What is Connexions?
Connexions is a support service for 13 to 19 year olds (13 to 25 for young people with learning difficulties and / or disabilities). We work alongside parents and carers to give young people the opportunity to fulfil their potential. It doesn’t replace the support that you give, but builds on it to make sure that your child gets the right information, advice and guidance to help them make choices about their future.
How can Connexions help my son/daughter?
Connexions aims to smooth a young person’s path through the challenges that face them, helping them to understand what is available to them as individuals. It does this by providing a range of services to young people, all of them free to access:
- Publications to help them make choices about their future;
- Connexions Centres, where they can find information about a wide range of issues important to them;
- Websites with information written specifically for young people.
- Specific support for young people with learning difficulties or disabilities;
- Personal Advisers, to provide personalised guidance and support where needed.
Connexions also find employment and training opportunities for specifically for 16-19 year olds. These can be found in Connexions Centres, schools and colleges, and online via the Help You Choose Website.
What does a Connexions Personal Adviser (PA) do?
Connexions Personal Advisers (PAs) are qualified guidance professionals. Their role is to support young people to make choices and successful transitions into and through education, training and employment.
They do this by:
- Providing impartial 1 to 1 guidance and support
- Supporting school leavers to find suitable job and training vacancies.
- Referring young people to other support agencies
- Providing advice to parents/carers and families through attendance at parents evenings
Who do PAs provide 1 to 1 guidance to?
Young people who are in need of in-depth guidance.These include those young people who:
- are at risk of not entering education, employment or training after leaving school.
- need extra quidance in order to be able to make and implement informed and realistic decisions about their 14-19 choices.
- have learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD)
- have complex needs that prevent them from moving on
How can my son/daughter access Connexions?
Young people can contact a Personal Adviser in one of three ways. For more information click Contact Us.
- In School: Schools in Norfolk receive regular visits from a PA - ask a member of staff for more details.
- On the High Street: Contact your local Connexions Centre or Access Point. Click Connexions Centres in Norfolk to find us.
- By Phone, Text or Email: Connexions Direct is a national confidential advice service open between 8am and 2am every day. To find out how to speak to a trained Connexions Direct PA, click Connexions Direct.
- On the web: talkaboutyou.org is Connexions Norfolk's website for young people. It has information about life, money and staying healthy. helpyouchoose.org is the 14-19 prospectus for Norfolk. You can search all the courses, Apprenticeships and jobs for young people in Norfolk. You can also apply online for some of these courses and apprenticeships.
