Survey hails joint working at connexions

Improved joint working is considered to be one of the main
achievements of Connexions partnerships, according to a new
report.

A survey of phase two and three Connexions Partnerships found
that 49 per cent of stakeholders thought that better joint working
was one of the main benefits achieved.

The proportion of the young people interviewed who thought that
good progress had been made was even higher, with 85 per cent
saying this was the case.

However, the stakeholders, which included representatives from
social services, probation and local education authorities, were
less clear about the impact of Connexions on their own
organisation. Just 54 per cent said that there had been a fair
amount of impact.

The main benefits of Connexions were found to be improved
information and access to advice and support, as well as the
introduction of personal advisers.

Problems identified included a lack of staff, insufficient time
spent with individuals, and confusion over what the various
services do.

Young people highlighted the lack of awareness of Connexions,
difficulty getting to the offices, and a lack of trust in the
service.

A full report of the findings is expected later this year.

www.dfes.gov.uk/research/