So, the numbers from the Treasury spreadsheets have been released onto the public and will soon take up residency in our towns and cities in their new form – huge unemployment, reduced public services, unprecedented cuts to social housing and a scrapping of the much celebrated; for its impact on helping the poorest children stay on at school, the Education Maintenance Allowance.
As part of Labour’s way back to power let’s accept we have to offer a range of surgical cuts needed to restore the damage of the global recession and the bankers’ deficit but also an urgent and real need to rebuild our economic credibility as a political alternative to the ConDem coalition. We need to take a scalpel, not an axe to these issues and in doing so understand that collectively these can provide a real alternative Gideon’s CSR today. This requires us to reflect on and understand many detailed and complex issues whilst going through a process, as a party, of what the Americans call ‘deep framing’.
Public spending and the en masse provision of public services is under intense pressure to save money, spend wisely and on a narrowing set of priorities. A move toward the funding of independent and third sector provision for some services such as Career Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG) services re-scores a commitment to efficiency savings and cost effective decision-making. Advocating innovative solutions to address the very real need for exceptional CIAG provision also demonstrates an unending commitment to the prospects of all young people and their social mobility.
For too long, technological, structural and personnel restraints have prevented real progress being made with Careers Information Advice and Guidance services for young people.
When the current standard of Careers Information Advice & Guidance is bad, it is very bad; when it is good, it is only just good enough. The Connexions provision of CIAG should be replaced with independently appointed CIAG service providers of variable sizes allowing the Connexions service to concentrate on a dedicated one-to-one service for the most in need or the hardest to reach.
Excellent, independent accredited CIAG services should form the backbone and backdrop to all young people’s education experience. CIAG services must help young people identify, realise and match skills and aspirations with a realistic insight into careers, prospects and life chances. However, this requires a wholesale change to current provision.
Technology is the enabler here. It is vital to embrace exciting, media rich, digitally presented, reality-based advice so offering real life career shaped experiences and context for all young people. Throughout traditional and vocational education, innovative and creative CIAG services can better ensure all young people are empowered decision makers.
Provision of outstanding independent CIAG services can boost social mobility and appreciates varying educational abilities. It is designed to help improve the chances and decisions made by all but can help most those not naturally exceeding with traditional education. It must also appeal to the middle and higher attaining students.
A movement away from the tired, Connexions-led, default set, advice based service offering young people limited and categorical CIAG has to happen. In its place, an ambitious, appealing and cutting-edge provision.
Standards must remain high. To this end the workforce and its development is vital. While unsuccessful organizations are disbanded, efforts are in vain if the agents from these failed institutions are repeatedly given similar responsibility elsewhere. Retraining or replacement of personal advisors should be mandatory. Where new professionals are sought they should arrive with a professional pedigree or sector expertise.
CIAG delivery needs far greater emphasis on rewarding for those professionals involved in its delivery. One existing accredited independent CIAG provider awards professional development credits for teaching and education professionals participating in delivering CIAG so improving its status within the school.
The provision of quality assured standards and universal, unbiased information can be guaranteed with a professional charter. An independent CIAG provider can be more accountable than existing services if it requires its accredited status for its very existence. Independent providers should be subject to Ofsted inspection which in turn should place greater emphasis on CIAG provision in schools.
If you agree with this or it leaves you wanting to debate the issue further, why not find me on twitter @jimmyfrith
Looks like the New Labour flagship Connexions is now being bashed by Labour members as well as other party members. It all very well saying out with the old and in with the new, but this was being siad over 10 years ago. In fact talking the careers out of Connexions is taking that backward step to a time when young people did suffer from bad advice.
Many “Connexions” services are already run by independent CIAG providers such as Prospects which is “largest national provider of careers services for young people”. Connexions is now just a brand and doesn’t provide anything. Local authorities commission “Connexions” services from companies such as Prospects or provide them in house. Reform of Connexions might be a good idea but making all the experienced staff redundant first is not. People need to learn to separate the concept of Connexions from the people who are now employed under that label but are qualified careers advisers providing excellent advice and guidance to young people.
Not a very labour-like attitude to the public sector and obviously you have a vested interest in private sector careers guidance since you work for U-Explore. Are you sure you’re batting for the correct side?? To dismiss Connexions Personal Advisers in such a way is disgraceful and motivated only by the desire to push your own private company and pick over our bones. You’re propagating the Tory mantra/myth about the need for public sector cuts. There isn’t a need, there are alternatives and you as a labour candidate should be singing from this alternative hymn sheet. I question your Labour credentials – shame on you!
Agree with Ruth. As a Careers Adviser, turned Personal Adviser, for 15 years, with a Diploma in Careers Guidance taken after gaining a degree in psychology and being an FE lecturer, I despair that my work with young people in both roles over the years gets yet another battering. My profession has been used and abused by politicians continuously for decades. We seem to be first in the firing line when political points want to be made. I wish we could just be allowed to do our job, quality assured, as usual, and with professional development opportunities, and user feedback – as usual.