Connexions Personal Adviser

Personal advisers working within Connexions provide a free and confidential information, advice and guidance service to all 13- to 19-year-olds and to young people with learning difficulties or disabilities up to the age of 25.

Although the activities and responsibilities of individual personal advisers vary, their main work activities include:

• meeting with young people to assess their needs and the level of support required
• helping individuals to identify their targets and writing a plan of action with them
• providing information and advice on a range of issues, including lifestyle, money, housing and health
• working with schools, colleges and other organisations, as well as with parents/carers, to co-ordinate support for young people
• keeping in regular touch with young people to review their progress.

Much of the work involves direct contact with young people, either on a one-to-one basis or in groups, where personal advisers may give talks on specific issues and run workshops.

Although most personal advisers work standard office hours, Monday to Friday, some may occasionally need to work in the evenings and at weekends. They may be based in a school, college or Connexions centre, or a combination of these.

Personal advisers may earn from around £17,000 to £35,000 or more a year.

Personal advisers need:

• an interest in working with and helping young people to achieve their potential
• to be able to command the trust and respect of young people
• to be able to motivate and influence others
• excellent communication skills
• to be flexible, open-minded and non-judgmental
• to be good listeners and able to empathise with clients.

The Connexions Service is delivered by the 150 local authority areas as part of the services for children and young people. At present, some personal advisers are employed directly by local Connexions partnerships, whilst others are employed by organisations that are contracted to provide a Connexions service.

Entrants usually need to have experience of working with young people and the ability to achieve a foundation degree or an NVQ Level 4 in learning, development and support services (LDSS). To become fully qualified, it is necessary to complete additional training courses run by Connexions partnerships.

There is usually a career progression structure within Connexions partnerships, and it is possible to gain promotion to a team leader or other management roles. There may also be opportunities to take on specialist posts.

Further details