SUMMERY / PURPOSE

Paper C

Committee: CHILDRENS’ COMMITTEE

Date: 30 APRIL 2002

Title: PROGRESS OF CONNEXIONS

REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

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SUMMARY / PURPOSE

1. This report seeks to inform and consult members of the Children's Committee on the developments of the Connexions pilot activity and the subsequent draft delivery plan required by Central Government prior to approval of a "live" service.

BACKGROUND

2. 1 The Isle of Wight became part of a pilot project for Connexions in April 2000. Previous papers to Executive Committee July 2000 (Annex A) recommended approval of Isle of Wight Council involvement in the Pilot activity. Again, in April 2001 the Executive Committee received a progress report with details of the Members Agreement, Articles of Association & Memorandum Of Association of South Central Connexions Partnership Limited.

2.2 The pilot activity has been steered by a seconded post from the Education Department. The pilot Co-ordination Manager is the Head of the Behaviour Support Service.

2.3 South Central Connexions region covers the same area as the Learning & Skills Council region. A memorandum of Understanding exists between both parties, available on request from the Connexions Office.

INTRODUCTION

3.1 Connexions is a central Government strategy. The strategy is designed to draw together service providers into a cohesive, holistic service for all 13-19 year olds. This will include all aspects of information, advice, guidance, personal development and academic achievement. The Connexions strategy acknowledges the vital contribution all stakeholders, including schools, further and higher education institutions and training providers make to ensuring every young person gets the best start in life.

3.2 Within the Connexions strategy is a discrete Service of Personal Advisers (P.A). These professionals will be trained to work across traditional organisational boundaries. Every qualified Personal Adviser will hold a professional qualification (NVQ Level 4 or equivalent) and the Diploma for Personal Advisers.

3.3 The eight Key Principles underpinning the Connexions strategy and the Connexions Service can be found in Annex ONE

3.4 To date, South Central Connexions Partnership have continued to run pilot activity with the approval of Government Office of South East and the Connexions National Unit.

3.5 A Business Plan is being prepared for the South Central region by the South Central Connexions Partnership Board. The business plan identifies nationally agreed targets for individual stakeholders and recognises the contribution Connexions makes to the successful achievement of the targets. It also identifies a Connexions specific target for the active involvement of young people in the delivery of the Connexions service.

3.6 Consultation on the local delivery plan is now taking place.

MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

4.1 Each area has been required to create a Local Management Committee to oversee the work of the local delivery team. The LMC is a multi-agency group that includes representation by two young people. (See Annex TWO for current membership).

4.2 The LMC is the local face for the South Central Connexions Partnership Board.

4.3 The Director of Education acts as chairperson to the LMC.

4.4 The Local Management Committee has written a draft delivery plan for consultation with stakeholders.

4.5 Administration, quality assurance and contract monitoring will be provided by a local team consisting of a Co-ordination Manager, an Information / Data Manager, an Office Manager and a Modern Apprentice.

4.6 The Co-ordination Manager post will be advertised nationally in May 2002. The Information / Data Manger post will be advertised locally in June 2002. The Modern Apprentice post will be advertised locally in July 2002. The Office Manager was appointed in March 2002.

FINANCIAL DETAILS

5.1 Local funding will be allocated according to a nationally agreed funding formula that acknowledges level of need. The formula was established following national consultation with stakeholders during 2000-2001.

5.2 Details for local spending are identified in the Delivery Plan. It is estimated that Isle of Wight Connexions will receive approximately £263,000 (full-year costs) of funding for 2002-2003.

5.3 Isle of Wight Connexions has been able to secure additional funding from Learning & Skills Council, Drug Prevention Advisory Service, New Opportunities Fund in addition to the Transforming Youth Work Development Fund.

5.4 The Local Management Committee is committed to seeking funding opportunities from a variety of sources to ensure a comprehensive service delivery.

MANAGEMENT INFORMATION

6.1 Connexions National Unit will require local collection of data according to an established formula.

6.2 The data collection will inform the Quality Standards process and negotiations for local contracts.

6.3 Responsibility for Data collection will form part of local contracts and will be managed by the local Information / Data Manager, directed by the regional Data Controller.

6.4 Information will be collected recognising the Data Protection Act 1998; the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Learning and Skills Act 2000, section 114-122.

