Information for School Leavers

Connexions, up to Date Information, Advice and Support

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Connexions Personal Advisers are available to provide all students under 20 years of age (up to age 25 for some students with learning difficulties & disabilities) with up to date information, advice and support. They are here to help you make decisions about your future and help you deal with things that might be going on in your life.

This could include help with:

  • Choosing the right career path for you
  • Making choices for after your course ends ( e.g. apprenticeships/training, further education courses, university, gap year, jobs)
  • Job hunting (where to find job vacancies, CVs, interview skills)
  • Money (including money for studying and benefits)
  • Housing
  • Relationships
  • Health
  • Volunteering
  • Leisure activities

Connexions Personal Advisers can talk you through your options and help you make decisions without deciding for you. They provide confidential and practical support in 1 to 1 meetings/appointments and through group sessions on your course.

Connexions Personal Advisers also work with staff in the college (such as: tutors, College Nurse, Student Welfare Officer, Counsellors) and organisations outside college (such as Youth Advice Centres, local Connexions Centres, Local Authority Housing Departments) to get you the help that you may need.

Personal Advisers at College Are

Phil Garnett
Lisa Malcolm (offering help/support to students on particular courses)

The College Learning Resource Centres, Advice & Guidance Centre North Road and Student Advice Centre at Lansdowne hold a range of information. This information includes careers/jobs, university, college courses, health issues, money through course guides, books, leaflets and computer software such as Kudos and Careerscape. You should also be able to access Kudos and Careerscape via the College network.

How to See a Connexions Personal Adviser in College?

You can drop in to see Phil at the following times:

North Road, The Link/Advice & Guidance Centre:
Tuesdays: 10.30 am – 1.30 pm
Wednesdays: 12.30 – 3.00 pm

Lansdowne, Reception:
Mondays: 11.30 AM – 1.30 pm
Fridays: 12.30 – 2.00 pm

Constitution Hill:
(opposite Russell Coates Building reception area)
Thursdays: 12.30 – 2.00 pm

You can also arrange appointments at the above locations. Do this by:-
Completing Connexions Self-Referral forms which will be available (at each of the 3 sites) and putting the form in the Connexions post-box. Phil will then phone you to arrange an appointment time.

You can also call Phil on (01202) 205267 (North Road) to arrange an appointment time.

You can also get help from your local Connexions Centre:

Blandford: 01258 454454
Bournemouth: 01202 315331
Poole: 01202 677557
Weymouth: 01305 755160

Visit the Connexions web site

Information - Where to Get it?

The College Learning Resource Centres, Advice & Guidance Centre North Road and Student Advice Centre at Lansdowne hold a range of information. This information includes careers/jobs, university, college courses, health issues, money through course guides, books, leaflets and computer software such as Kudos and Careerscape. You should also be able to access Kudos and Careerscape via the College network. You can also log onto both these programmes online through the Cascaid website: www.cascaid.co.uk

Careerscape: Click onto Online Version, then enter Username of: 19474CSp, then enter password/code of 646340.

Kudos: Click onto Online Version, then enter Username of: c12050, then enter licence code of: pawsbusy12. This programme is useful for helping you to consider career ideas by giving you a list of career suggestions (after you have answered a series of questions).

Fast Tomato: You can also use a careers programme called Fast Tomato which after completing a series of profiles provides you with career ideas. It is available online at: www.fasttomato.com, then create a new Logon, Select South West Region, then select Dorset, and then choose Bournemouth & Poole College. A username and password will be created for you which you will need to use before you can start using the programme.

Jobs4u Website: Very useful and easy to use careers database, you can use the A-Z Search to look for information on any career ideas you may have.
www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u

Connexions Direct

Connexions Direct is a service for young people, where you can obtain confidential advice/information from advisers on any issue of concern such as: health, money, relationships, and careers. Connexions Direct is available 7 days a week, from 8.00 am to 2.00 am, via phone, text and internet. Phone 080 800 132 19, webchat at: www.connexions-direct.com, text at: 07766 413 219, MINICOM AT: 08000 688336.

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