughout the whole process.  When you have a problem, you may need to get specialist support, but it will all be ‘less scary’ if there is someone to help guide you through it.

Great!  So everyone and their Granny will be talking about me?

Connexions needs to make sure that all services share information to improve the service that they offer YOU.  After all, there is nothing more annoying than telling three different people the same story. They do understand about confidentiality and privacy.  That is why Connexions aims to involve YOU in the whole process.  This is about YOU and although you will need support along the way, it is very important that YOU will be involved and aware at each and every step.

• Connexions website

Get in touch - Find out more

Getting a job, starting training, becoming independent doesn’t just revolve around careers, or education.  Nobody knows what the future will hold.  Connexions is a service that looks at the ‘whole’ young person and a ‘whole’ range of issues that may affect them. 

Contact your local Careers Service to find out what is happening in your local area and find out how you can get involved in making a difference for yourself and other young people.  Most important of all, find out what is available for YOU.

Jennie Glitherow
Lincolnshire Careers and Guidance Services Ltd

With thanks to Rob Mayall - Chief Executive - Connexions Lincolnshire & Rutland

April - Unconventional Careers
May - GAP Year
June - Training Schemes

To get back to this page to use the links on it - enter http://www.careers-gateway.co.uk/mainpage.htm and click on Magazine then The Connexions Massive!

copyright © Careersoft 2001 - Last updated 5th March 2001