7.2.1 Careers Partnership Agreement

Objectives
Careers Work Within the YOT
Referrals and Provision of Information
Accommodation and Facilities
Equal Opportunities
Monitoring and Review

1. Objectives

1.1 Background

Sussex Careers is contracted by Sussex Connexions to provide a universal information, advice, and guidance service, which is available to all young people, including impartial guidance on career and learning options. Sussex Careers is committed to engaging 16 – 19 year olds in learning.

Sussex Careers has established a working relationship with the Youth Offending Team (YOT), which aims to support and increase young people’s participation in employment, training, and learning.

1.2 Main objective for YOT Outreach

To meet young people outside education, employment, and training at the YOT and engage with them to support their plans for education, employment, and training in line with the targets of both the Youth Justice Board and Connexions.

1.3 Main objective for the Personal Adviser providing service to YOT clients

To ensure that all YOT clients have equal access to information, advice, and guidance. Priority will be given to those clients who are NEET (Not in education, employment, or training). Those clients who are not NEET will be assisted to access the Personal Advisers attached to their educational establishment.

2. Careers Work Within the YOT

2.1 Allocation for YOT clients

One day a week, to a total of 45 days per year, has been allocated for the Personal Adviser (Careers) to work with clients at the YOT. This will be delivered as two half days, currently Thursday and Friday afternoons.

YOT clients who cannot be seen at the YOT premises will be offered appointments at the Careers Centre or within their educational establishment.

2.2 Management

Sussex Careers Staff working within the Connexions Service are employed under Sussex Careers terms and conditions. Line management responsibility for our Staff rests with the Deputy Operations Manager (Brighton & Hove) who should be the first point of contact should any issues arise as a result of their work.

3. Referrals and Provision of Information

3.1 Referrals to interviews

YOT caseworkers may refer young people for information, advice, and guidance, using the booking sheets displayed at the YOT or by contacting the Personal Adviser directly, either at the YOT or Careers Centre.

3.2 Providing information on young people

YOT workers are requested to provide appropriate background information / reason for referral to the Personal Adviser (Careers) in order to secure smooth referral.

With regard to information exchange, confidentiality and child protection issues, Personal Advisers (Careers) will be operating under Sussex Connexions Information Sharing Protocol.

4. Accommodation and Facilities

A suitable private interview area with a phone and computer will be available on the days the Personal Adviser is at the YOT, which should comply with health and safety standards.

A lockable storage cabinet will also be provided.

5. Equal Opportunities

Sussex Careers works as a service provider to promote equality of opportunity with respect to background, gender, race, religion, stage of development, ability or disability and sexual orientation. We will work actively with partner organisations to promote equal opportunities and to challenge stereotyping.

6. Monitoring and Review

6.1	This Partnership Agreement covers the period from 1st April 2005 until 31st March 2006 and will be reviewed on an annual basis.
6.2	The YOT ETE Manager and the Personal Adviser (Careers) will meet 3-monthly to review working arrangements as laid out in the Delivery Plan pages following. The outcome of these discussions will be recorded.

This document outlines the working arrangements in place between the partners signing up to it.

It is not a statement of law.

Each partner is responsible for meeting the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Delivery Plan

YOT INPUT

CLIENT GROUP

SUSSEX CAREERS INPUT

Identify clients needing careers information, advice, or guidance and refer appropriately.

Identify those clients whose Order requires them to see a Personal Adviser for careers information, advice, or guidance and refer appropriately.

Provide background information on referred clients through access to YOIS or otherwise, as appropriate.

Assist clients with looking through given information and filling in application forms, where appropriate.

Provide suitable premises and facilities for private interviews.

Provide access to a landline telephone for confidential phone calls.

Provide access to a PC and printer in the interview room of a high enough specification to run appropriate guidance software and allow access to the Connexions client database.

Provide suitable office space with phone, computer with internet access, and lockable storage space.

Provide access to reprographic facilities and stationery.

Ensure that all YOT clients and caseworkers are aware of Connexions Services.

Provide suitable storage and display facilities for careers information.

Input Personal Adviser’s work with clients onto YOT database, or otherwise inform caseworkers of work done with their clients.

Manage and monitor referrals to the PA (Careers).

Provide information to support Connexions tracking.

Support Connexions Sussex and Sussex Careers Ltd during any inspection and monitoring carried out by external agencies such as OFSTED and GOSE.

Meet with the Personal Adviser (Careers) 3-monthly to review referrals and work done with YOT clients, and to review careers information and software.

Attend annual review of the Partnership Agreement.

All those aged

16 – 19 who are

NEET

(Not in Education,

Employment,

Training)

Offer interviews to all NEET clients aged 16+ who attend the YOT. These interviews will take place at the YOT or at the Careers Centre.

All clients seen will be given a written Action Plan or guidance notes.

Facilitate referrals of non-NEET clients to the PA at their educational establishment.

Provide impartial careers information, advice, and guidance to NEET clients.

Assist clients with looking through given information and filling in application forms, where appropriate.

Provide ongoing guidance with specific clients where relevant to their needs.

Give support for transition into education, employment, or training, including Entry to Employment (E2E) programmes.

Support clients on E2E programmes with Referrals, APIR assessments, monthly Reviews, and Exit Reviews, during and after their YOT involvement.

Provide regularly updated job vacancies list, and facilitate and support clients with submissions and placings into these and other education, employment, or training opportunities.

Provide NEET clients with information on allowances, grants, and benefits they may be eligible for, and assist them to access these.

Facilitate clients claiming Job Seekers’ Allowance, through provision of initial referral form and fortnightly confirmation of unemployed status, as required by the Job Centre.

Encourage all NEET clients to attend the Breakfast Club held every Thursday morning at the Careers Centre.

Develop and maintain a base of suitable careers information at the YOT.

Provide information on a range of personal, social, educational, and vocational opportunities available to clients in the community.

Distribute publications relevant to clients’ needs.

Input information on Personal Adviser’s work with YOT clients onto the Connexions database.

Provide regular information to ETE Manager on YOT clients seen or contacted, in the form of a weekly summary plus copies of Action Plans/guidance notes issued to clients (with clients’ permission).

Provide information to support YJB tracking.

Support the YOT during any inspection and monitoring carried out by external agencies and teams.

Meet with the YOT ETE Manager 3-monthly to review referrals and work done with YOT clients, and to review careers information and software.