Our history
Connexions Staffordshire has a long history of delivering professional information, advice and guidance:
Following the Employment & Training act of 1973, providing a careers service became a statutory duty of all Local Education Authorities (LEAs). In 1993 this duty passed from the LEAs to the Secretary of State and careers companies were formed to deliver careers services locally. For Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent the service was delivered by a company called 3S Strategies (known locally as Staffordshire Careers) who employed many of the qualified careers advisers who had previously been employed by the Staffordshire LEA.
As well as providing a careers service for young people, 3S Strategies held a number of contracts to deliver advice and guidance on learning and work to adults across the region.
In 2002, 3S Strategies effectively became Connexions Staffordshire:
In response to government changes, careers services across the country were formed into Connexions services which adopted an extended remit. In addition to delivering information advice and guidance on careers to young people, the Connexions services became responsible for addressing a range of issues that may have been preventing young people from progressing into employment, education or training and for directing them to any specialist services they may have required. Connexions Staffordshire Ltd became the company responsible for the Connexions service in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
In September 2009, Connexions Staffordshire Ltd became a company owned by Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Local Authorities.
The Youth Matters paper in 2006 required local authorities to merge their services for young people into an Integrated Youth Support Service (IYSS). Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council decided this would be more easily achieved if they controlled their Connexions service company. The hitherto, mainly independent, Board agreed to pass control in late September 2009.
Connexions Staffordshire Ltd continues to deliver professional information, advice and guidance:
In 2008, Local Authorities were given responsibility and funding to deliver Connexions services. Since 2008 Connexions Staffordshire has worked under contract to both Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire County Council to deliver the service locally.
Since its days as 3S Strategies (Staffordshire Careers), the company has continually formed partnerships with partner agencies, providing the foundation for the development of Connexions’ expertise in delivering information, advice and guidance to a wider audience than the 13–19 age group covered by the national Connexions service. For over 10 years Connexions Staffordshire has managed and delivered contracts to provide information, advice and guidance for adults and is continually seeking opportunities to undertake more of this work.