6.5 Detailed Information Management Guidance is available on request from the Connexions Office.

CONNEXIONS CARD

7.1 In June 2002, young people aged 16 - 19 years on the Isle of Wight will become eligible to gain access to the Connexions Card.

7.2 The Connexions Card will act as an incentive to encourage young people to participate in education or training by the issue of locally negotiated discounts.

7.3 The contract for the Connexions card is held by Capita plc. Capita will make a presentation to interested parties on the Island in June 2002. It is anticipated that the microchip on the card will allow it to be linked with Wight Leisure One Card.

7.4 Schools, IW College and Training Providers will be able to negotiate for local incentives.

7.5 The Connexions card carries a micro-chip giving the potential for the Card to carry an e-purse, saving the need for carrying cash.

CONNEXIONS STRATEGY & CONNEXIONS SERVICE

8.1 The Connexions Service of Personal Advisers will be developed by "in-kind" contributions from Stakeholders and through the Connexions funding for additional posts and activity.

8.2 The Connexions Strategy will be delivered through a multiplicity of partnerships including the Learning & Skills Council, Local Learning Partnerships, IWC directorates, the Health Trust and the voluntary sector

8.3 Annex THREE gives further detailed information on the Youth Service

8.4 Annex FOUR gives further detailed information on the Careers Service

8.5 Annex FIVE gives further detailed information on Health Services

8.6 Annex SIX gives further detailed information on the Voluntary and Community sector

8.7 Annex SEVEN gives further detailed information on the Social Services and Housing Directorate

8.8 Annex EIGHT gives further detailed information on the Justice system

8.9 Annex NINE gives further detailed information on Young people with Special Educational Need.

8.10 Priorities for spending will be developed in consultation with local stakeholders following the publication of the Draft delivery Plan. Annex TEN contains the Draft Delivery Plan

9. BEST VALUE REVIEWS

9.1 Connexions is involved in the Best Value review for the Youth Service and the cross-cutting review for Opportunities for Young People.

9.2 Research conducted by Connexions in July 2001 (known as the E.R.I.C. research) has helped to inform the recommendations of the BV Opportunities for young people review.

9.3 Full details of the findings from the E.R.I.C research can be obtained from the Connexions Office.

10. NEXT STEPS

10.1 An Island Stakeholder conference in April 2002 will receive a presentation on the local delivery plan, the Youth Charter and aspects of pilot activity that have contributed to the formulation of the delivery plan.

10.2 Interested parties are invited to comment using the consultation form.

10.3 The Local Management Committee will approve the final plan in May 2002

11. CONCLUSION

11.1 Connexions will provide a radical way of working with, and providing a service for young people. It requires the commitment of all stakeholders to ensure a cohesive and effective approach to allowing each young person the best start in life.

12. RECOMMENDATIONS

12.1 To consider and discuss the draft Connexions local delivery plan

12.2 To suggest amendments or area for further work

Contact point: Anne Hendon-John

Pilot Implementation Manager, Tel: 527565.

A KAYE

Strategic Director

Education & Community Development

ANNEX THREE

Connexions strategy and Connexions service section 8.3 refers

YOUTH SERVICE.

TRANSFORMING YOUTH WORK DEVELOPMENT FUND

1. The Youth Service is considered to be a major contributor to the delivery of the Connexions strategy in all aspects of its work with 13-19 year olds, and in particular by providing Personal Advisers it makes a contribution to the Connexions Service.

2. The regional Business Plan recognises that the 25% of a Youth Worker role can be directly attributed to personal advice and guidance and 75% is on Connexions strategy related activities.

3. The Transforming Youth Work Development Fund (TYWDF) has been released to allow the Youth Service to work more closely with Connexions. This has provided the Isle of Wight Youth Service with £48,000 of additional funding. A breakdown of project spend can be obtained from the Principal Youth Officer.

4. The TYWDF will create an additional post to develop an Island-wide Youth Forum. The Youth Forum will draw together all the existing fora for young people including Wight 2B Heard, Town Youth Councils and the Connexions Youth Sub-Committee. It will provide organisations with a single point of access for consultation with young people and become the Voice of Island Youth. The Island Youth Forum will meet monthly at the Connexions Young People's Office in Newport.

