At age 16, effective careers support is crucial in preventing young people from becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). By providing personalised guidance and resources, careers support empowers young people to explore options, understand pathways and industry requirements, and make informed decisions aligned with their interests and skills. This reduces the risk of disengagement and helps the young person to stay on track.
In 2023/24, we delivered services on behalf of eight eight local authorities: Liverpool, Wirral, Halton, Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Manchester and Salford.
Key Achievements across our Young People’s teams – Liverpool City Region
Wirral Team: ADHD Pilot Project
The Wirral team initiated a ground-breaking practitioner-led research pilot in January 2024 to explore the prevalence of ADHD within a cohort of young people who are NEET. Careers Adviser Jenny Booth leads the project with assistance from four advisers, who utilised the ADHD screening tools with the young people. The screening aims to help young people gain deeper insights into their needs and challenges which may be impacting on their progress.
Jenny Booth, Careers Adviser, Wirral Team
The project has increased staff knowledge regarding ADHD and related conditions. We will use this research to develop skills across the charity in providing effective support to young people with ADHD traits and barriers to employment.
Halton Team: Tiling Training Initiative
The Halton team supported the implementation of a tiling training programme for four young people, aimed at equipping them with the skills needed to become self-employed tilers. The “Be the Change” initiative provided each participant with a £500 starter kit, enabling them to continue working independently.
The outcomes were highly successful: one participant secured an apprenticeship with Jackaboard, another found employment with a tiling company in Wigan, the third was referred to Ways to Work for a CSCS card to link with a construction company, and the fourth established his own tiling business in Liverpool.
This programme was a collaborative effort involving Halton Local Authority Team and Career Connect staff, who identified suitable candidates for the course and supported them to apply and throughout the course.
Knowsley Intervention Project (KIP)
The Knowsley Intervention Project (KIP) is an employability initiative funded by Knowsley Council, designed to support NEET young people by addressing the barriers preventing them from accessing education, employment, or training.
The project includes a beneficiary fund that enables Career Connect to create bespoke support packages for participants, including financial support for travel, lunch, short courses (e.g., CSCS, Beauty, Food Hygiene, First Aid), and work experience.
The programme targeted young people aged 16-18 facing barriers to employment or training. Between April 2023 and March 2024, the programme received 90 referrals, with more than one-third enrolled on a course or securing employment. This was a significant achievement given the cohort’s complex vulnerabilities and the disruption to their education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
St Helens
The team provides frequent and persistent support for NEET clients, going the extra mile to engage young people. Monthly contact for all NEET young people is 80% compared to a Northwest average of 42%, demonstrating excellent engagement.
Over the year, the St Helens team delivered 8249 interventions with 2137 young people.
Liverpool Careers Fest
In July 2023, Career Connect, in collaboration with Liverpool City Council and The Learning Foundry, organised this city-wide job, training, and apprenticeship fair.
Careers Fest targeted a diverse group of young people from Liverpool who were not in education employment or training or at risk of disengaging, including Year 11 school leavers, young people aged 16-18 (up to 25 with an Education Health Care Plan), and Year 13 school leavers.
More than 30 exhibitors participated, including well-known organisations such as Liverpool in Work, The Princes Trust, City of Liverpool College, and Talent Match, providing young people with opportunities and resources.
More than 100 young people attended from Liverpool and surrounding areas.
144 referrals were made to a range of providers and many young people took steps toward further education and employment, including offers from City of Liverpool College and programmes at The Learning Foundry.
The event was also attended by key local figures, including the Cabinet Member for Employment and Skills, Lila Bennett, and Toxteth Ward Councillor, Rahima Farah, who both praised the event’s positive impact.
The Liverpool Career Connect team at Careers Fest.
Key Achievements across our Young People’s teams – Manchester and Salford
Manchester City Council contract
NEET Prevention Panels, in partnership with Manchester City Council, successfully triaged more than 200 Year 11 students at risk of becoming NEET, providing advice to schools and facilitating referrals to Career Connect for more intensive support.
The VEETO (Virtual Education, Employment, and Training Opportunities) Network was also re-established and expanded, engaging over 80 professionals in monthly meetings and distributing opportunities to a network of more than 400.
Salford Contract
Career Connect began a new contract with Salford City Council in January 2024, becoming part of the Salford Employment Hub, an all-age service.
A new role, the Work Ready Coach, was introduced to meet the rising demand for employment among young people. The coach, in partnership with The Growth Company, supported job searches and interview preparation, with more than 20 young people currently on their caseload.
In February 2024, Career Connect partnered with the Lowry Theatre and the Big Life Group to deliver the Discover Your Future programme for 16-18-year-olds not in education, employment, or training. The two-week programme is designed for young people who have expressed a preference to be in a small group, find it hard to travel independently, or may be socially isolated. The goals for some young people were to make friends, gain work experience, and build confidence.
Discover Your Future, in partnership with The Lowry
The programme provided career-related skills, exposure to different career paths, and engagement activities. Sessions included customer service and hospitality, and wellbeing and photography. Outcomes included participants moving on to re-engagement activities, employment, college placements, and mentorships.
The team also delivered another successful Summer Programme, including construction, She’s Punching and Riding to Success, as well as soft engagement sessions such as Pamper and Polish.
Summer programmes in Salford
Business Administration Apprenticeship
Both our Salford and Manchester teams successfully recruited and supported Business Administration apprentices for qualifications through Salford City College.
After completing the qualification in December 2023, our Salford apprentice moved to a new role outside the charity, highlighting the programme’s effectiveness in providing career development. Our Manchester apprentice remains with the charity and has moved to a role within our criminal justice team.
UKSPF and CTYF Programme
In 2023/24, Career Connect completed the ESF-funded Connect to Your Future (CTYF) programme, which supported 3,175 young people across Greater Manchester, exceeding targets in enrolments, completions, and positive outcomes.
Career Connect directly contributed with 1,044 enrolments and 615 positive outcomes. Building on this success, Career Connect was commissioned to deliver a continued support programme for at-risk NEET and NEET young people in Manchester and Salford, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) until March 2025.
