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Current newsletter: July 19th 2010

CEIAG Newsletter: June 2010
Newsletter for Careers and Connexions Coordinators, Connexions Personal Advisers and colleagues involved in the development of careers education, information, advice and guidance across Oxfordshire

Current e-info bulletin: April - LGBT History, No Smoking Day, Chlamydia, facebook

Older copies are in the Archive.

About the Bulletin

The Youth Support Services Bulletin is a regular communication for Personal Advisers, Youth Workers and other staff working for Oxfordshire Youth Support Services (YSS).

If you would like to receive the bulletin by email, or have any information you would like included, please call Becky on 01865 815627, or email

• emily.newson@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Assessment and Referral Process for Supported Housing for Young People and Young Families aged 16-24

Oxfordshire has established a Pathway through services for vulnerable, homeless young people and young families aged 16-24. The Pathway, developed in partnership between Oxfordshire County Council and the five district councils, places primary importance on preventing homelessness. However, where young people are assessed as needing supported housing the Pathway provides a structure through which young people are supported to independence. More

FACEIT service

The FACEIT (Family and Children Early Intervention Team) service can provide targeted early intervention services for children (0 – 18yrs) aimed at supporting them to avoid passing into Social Care, CAMHS, looked after services and residential provision. The service provides intensive multiagency intervention often combined with family work, and would usually last for 6 months.

Access to FACEIT is through Locality Co-ordinators, and requests for service are discussed weekly through meetings with locality co-ordinators. Requirements and supporting factors for a request:

• All children will require a CAF and either TAC/TAF in place or plan for TAC/TAF in place.
• The child’s families needs cannot be met by the existing TAC team
• The child/families needs do not meet the criteria for specialist tier 3 services

Full details including area contacts in this FACEIT Service Briefing Document.

College Open Days list

This is the updated list of Oxfordshire College Open Days for 2009-10. It includes links, phone numbers, dates and times, and can be printed off as a poster or saved to your desktop for quick and easy reference.

Want to know more about our colleagues in the Youth offending service?

This Powerpoint presentation has been prepared to explain the Youth Offending service, and given an overview of its work:

• Youth Offending System, Youth Justice System (ppt, 70K)

E-info bulletins

E-info bulletins are monthly bulletins for staff working with young people. They collect good sources of information resources, including many free resources, suitable for staff working with young people. They are themed according to the month, e.g. during march, you would see smoking cessation materials to accompany national no smoking day.

Many staff already recieve the e-info bulletin. If you don't, and would like to, please email karin.cook@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Current e-info bulletin: March

New Outreach Service for vulnerable young women who are pregnant or at risk of teenage pregnancy

C&SH (Contraception and Sexual Health - previously called Family Planning) are developing an Outreach Service across Oxfordshire for vulnerable young women (17 and under), who are pregnant or at risk of teenage pregnancy. The main aim is to provide a contraception and sexual health service to those young women who are most at risk of teenage pregnancy and who are not able to access mainstream services. This referral form has more information about the service, contact details and the referral criteria, and if you would like more information about this service you can contact Lucy Harbour, C&SH Outreach Nurse on: Tel 07775407158, fax 01865 456660 or email at lucy.harbour@oxfordshirepct.nhs.uk

• Contraception and Sexual Health Service (C&SH) Outreach Referral Form

Frontiers Centre - call for referrals

Frontiers is a charity which runs a powerful programme of courses for young people aged 13-19 who struggle at school. In particular we work with students who have a history of challenging behaviour, truant regularly or have a recognised condition such as ADHD or Aspergers. We take young people outdoors and teach practical, meaningful skills, which engage them with learning and develop confidence, leadership & teamwork. We also run training for teachers and youth workers on how to effectively engage with disruptive students.

We take referrals from schools, PRUIS, YOT and other youth organisations. We have two bases - in West Oxford and South Oxfordshire. Please contact us on 0118 984 2500 to discuss sending a student to us, or find out more at www.frontiers.uk.net.

Oxfordshire Fire Service's work with young people

Visit 365 Alive, Oxfordshire Fire Service's website, to find out about the work they do with young people. There are lots of different projects, here are some (if you're interested in referring young people, contact details are on the Youth Page on the Oxfordshire Fire Service website)

• Visits to talk about fire and safety - tailored for all age groups
• Fire Cadets - available at the stations in Banbury, Kidlington, Oxford, Watlington and Witney. Cadets are aged 12 -18 and participate in activities such as ladder, pump and hose drills, first aid, understanding fire science, risk awareness and community fire safety.
• Fire-Setter Counselling - intervention for young people who are setting fires or at risk of becoming a fire-setter

Free courses in Oxford from the EMBS

There are free course available from the Oxford Ethnic Minority Business Service for young people aged 16-18 not in full-time education or employment. Courses will take young people aged 18+ if they are short of participants, contact for details. Courses available include: Business start-up skills, Book-keeping, Literacy/Numeracy, Driving, ICT, Customer Service, Sewing and Garments, Cooking and more. Flexible hours and language support available.

• Oxford Ethnic Minority Business Service website for contact details, dates and more

Downloadable sheets on key topics

The New Let's talk about your Future booklet has just been completed and added to the site, and the designers have also picked out five of the most useful pages in it to produce as downloadable worksheets. Check them out:

• Filling in Application Forms
• Going for an interview
• Telephoning about a job
• Writing letters to an employer
• Preparing your CV

Updated Positive Activities Local Offer for Young People

The second edition of Oxfordshire’s Local Offer has now been published, it is a statement of ambition, it identifies and responds to what young people said, their ideas and aspirations, what they wanted, and offers some ways forward. The content of Oxfordshire’s Local Offer has been shaped and influenced through the active engagement of young people across Oxfordshire and the collaborative endeavours of the Positive Activities Steering Group. Steering Group members are from: District Councils, Oxfordshire Youth Arts Partnership, Oxfordshire Sports Partnership, Voluntary Sector, Extended Schools and Services, Oxford Inspires, Youth Support Services, Cultural Services and the 14-19 sector.

• Updated Positive Activities Local Offer for Young People

Do young people bring their own electrical gear into your centre?

... if so, you need to be able to test it for safety. Examples might include amps, electric guitars, synthesisers, lights, video cameras, etc. Basically, anything that needs to be plugged in. Shared Services offer free training in safety testing but you will need to purchase your own testing equipment or buy a machine between a couple of centres if you want to undertake your own testing. Send learning contracts or request more info from Richard Aldridge.