5. This post links directly with the cross-cutting Best Value review on Opportunities for Young People.

6. The TYWDF Worker will work closely with the Wight 2B Heard Co-ordinator and the Connexions Team of "Connexors". (Connexors are trained young people who will provide an interface between service users and service providers.)

ANNEX FOUR

Connexions Strategy and Connexions Service section 8.4 refers

CAREERS SERVICE.

CAREERS CONTRACT

1. The purpose of a careers service is to contribute to the learning and prosperity of individuals, their communities and society as a whole. It does this by impartial information, guidance and help to enter appropriate education, training and employment. In doing so, is ascribes to the Connexions eight Key Principles.

2. The Careers Service is considered to be a major contributor to the delivery of the Connexions strategy and by providing Personal Advisers it also makes a contribution to the Connexions Service.

3. The regional Business Plan recognises that a percentage of Careers service delivery is directed to Connexions strategy related activities. A percentage is also given over to personal advice and guidance.

4. Careers advice and guidance will be delivered under contract by a private Careers Company. Currently the contract is held by Southern Careers.

5. Southern Careers will work to deliver the targets in the business plan.

6. Southern Careers supports young people at post 16 years who are not in employment, education or training through a process known as the Learning Gateway.

7. The Learning Gateway employs Personal Advisors to work with Young People.

8. The mapping exercise recognises the high proportion of Young people in the Learning gateway on the Isle of Wight compared to the South Central Connexions Partnership region.

9. In order to support additional advice and guidance the delivery plan recognises the need for increased Careers Staff to work with:

(i) The Learning Gateway

(ii) Young people with Special Educational Need

(iii) Young people wishing to make further and higher educational choices.

10. The Careers Company will work closely with the Employment Service and the Benefits Agency

ANNEX FIVE

Connexions Strategy and Connexions service section 8. 5 refers

HEALTH RELATED ISSUES

YOUNG PEOPLE AND HEALTH

1. Teenage Pregnancy

1.1 The Primary Care Trust and all Health Departments, including health Promotion and the School Nurse service are considered to be major contributors to the delivery of the Connexions strategy and by providing personal advice, also make a contribution to the Connexions Service.

1.2 Connexions is part of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, Implementation and Review group (S.I.R.) and contributes to the delivery of targets in the local Teenage Pregnancy Plan. The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is managed by the national Teenage Pregnancy Unit. (TPU)

1.3 Connexions provides an office base for the Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator in Newport. The network of agencies working with the Teenage Pregnancy Co- ordinator will work to deliver the targets in the South Central Connexions Partnership business plan.

1.4 To assist the Girl's Friendly Society, (Winchester House Project) in building capacity to offer a service to young mothers, in 2001 Connexions made a grant of £10,000. Staff from the Project will undertake the Diploma for Personal Adviser training in June 2002.

2. Sexual Health Network

2.1 Connexions will continue to develop links with the I.W. Sexual Health network and contribute to the delivery of an informed service.

2.2 Connexions Personal Advisors will use the sexual health network as a source of informed information, advice and guidance in their work with young people.

3. Healthy Schools Standard

3.1 Connexions will continue to contribute to the actions of individual organisations involved in accreditation for the Health School standard. Currently this covers attendance at local network meetings and advice

3.2 Connexions will continue to offer advice and training for Peer Mentoring Schemes.

4. Drug Prevention and Advisory Service

4.1 Connexions will continue to support the Drugs Prevention Advisory (DPAS) to "Strengthen society's resistance to drugs by supporting the delivery of all four aims of the government anti-drugs strategy, through work at a national, regional and local level".

4.2 Connexions will work closely with the Drugs Education Officer to support this work in schools and the wider community. This will include the development of SNAP disco's for Young People and the Global Rock Challenge.

5. Drug Action Team

5.1 Connexions will continue to support the local Drug Action Team in delivering the Government's Anti-Drugs strategy.

5.2 By the procurement of additional funding for drugs education programmes, Connexions will make a contribution to the Tier Two training of Drugs Workers

5.3 The local Drug Action Team co-ordinator is a member of the Local Management Committee.

6. Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

6.1 Connexions recognises the pivotal role of emotional health and well-being in the achievement of self-actualisation. It acknowledges the contribution the Child and Adolescent Mental Health service makes to the delivery of the Connexions Strategy.

