Connexions (agency)

Connexions was a UK governmental information, advice, guidance and support service for young people aged thirteen to nineteen (up to 25 for young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities), created in 2000 following the Learning and Skills Act.

There were Connexions Centres around the country - usually several in each county - which offered support and advice on topics including education, housing, health, relationships, drugs, and finance.

Connexions is no longer a coherent National Service following the announcement of changes to the delivery of careers in England by the Coalition government.

Connexions was formerly The Careers Service, which had its organisation altered throughout the Conservative government's privatisation process in the mid-1990s.

During the period of Labour Government the Connexions service became increasingly focused on the delivery of targeted services to those who were often described as most in need of help.

One interesting initiative was the introduction of the Connexions Card.

Following the election of the Conservative/Lib Dem Coalition the future of Connexions was called into question. It is no longer clear whether the Connexions brand and the services that it delivers has a long-term future. Where Connexions is retained as a branding it is a local decision and that there is considerable local divergence around branding and delivery. In many parts of the country Connexions no longer exists. Government guidance stated that "There will be no expectation that local authorities should provide universal careers services once the new careers service is established." The new career service referred to is the National Careers Service which was established on 1 April 2012.

A 2010 research report by the National Youth Agency and the Local Government Association noted that some young people were unclear about the role and function of Connexions, although those who had interacted with the service were generally positive about it.

Through this process, funding that was originally given directly to local councils for the delivery of the service, was henceforth allocated directly by central government (via regional offices) to private careers companies. This meant the Labour government was more easily able to use funds previously allocated for careers services, for the creation of the Connexions service. The service was originally intended to be constituted by professionals from a range of backgrounds (careers advisers, youth workers, counsellors, health workers, teachers etc.). However, as the funding for these other professions lay within the control of local councils it was not as accessible. The result was that the careers service in England was abolished and replaced by Connexions, but it was made up predominantly of career guidance professionals and was not really the multi-disciplinary organisation originally envisaged. However, Connexions services typically worked closely with many other services, particularly those within local government, such as the Young Offenders Team (YOT), Teenage Pregnancy Workers, Children's Services, but also Housing Associations, Job Centres, and others.

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