About us
We are a charity committed to supporting young people and adults to realise their potential. We deliver our mission through high quality and professional career management, employment and training services delivered in schools, in the community and in prisons.
We commission high quality research to help shape our services, contribute to policy debates and share best practice. We are passionate about social mobility and helping the most disadvantaged to create a better future.
What we do
Our services are focused on delivering the highest quality services to participants on our programmes and cover several key areas including;
Providing professional career management services and employer encounters in schools
Supporting young people who are at risk of or Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
Delivering Employment, Education and Training support to offenders and ex-offenders
Delivering a range of accredited training programmes
Acting as a voice for the people we work with, using evidence to influence and shape policy. We have a rolling programme of research, and we make evidence-based recommendations to national and local governments and the careers sector as a whole.
Key Strategic Priorities
We believe there are significant opportunities to enhance our services through digital delivery methods, and provide better tools and insight for our people through improved technology provision.
The majority of the charity’s funding currently comes from local and national government. Although this will remain a key funding source we are moving to a more hybrid funding model, which includes Trusts and grants, philanthropy and community fundraising.
Career Connect’s services are developing right across the UK and we have also provided programmes internationally. We are targeting expansion into new geographical areas, utilising our current skills and experience.
We are exploring new service offerings and expanding our schools services to work with children and young people earlier, including delivery in Primary schools.
We are investing in enhancing our approach to Research and Impact, ensuring that we can improve our services, influence policy and share best practice.
Finances
Our turnover last year was £14.7m and we have reserves in excess of £7.0m, putting us in a strong position finically. Our funding currently comes from the following sources;
Local Authorities – Across Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester
Schools and Colleges across the UK
Careers and Enterprise Company
Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service
UKSPF
Equity, diversity and inclusion statement
Career Connect is fully committed to making equality and diversity a reality for the participants we serve. We do everything possible to involve participants to ensure that they have access to services, and that these services are effective irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, or any other individual characteristic that may limit a person’s opportunities in life. We value the diversity of the local area and want services to be fully accessible, relevant and meaningful to all our service users.
We will continue to challenge stereotyping and support individuals considering opportunities in non-traditional areas. Our modes of delivery will be accessible so that all services can be understood and used by those with learning difficulties and disabilities, as well as those less familiar with or able to access web-based technology. Equality and diversity is integral to the development of the service and we will always monitor the take-up of services – and the outcomes achieved – by these groups. In 2023/24 we were ranked as no 10. In the top 100 most inclusive employers by Investors in Diversity.