6.2 The delivery plan identifies an additional, intensively working Personal Advisor to work with the CAMHS team. Carrying a caseload of eight young people, this Personal Advisor will be able to offer time intensive support. The intensively - working Personal Advisor will be line-managed by the local CAMHS Manager.

6.3 Members of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Team will undertake Diploma for Personal Adviser training in June 2002.

6.3 The manager of the Child and Adolescent Mental health team will form part of the Local management Committee

7. South Central Partnership Board

7.1 The interests of Health departments are represented at SCCP board level by the executive Director of the Primary Trust (Dr Peter Old)

ANNEX SIX

Connexions strategy and Connexions service section 8.6 refers

VOLUNTARY & COMMUNITY SECTOR

1. All aspects of voluntary and community sector work offering personal development opportunities to 13-19 year olds contribute to the overall Connexions strategy.

2. The individual contribution made by each organisation will form part of a more detailed mapping exercise.

3. Connexions recognises the essential and unique contribution the voluntary and community sector, including uniformed organisations make to providing personal development opportunities for young people and thus contributing to the Connexions Strategy.

4. Connexions will support the Voluntary and Community sector by ;

(i) providing, without charge, a venue to meet four times per year.

(ii) Assisting wherever possible in capacity building initiatives

(iii) Contributing to management activities and offering consultation

(iv) Encouraging tender for contract aspects of Connexions Service delivery.

(v) Providing free of charge and supply cover costs for staff wishing to undertake the ten-month course Diploma for Personal Advisors

(vi) Providing free of charge a ten-day "Understanding Connexions" course for staff wishing to gain a greater understanding of the Assessment, Implementation, Planning and Review process.

5. Connexions is making an "in-kind" contribution to two SRB funded projects by offering the use of office accommodation without charge. Currently this facility is used by The Hampton Trust (Interact Mentoring programme) and COM-MENT, a community based Mentoring scheme. Both schemes make a significant contribution to the Connexions Strategy.

6. Staff from The Hampton Trust, the Youth Trust, Girl's Friendly Society and MENCAP will participate in the Diploma for Personal Advisers course in June 2002.

7. Connexions can be used as a vetting route to the Criminal Record Bureaux for volunteers working in community settings. This facility has currently been requested by the organisation known as "People off the Streets" (POTS)

8. The Rural Community Council provides a representative of the Community sector on the Local Management Committee.

9. The Voluntary and Community sector are represented on the South Central Connexions Partnership Board by the Chief Executive of the Hampton Trust.

ANNEX SEVEN

Connexions strategy and Connexions service section 8.76 refers

Social Service and Housing Directorate

1. YOUNG PEOPLE IN PUBLIC CARE

1.1 The Social Service and Housing Directorate is considered to be a major contributor to the delivery of the Connexions strategy and by providing Personal Advisers it also makes a contribution to the Connexions Service.

1.2 Leaving Care (2000) Act describes an additional resource to ensure that all young people leaving Public Care will be provided with a Personal Adviser.

1.3 In anticipation of the Connexions Service, two members of the Independence Support Project Team (ISP) have already successfully completed the Diploma for Personal Advisers course. Further members of staff are to start the training in June 2002.

1.4 Additional Care Leavers Funding has been made available to Social Services to increase the capacity to provide each Care Leaver with a Personal Adviser. Further details of this funding allocation can be obtained from the Head of Children's services or the Team Leader of the Independence Support Project

1.5 The delivery plan identifies an additional, intensively working personal Advisor to work with the ISP team. Carrying a caseload of eight young people, this Personal Advisor will be able to offer time intensive support. The intensively - working Personal Advisor will be line-managed by the ISP Team Leader.

1.6 This team will work to deliver the targets in the business plan

1.7 The housing agencies have a communication connection to the LMC via the Head of Children's Services, or the Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator or the Representative from the Rural Community Council.

1.8 Staff working for Housing Associations providing a service to vulnerable young people, have been invited to join the Diploma for Personal Advisers training course in June 2002. To date, no staff have registered an commitment.

1.9 The I.W. Director of Social Services and Housing is a South Central Connexions Partnership Board member.