Comparison: Careers Scotland and Connexions

As I was one of the few to go down South on placement and spend sometime with the Connexions service and we have all done some work now with Careers Scotland, I thought it might be useful to post some of the differences between the two organisations, as I realise some people may be about to embark on a placement down there this time around.

‘Connexions is for you if you are 13-19, living in England and wanting advice on getting to where you want to be in life. It also provides support up to the age of 25 for young people who have learning difficulties or disabilities (or both).’ (www.connexions-direct.co.uk, 2008)
In this case this is the first major difference between Connexions and Careers Scotland; they work solely with young people and thus have no experience with adult guidance.
Connexions is a modern public service and young people are actively involved in its design and delivery. The service is managed locally by your Local Connexions Service and it brings together all the key youth support services. (www.connexions-direct.co.uk, 2008)
Connexions Personal Advisers work with young people in Local Connexions Services. They can give you information, advice and practical help with all sorts of things that might be affecting you at school, college, work or in your personal or family life. They can also refer you to specialist support if it is needed.
This is another clear difference between Careers Scotland and the Connexions service, although Key Workers or Activate advisers may develop an informal relationship with clients were social and personal issues may be discussed it is not within the Careers Scotland remit to be approached in order to gain advice on these issues specifically. This may be an area Connexions personal advisers are happy to engage with as they are working solely with young people who often have many issues while growing up and must in this case be specifically trained to have this experience. Connexions also provide drop-in clinics for the C-Card, a scheme which young people over the age of 12 can pick up free condoms from their local Connexions centre. This I found was awkward for some people within the orginisation, however, I found that the kids who took part really appreciated this service as they were often far too intimidated to go to a drop-in clinic at a local sexual health clinic. I feel that these sort of services, along with having a closer relationship with their personal adviser may allow the kids to be more open about their sexal behaviour and can thus get the information that they may previously have not know: the aim obviuosly would be to make them more aware of sexual relationships and not to encourage underage sex.

Connexions also targets the NEET group and works closely with individuals with learning difficulties and multiple barriers to learning, this echoes the youth work done within Careers Scotland. (www.everychildmatters.gov.uk, 2008)
The Connexions service has recently been through a process of transition. Following the publication of Every Child Matters: next steps, and children's trusts were set up in each local authority area. From 1 April 2008 the funding that went directly to 47 Connexions Partnerships now goes directly to all 150 local authorities (LAs), via the new Area Based Grant, with LAs now responsible for delivery. (www.everychildmatters.gov.uk, 2008) In this case Connexions is also subject to government policy in how their service is delivered and what is delivered, however LA’s can be more specific with the needs of their community problems and how best to spend the money that they are given.