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Team Leader/Team Manager/Locality Team  Manager (2002-10)

Connexions West of England (Learning Partnership West)

 

While the job at The Wheels Project was ideal for Howard, the opportunity offered by the then newly formed Connexions service was too good to miss - particularly when strongly recommended by a former colleague from his time at Bristol 5.

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The job was very nearly lost before appointment when the invitation to interview was accidentally missed in the franking and so not delivered by Royal Mail. Howard's first knowledge of his interview was at 9pm the evening before the interview having been in university all day and so unable to answer phonecalls. His resultant ability to attend interview at very short notice, and give a fully prepared multi-media presentation on a topic only given on arrival (unlike other candidates who had received advance notice), impressed the interview panel and achieved the appointment.

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Initially appointed to cover the North East and Central area of the city, Howard was later seconded to the Learning and Skills Council to work on the development of the Bristol Campus - an intiative to integrate post-16 learning provision across the city.

On return from secondment, Howard was given charge of the South West team (covering Ashton, Bedminster, Southville, Hartcliffe and Withywood) and worked with his team through many changes to deliver some of the best outcomes for young people recorded in the city.

 

During 8 years with the company particular achievements include;

 

  • best outcomes for young people against targets (particularly for NEET - Not in Education, Employment or Training, and Not Known - those young people for whom the currency of their last known destination has lapsed)

  • team development including delivery of team development days, and specifically supporting two members to achieve qualified status through the trainee personal adviser programme (with an additional team member due to complete shortly) and supporting another qualified team member to progress into management

  • secondment to Learning and Skills Council to develop the Information Advice and Guidance elements of The Campus initiative

  • acting up as lead manager for data handling and management information systems

  • holding specific leads including teen parents, sexually exploited young people, charity cheques, young people's contingency fund and management information

  • developing substantial partnership relationships with a wide range of partner agencies including schools, youth services, mental health and social services plus substantial contacts with the voluntary and community sector

  • instrumental in setting up a multi-agency approach (CAF Panels) to work with young people which was later adopted city-wide

  • first Connexions manager to open joint locality bases with partners in both localities for which he held responsibility

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