Connexions disconnected

The Connexions service to young people in Wiltshire is being chopped. The three offices in Trowbridge, Chippenham and Salisbury will close at the end of this month.

Young people will still be able to contact personal advisers who will be more widely spread around the county. Apart from the savings in property costs a number of administrative posts are being made redundant.

Currently information about local employment and training opportunities available to young people is held at the centres, with a job placement service akin to that of Jobcentres for adults.

WC say that new service access points have been secured in a more diverse range of locations where young people will be able to receive the services offered. Discussions have taken place and agreement reached with a number of partner services (Council services and other agencies) to enable this and staff have been involved as far as possible in this process. As a result young people will be able to access the service at 29 different locations across the county, in addition to schools and colleges.

WC have not revealed the amount of cost savings generated by the changes.