Drive to reduce youth drop out rate announced for Rochdale

Bold plans to reduce the number of teenagers from Rochdale who are not in school, work or training have been announced by the organisation that supports thousands of young people across the Borough.

As students begin exams this month, the not-for-profit organisation Careers Solutions has revealed its aim to reduce the teenage ‘drop out’ rate in Rochdale by at least 100 over the next year.

The not-for-profit organisation has announced the plans after taking over the running of the Connexions service for young people in Rochdale, Heywood and Middleton.

Currently, more than 600 young people in Rochdale are officially classed as not in education, training or employment (NEET).

Careers Solutions has set out to make an immediate impact on this figure by investing in front line resources and recruiting four new staff to work with young people and offer information, advice and guidance about their options. The service, which works with 16,000 young people in the Borough, is also offering extra help and advice for teenage parents, young offenders and people with learning difficulties. This support will include offering ongoing and intensive support integrated with other specialist support services.

The organisation will continue to provide services from its centres in Rochdale, Middleton and Heywood and have staff in the Borough’s 17 schools, colleges and numerous community facilities.

As part of the Manchester Solutions group, Careers Solutions also provides strong links to the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and many thousands of employers.

The group is also working with partners in Rochdale on projects, including the town centre development and the Kingsway Business Park.

Careers Solutions’ successful delivery of Connexions services in Manchester, Salford and Tameside has helped to significantly reduce NEET rates amongst young people.

The news was this week welcomed by Council leaders, who appointed Careers Solutions to manage the local Connexions service and its 65 staff.

Councillor Irene Davidson, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Schools & Families, said: “I welcome this announcement. Our young people deserve the best, so I welcome the additional resources and expertise that will be provided by Careers Solutions.

“I’m very much looking forward to working with them.”

David Hobbs, Chief Executive of Careers Solutions, said: “We intend to make a real difference in Rochdale and are already making strides towards realising this. We have innovated new services such as our website and intend extending these for the benefit of young people in Rochdale.

“We are well aware of the size of the challenge here but, working with the Council and its partners, we are sure that the crucial advice and support we can offer the borough’s young people will make a real impact.

“It’s important for young people, who may not know what their next step after exams will be, to realise that there is sound advice available, and a world of opportunity for them to sample.”