Connexions Centre Quarterly Report April 2007
Connexions Centre Quarterly Report 3rd April 2007
This report is intended to provide an overview of the activities of the Connexions Centre for the period between 21st December 2006 and 3rd April 2007. The following points highlight the methods of working and outline new practices that have been introduced during this period.
Work with Young People
1.1 Connexions Centre Work Continue to build positive relationships with regular Centre users and, where appropriate, set behaviour contracts;
Engage in positive interactions with clients friends for destination information and referral to PA’s or specialist agencies;
Ensure all Connexions Centre interview rooms contain all relevant resources, including stationery, Language Line instructions, and Power resources;
Continue to monitor and reduce average client waiting times;
and Continue to offer daily appointments to help clients construct CV’s. The Duty Team each day comprises of two Personal Advisers, one Connexions Assistant, and one receptionist. The Team also links closely with the Information Support Officer who provides an effective and wide-ranging service to support the information needs of clients, staff and a range of partnership organisations. During the period 1st January 2007 – 3rd April 2007, 7304 clients accessed Centre services. The Duty Team received and sign-posted 100% of these clients and interviewed 38% (2768).
1.2 Involving Young People As part of Positive Steps Oldham’s continued strategy of youth consultation, previous members of the Centre Forum will be invited to participate in Advisory Board activities.
1.3 Personal & Social Development Opportunities (PSDO’s) During this period the Centre Team has delivered Managing Anger and Self-Esteem PSDO sessions via the Improving Your Chances programme. Group sessions are held every Tuesday with regular attendance of NEET and Activity Allowance clients. The Team has also provided training to Education PA’s who will now deliver group work sessions in school.
1.4 Awareness Days The Duty Team have also pro-actively engaged young people via the following awareness days: No Smoking Day Obesity Awareness Week Fair Trade Fortnight Whilst enhancing inter-agency relations, the involvement of specialist agencies helped to educate service users on important issues and challenge pre-conceived attitudes and belief structures. Positive feedback has been received from a number of colleagues and clients. The next programme of activity days is currently under staff consultation.
1.5 Work with Internal Agencies Identified disruptive clients in the early stages and liaised with YOS to issue one suspension; Continued to encourage young people to access other PSO services; Managed the Connexions bus fare funds and, to ensure that the maximum resources are available. Liaison with the Youth Offending Team now takes place to identify those already in receipt of bus fares; Continued to support other Community Teams in Medlock Vale, Crompton and Failsworth; OASIS continue to deliver an accredited ten week course entitled Basic Drugs Awareness Level 1; and Directly contributed to the health of the organisation by providing employees with Fruit and Diet Clubs and by providing positive role models in the Centre;
1.6 Work with External Agencies The following agencies make regular use of the Connexions Centre to deliver their services: ‘C Card’ Condom Distribution. During this period 36 young people signed up to the scheme;
In April 2007, Special Needs Co-ordinators from Hungary visited the Centre;
Fairbridge held recruitment sessions in the Centre;
Social Services Mentoring/Buddying Scheme continues to deliver sessions in the Centre;
The Duty Team has continued to manage the video link to YOI’s. During this period this facility has been utilised by YOS, Social Services, and North Lancs Training Group to communicate with young people at Lancaster Farms, Hindley, Arcliffe, and Stoke-on-Trent YOI’s;
Social Services After-Care afternoon drop-in service continues to be offered via the Connexions Centre. This service has been running effectively and communication between the two services has improved greatly;
CAMHS 16-17 year old Mental Health Worker offers a Centre-based drop-in service;
Off the Record counselling service continues to provide a drop-in service at the Centre on Thursday’s and an appointment system on Friday afternoons; Reflexology service provided to OASIS clients;
The Oldham Primary Care Trust health drop-in is delivered in the Centre Monday to Friday. Heath assessments are carried out on young people and referrals are made on to services including doctors, dentists, teenage pregnancy, midwives, OASIS, A & E, Clinical Psychologists, Early Years, Opticians, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, and the Walk-in Centre. During this period assessments have been conducted with 132 young people. Since this services inception 231 referrals have been made; Mock interviews were held in the Centre;
Just ID is being delivered in the Centre on a Thursday evening with clients 18 and over. An administrative fee of £2 is charged to cover the cost of producing the cards; First Choice Homes continue to deliver Housing advice sessions on Wednesday afternoons;
The housing mediation service will be re-launched in April 2007. This scheme will now be delivered by De-Paul’s Trust;
In addition to £1500 sponsorship received from Danwood and Altrix, SRB6 has recently donated £1300 to sponsor Room 6;
and Continue to work closely with Job Centre Plus to help young people, aged 16-17, claim benefits and access education, employment, and training. In addition, a questionnaire about Centre services was sent to all internal and external partner agencies. From 109 questionnaires sent out, 19 were completed and returned.
Conclusion
Young people accessing PSO services are, more than ever, being engaged in interesting and purposeful ways. Effective working relationships with internal agencies have been greatly improved, especially with YOS Duty now based in the Centre. More external agencies are using our facilities than ever before, helping to place the Connexions Centre at the focal point of multi-agency services in Oldham.
