Building Better Connections: Interagency Work and the Connexions Service

Citation

(2005), "Building Better Connections: Interagency Work and the Connexions Service", Education + Training, Vol. 47 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2005.00447cae.001

Building Better Connections: Interagency Work and the Connexions Service

Bob Coles, Liz Britton and Leslie HicksThe Policy Press1 86134 661 1£13.95

"Connexions" was initially announced by the UK Prime Minister in 1999. The Connexions strategy was to be the Government's "front line policy for young people". Replacing the "Careers Service", at the heart of Connexions was the provision of Personal Advisers who would provide a wide range of support to meet the needs of young people and help them fulfil their potential. Since the first pilots in 2001 the Connexions Service has been gradually rolled nationally so that since 2003 they cover all areas across England. The research reported upon in this book addresses the inter-agency work of Connexions. Inter-agency work has been one of the guiding principles behind the Connexions strategy; a key vehicle to assist the Government address issues of social exclusion.

The need for inter-agency work becomes clear when it recognised that a key aspect of the work Connexions do is their work with the most vulnerable; the group the Government labels "NEET " – not in education, employment or training. The rationale for the research was that little was known about the practical problems involved in successful implementation of inter-agency work, what such an approach means for the daily tasks of front-line workers or how effective it is in dealing with the complex problems faced by many "NEET" young people.

The research covered three Connexions Partnerships in different parts of England. The researchers interviewed personal advisers, their managers, and young people with whom they worked and other professionals involved in partnership working. Over 300 hours of interview material was produced. Only a fraction of this is reproduced in the book, but what there is provides real insight into the reality of trying to assist young people in difficulties. Three case studies are developed in detail, which succeed in providing a flavour of the day-to-day challenges faced by Connexions PAs. One PA recounts:

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  I got told I couldn't do a home visit because there was an incident with an axe ... and the way it was worded I was led to believe the young person was the one who had the axe. As it turns out the young person was chased down the road by very big guys with axes ... and he's now living somewhere else where its quite safe. And I think he would have benefited from me visiting him at home

This rich qualitative data makes for fascinating reading and together with the overall findings provide for a book of real value. Two of these findings are of particular note. Staff in partner agencies were confused about the variety of different roles played by Connexions PAs and unclear about PA legitimate roles, responsibilities and authority. Secondly, lack of clarity particularly in schools resulted in a continuing suspicion that Connexions has not brought the radical changes some had hoped it would. One headteacher is quoted as saying:

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  I feel totally frustrated and fuming that all this money was supposed to be coming. . .There is no difference to the way the services are delivered. . .its just a change of label

Key implications stemming from the research are reported to be the need for better management support for front line workers, clarification of protocols on joint working and mechanisms for troubleshooting conflict between agencies. This research report will be of interest to anyone who works, directly or indirectly with young people as they make the transition from school/college to work. It not only sheds valuable light on the real world of work for many of our inner city PAs but raises important questions for the development of future policy and practice. By the time this review is published there will have been a Green Paper on youth issues and it will be interesting to see to what extent the Government propose a radical shake-up of careers advice policy and practice.