Connexions brand could be extended to youth support

The Government is considering extending the Connexions brand to cover integrated youth support services.

The proposal is contained in a Department for Education and Skills document examining the issues local authorities will face when they take responsibility for information, advice and guidance services in April 2008.

Connexions Brand Guidelines for Local Authorities raises the possibility of "considering the potential for widening the scope of the brand to cover other youth support services".

The Association of Principal Youth and Community Officers has expressed concerns at the plans, in a response to the department. Susie Roberts, chief executive of the association, said she was worried that tying services in too closely with Connexions would deter young people.

"It seems to suggest the Connexions brand will describe services other than information, advice and guidance and there's some major assumptions in there," she said. "Young people who aren't part of 'the system' aren't likely to seek information, advice and guidance from anything that resembles the system. They need someone like a youth worker who will build a relationship with them and enable them to get beyond the assumption that adults don't care."

Roberts said the "biggest red rag to a bull" was a line in the document that suggested Connexions personal advisers could be responsible for supervising and directing other frontline staff. "It's never been part of the personal adviser's role," she said. "It suggests a complete change of role for advisers. It's a naively written document."

A DfES spokeswoman said it was reading all submissions from interested parties before sending a revised document out to those who had responded.