CENTRAL LONDON CONNEXIONS

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Employing Local Young People Trevor Bottomley,
Employer Team Manager (trevor.bottomley_at_rbkc.gov.u
k)

• CENTRAL LONDON CONNEXIONS
• is the information, advice and guidance service
  for all 13-19 year-olds offering help and support
  with a wide range of issues including education,
  careers, health, housing, personal issues and
  life choices.
• Southwark, Camden, Islington, Kensington
  Chelsea, Lambeth, Wandsworth, Westminster,

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• 110,000 young people (1319) live in the seven
  central London boroughs and are eligible for
  Connexions advice and support
• London is one of the most dynamic capital cities
  in the world - yet many young people in London
  struggle to access training and employment
  opportunities they need

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• Central London Connexions

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• Relationship between major private sector
  businesses and local young people
• there was virtually no engagement with Connexions
  building slowly
• Addressing the needs of local young people
• My main teams main objectives -
• employment opportunities
• learning earning opportunities (such as
  apprenticeships)
• part-time employment
• We also work with others to help develop -
• work experience
• access to role models
• first-hand insight into business culture and
  expectations

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• Identifying and addressing the challenges
• Misconceptions about local young people in
  relation to low levels of qualification,
  reliability and skills
• Given the opportunities (and/or training) most
  local young people have the potential to be
  employable
• Their current situations can simply be due to
• inability to get past first base
• poor understanding and lack of exposure to
  business culture
• perceptions of their levels of qualification (in
  reality the number of Southwark school leavers
  obtaining 5 GCSEs is 87 - very close to the
  national average of 89)
• diversity and mobility within the population of
  inner London

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• Benefits of employing local young people
• recognition as a local community player
• helping to address the challenges facing local
  economic development plans
• local knowledge
• access to a local workforce
• enhanced Corporate Responsibility (CSR)
  programmes
• recognition as a Connexions Major Business
  Partner
• Use of Connexions business partner logo and/or
  strap line