2:  Understanding and Working with Sexual Abuse course
We still have 9 places available for Understanding and Working with Sexual Abuse on 7th October at Quadrant Court, Woking.

The trainers for this course are Frances Le Roy and Natasha Dean from the NSPCC

Aim

To develop understanding and knowledge of sexual abuse and its effects on children, young people, their families and on professionals working in this field

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course participants will have:

• Considered definitions and prevalence of sexual abuse and links with other abuse
• Developed an understanding of the signs, symptoms and behaviours that may be linked to experiences of sexual abuse
• Gained an understanding of how difficult it is for children to speak about their experience
• Discussed the need to identify issues of race, culture, language or disability, which may need to be addressed
• Gained an understanding of how abusers operate

Click here for an application form or contact Christina Andrews 01372 833333 or sandie.andrews@surreycc.gov.uk. 

Angie Tregoning

Training and Development Manager

Surrey Safeguarding Children Board

01372 833318

07968 834947

www.surreycc.gov.uk/safeguarding

3:  Young People Wanted!
The Youth Forum is recruiting new members (and changing name to Linking Young People group) and we really need all PA’s help in spreading the message!
Since Connexions has become part of the Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership, the work young people on the Forum get involved with has become increasingly interesting. Not only do they help us to evaluate Connexions services, but also those from a whole variety of other agencies. We’ve helped them develop some exciting ways to participate including running mystery customer sessions and ‘Dragon’s Den’ panels.

This is much more than a youth group – it is a group of young people who are actively involved in developing services throughout Surrey. But they have a lot of fun too; we hold regular away-days and every monthly meeting has time for food, drink and socialising.

If you are working with any young people who you think might benefit from participating in the Linking Young People group then please give us their details so that we can contact them to tell them more. This invitation is open to all young people aged 13-19 (25 if they have special needs) and we provide all the support they might need to attend and contribute to their meetings.
Many thanks for your support

chris.bussicott@surreycc.gov.uk
sam.morris@surreycc.gov.uk


4:  What would you like to do with your school?
There is a small amount of Connexions marketing money available in the budget that has been earmarked for improving Connexions presence in schools, and we are calling on our Link Personal Advisers to help us use it! We want to make sure that the Connexions area in schools is as appealing to young people as possible, and a good place for PAs to deliver the service. The type of things where we might be able to provide some funding include;

*  make the Connexions area more welcoming – signs, décor and decorations, posters etc
*  increase privacy
*  signposting so young people know where to go to access Connexions in school
*  or even alleviating numb body parts from sitting on a hard chair by introducing more appealing furnishings!

We’ll consider any applications along these lines that you and the school can make a case for. To apply by 31^st October 2008, the schools Connexions Manager should e-mail or telephone me with the following:
*  what the school/college needs
*  estimated cost

This isn’t an unlimited ‘pot’ so the projects we’ll support are those that evidence the highest need and the best solutions, but we will approve expenditure before the end of Autumn term 2008. Your school will be expected to source and manage the agreed improvements and we will reimburse them on presentation of invoice/receipt for the work, provided it is completed and the claim submitted before 31^st March 2009
Chris Bussicott
chris.bussicott@surreycc.gov.uk
01483 519342

9: NEET UPDATE– How well are we doing?
Click here for the March graphs on NEET, Unknowns and Comparison against previous years.

Job Vacancies for Young People
Did you know that there are a wide range of job vacancies, vacant college places and training courses all over the county waiting to be filled? As the majority don’t have particularly demanding entry requirements, they are an ideal choice for many NEET youngsters.

Our Centres produce regular listings of local opportunities. Vacancy Bulletins are now listed on the Connexions website Job search page and you can also pick up copies from your local Centre to share with the young people you are currently working with.

NEET Activities Flyer  - Oct - Dec 2008   

Please find attached a document highlighting a range of NEET activities taking place for young people around the County from July until the end of September 2008.  The aim of the document is to give you an indication of the types of activities/programmes that are available or are currently being undertaken.

The next edition of the flyer will cover the period Jan - March 2009 and ideally I would like to distribute it to you all week commencing 15th December which would allow you some time to speak with your NEET young people and potentially get them signed up onto a course/programme that may be starting within this period.

If you are involved in any NEET (16-18 year old) activities or know of any activities for NEET young people that are taking place between January and the end of March 2009 then please let me have the following details by 24th November and I will include the programme in the next flyer:

1. Course title
2. Brief description, to include, number of weeks, core content, referral process etc
3. Agency/provider
4. Dates
5. Time
6. Costs if any incurred by young person
7. Contact name
8. Contact details i.e. telephone number and email address

Chloe Burningham